Shoptalk 2017 Day 1 Takeaways - deborahweinswig.com · Shoptalk 2017 Day 1 Takeaways: Startup Pitch On Sunday, Fung Global Retail & Technology Managing Director, Deborah Weinswig,

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DeborahWeinswig,ManagingDirector,FungGlobalRetail&[email protected]:917.655.6790HK:852.6119.1779CN:86.186.1420.3016Copyright©2017TheFungGroup.Allrightsreserved.

Deborah Weinswig Managing Director,

Fung Global Retail & Technology

[email protected]

US: 917.655.6790

HK: 852.6119.1779

CN: 86.186.1420.3016

Shoptalk 2017 Day 1 Takeaways: Startup Pitch

OnSunday,FungGlobalRetail&TechnologyManagingDirector,DeborahWeinswig,emceedShoptalk’sstartuppitchcompetitiontokickoffthisyear’sevent.

Thecompetitionfeatured15innovativeearly-stagecompanies,whichsheclassifiedintooneoffourcategoriesrepresentinganareaoffocusamongretailersastheyadapttotherealitiesofdigitalcommerceandchangingconsumerpreferences.

Thosecategoriesincluded:executingretailasaplatform,makinguseofconnectedtechnology,engaginginexperientialretailandprovidingproductcuration.

Weinswigconcludedthepitchcompetitionwithapresentationonthecurrentstateoftheretailenvironment,emphasizingtheunfolding“retailrevolution,”whichisreshapingtheindustryglobally.

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OnSunday,DeborahWeinswigemcee’dastartuppitchcompetitiontokickoffShoptalk’s2ndannualconference.Describedbyitsorganizersas“thenext-generationcommerceevent,”Shoptalkexpectsmorethan5,000attendeesatthisyear’sLasVegasevent.Fromnewtechnologiesandbusinessmodelstochangesinconsumerpreferencesandexpectations,attendeesareexploringdisruptionintheretailindustry,particularlyhowconsumersdiscover,shopandbuy.

Source:FungGlobalRetail&Technology

15InnovativeCompanies,3DistinguishedJudges,2CashPrizesForthesecondyearinarow,FungGlobalRetail&Technology’sManagingDirector,DeborahWeinswig,emceedastartuppitchcompetitionatwhich15innovativeearly-stagecompaniesvyingfortwocashprizesof$25,000hadtopitchbeforeapanelofthreedistinguishedjudges:

• SanjitDang,InvestmentDirectoratIntelCapital,drivesinvestmentsine-commerce,virtualandaugmentedreality,machinelearningandartificialintelligence.

• J.SkylerFernandes,InvestorandFounderatOneMatchVentures,isfocusedoninvestinginthefutureinnovationofretailandcommerce.

• PatriciaNakache,GeneralPartneratTrinityVentures,concentratesonfundingonlineconsumerandbusinessservices,andisparticularlyinterestedinmobile,machinelearningandcrowd-sourcingofInternetservices.

SanjitDang J.SkylerFernandes PatriciaNakache DeborahWeinswig

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Weinswigclassifiedeachcompanyunderoneoffourcategoriesrepresentinganareaoffocusamongretailersastheyadapttotherealitiesofdigitalcommerceandchangingcustomerpreferences:executingretailasaplatform,makinguseofconnectedtechnology,engaginginexperientialretailandprovidingproductcuration.

The15companiesthatparticipatedwere:AdeptMind,Busker,Commerce.AI,DropSpot,Everywear,Feed.fm,Fract,Hanger,Myagi,Obsess,QueueHop,Returnly,ShopperKit,TigerTradeandZiel.Eachcompanyfitsintoatleastoneofthefourareasofopportunityforretailersoutlinedabove.

Source:FungGlobalRetail&Technology

Two$25,000prizeswereawarded,onebasedonvotesfromthejudgesandtheotheronaudiencevotesregisteredviatheShoptalkapp.Eachstartupwasassessedontheretailchallengeithopedtosolve,thefeasibilityofitsbusinessmodel,itsscalabilityandthepresenter’sconfidence.

