New York Fashion Tech Lab Reveals Eighth Cohort
The New York Fashion Tech Lab, a program for women promoting fashion and retail-tech advancement, revealed today their eighth cohort.
Six women-led companies were selected by industry leaders to participate in the Lab’s first fully virtual/digital lab experience and join the lab from Canada, Australia, Germany, London and the U.S.
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The 2021 retail and brand partners have selected companies that address such themes as 3D; non-fungible tokens, or NFTs; fit; social commerce; sustainability, and inclusivity.
During the 12-week program, the hand chosen companies will collaborate with NYFT Lab’s retail and brand partners to address the opportunities technology presents for shaping the future of the fashion and retail industries. The chosen companies will also engage in sessions with the Lab’s network of experts and investors.
The six companies are:
• Lisa, a Germany-based livestream shopping experience for e-commerce.
• Reflekt Me, a North Carolina-based company that drives product recommendations and creates an inclusive shopping experience.
• Save Your Wardrobe, a London-based company which streamlines the post-purchase experience through an ecosystem of aftercare services.
• Vntana, a Los Angeles-based SaaS platform that makes 3D asset production and distribution for apparel and footwear.
• Xesto, a Toronto-based company that makes a 3D-sizing tool for footwear and accessories, accessible on any website.
• 3D Robe, a company out of Sydney, Australia that makes 3D fashion files ready to be sold as NFTs, traded and worn in the metaverse.
The retailers and brands supporting the 2021 Lab are returning partners LVMH and Levi Strauss & Co., and new partners Burberry, Richemont and Tapestry. NYFT Lab, cofounded by Springboard Enterprises and key fashion retailers to support women-led businesses, is also supported by Accenture and Microsoft.
Jackie Trebilcock, managing director of NYFT Lab, said she was happy to continue the mission of innovating at the intersection of fashion, retail and technology. “This year it was very important for us to carry on our annual program and continue to serve as a direct conduit between these innovators and our fashion and retail partners. With fashion having such an influential impact on today’s culture, we recognize, now more than ever, that retailers will continue to seek new technology solutions. Alongside our partners, we aim to support entrepreneurs who are making advancements in this space,” she said.
Springboard Enterprises’ mission is to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial companies led by women. Since 2000, over 800 Springboard portfolio companies seeking financial and human capital for product development and expansion have created more than $27 billion in value, are revenue generators and job creators. There have been more than 200 exits to strategic acquirers and 21 initial public offerings.
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