Back-of-house automation platform PrepWizard has secured a strategic investment from 404 Endeavors, a private investment firm specializing in technology and tech-enabled services businesses serving restaurants and multi-unit operators. Terms were not disclosed. BGL's Restaurant & Retail Software investment banking team advised PrepWizard exclusively on the transaction.
Founded in 2019 by Doug Harris alongside his sons Cole and Eli, PrepWizard delivers an end-to-end food prep labeling system built to eliminate one of the most persistent and error-prone manual tasks in any commercial kitchen. The cloud-based mobile app pairs with integrated Bluetooth printers and custom-formulated dissolvable and low-adhesive labels to automatically calculate use-by dates and generate accurate labels in seconds — replacing handwritten stickers and the food safety liabilities that come with them. Consistent label standards across locations make the platform especially well-suited for multi-unit chains managing brand compliance across distributed back-of-house teams.
Beyond the Label
The company has extended its footprint beyond food prep labeling with WorkWizard, a digital operations management platform that helps multi-unit operators digitize tasks, checklists, audits, announcements, and store-level workflows. Together, the two products position PrepWizard as a broader back-of-house SaaS play — one that competes in a segment where operators are under pressure to reduce labor dependency, cut food waste, and maintain regulatory compliance without adding headcount. The shift from paper-based prep sheets and handwritten date labels to cloud-managed digital workflows mirrors broader adoption trends seen across kitchen automation and BOH technology.
Cole Harris will remain President and Eli Harris will continue as Chief Technology Officer following the close of the deal. 404 Endeavors' investment is structured to support further development of PrepWizard's people, technology, and go-to-market capabilities — a signal that the firm sees room to expand the platform's reach across the foodservice industry rather than restructure the existing operation.
Capital Chasing Back-of-House
The deal reflects sustained investor appetite for purpose-built restaurant technology targeting operational efficiency. As labor costs remain elevated and food safety regulations tighten, operators across quick-service, fast-casual, and full-service segments have accelerated adoption of digital tools that replace manual, paper-driven workflows. Automated prep labeling sits at the intersection of food safety compliance, labor efficiency, and brand standards — a combination that investors in the restaurant tech funding space have found increasingly attractive since the post-pandemic back-of-house technology push.
404 Endeavors' focus specifically on multi-unit operators also points to a deliberate enterprise scaling strategy for PrepWizard. Chain operators managing dozens or hundreds of locations stand to gain the most from consistent, cloud-synced labeling standards and digitized audit trails — use cases that translate directly into ARR expansion as location counts grow. With the founding team staying in place and growth capital now behind the platform, PrepWizard is positioned to accelerate both product development and sales coverage across an underserved slice of the foodservice back office.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