AndtheWinnersWere?Judge’sprize:Returnly,aB2Bfintechplatformthatstreamlinesthereturnsexperiencebyofferingshoppersinstantreturns,wasselectedbythejudges.

Audienceprize:Myagi,amobile-andweb-basedtrainingplatformthatconnectsretailersandbrandswiththeirsalesassociates,waschosenbytheaudience.

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Below,weincludepicturesofthetheShoptalk2017StartupPitchwinnersandkeyeventparticipants.SonalGandhi,VPofContentStrategyforShoptalkandinstrumentalinthestartupselectionprocess,alongwithJonathanWeiner,Co-FounderofShoptalk,joinedthewinnersonstagetopresenttheprizes.

Source:FungGlobalRetail&TechnologyFromLefttoRight:SonalGhandi,EduardoVilar(Founder,Returnly),JonathanWeiner,J.SkylerFernandes,DeborahWeinswig,SanjitDang,PatriciaNakache

Source:FungGlobalRetail&TechnologyFromLefttoRight:SonalGhandi,SimonTurner(Co-Founder,Myagi),JonathanWeiner,J.SkylerFernandes,DeborahWeinswig,SanjitDang,PatriciaNakache

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StartupProfilesBelow,webrieflyintroducethetwowinnersandtheother13competitors.Toreadmoreaboutthecompanies,pleaseseeourShoptalk2017WorkbookStartupPitchSeriesreport.

CompanyName DescriptionAdeptMind Acompanythatimprovesthesearchandcustomerservice

Q&Aexperienceusingdeepactivelearning.

Busker Alivestreamplatformthatallowsanyonetoshowcaseatalentorshareaproducttheylove.

Commerce.AI AnAI-poweredsystemthatsees,readsandlistenstotheworld’sproductinformationwithdeepproduct-learningtechnology.

DropSpot Amobileappthatturnsneighborhoodstoresintopackagepickuplocations.Customersreceivepackagesthroughanetworkofneighborhoodmerchantsthatdrivestraffictothestores.

Everywear Asoftwaresolutionforretailers’andbrands’e-commercewebsitesthatpersonalizestheuser’sbrowsingandpurchasingexperience.

Feed.fm A“music-as-a-service”platformthatallowscompaniestointegratemusicintotheirwebsitesandmobileapps.

Fract AnAIplatformthathelpsretailersoptimizestorelocationsandmapterritoriesandtradeareas,usinggeospatialintelligence.

Hanger Aplatformfortrackingandsharingclothingandstyleinspirationswithintheuser’spersonalnetworkoffriendsandfamily.

Myagi Amobile-andweb-basedtrainingplatformthatconnectsretailersandbrandswiththeirsalesassociates.

Obsess AVRshoppingplatformforfashionbrandsandretailers.

QueueHop Aplatformthatgivescustomerstheoptiontocheckoutontheirphones,andavoidthehassleofwaitinginline,usingQRcodescanningandRFID-poweredsecuritytagsonitems.

Returnly AB2Bfintechplatformthatoffersbrandsastreamlinedreturnsexperience.

ShopperKit Asoftwareplatformthatenablesexistingbrick-and-mortarstorestoreceive,prioritizeandprocessonlinegroceryorders.

TigerTrade AnonlineB2Bwholesalemarketplaceforbuyingandsellingexcessinventory.

Ziel Ane-commerceplatformthatenablesanylifestylecompanytoexpandthereachofitsbrandsintoactivewear.

Judge’sprize

Audienceprize

https://fungglobalretailtech.com/news/countdown-shoptalk-2017-startup-pitch-series-15-startups/

https://fungglobalretailtech.com/news/countdown-shoptalk-2017-startup-pitch-series-15-startups/

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AdeptMindInc.

ArtificialIntelligence(AI)hasexperiencedaperiodofrapiddevelopmentoverthepastdecade.AIisanareaofcomputersciencethathasexistedlongbeforetheinventionofpersonalcomputersandcellphones.MachinelearninganditssubcategorydeeplearninghaveacceleratedthecommercialapplicationsofAI.

Therapiddevelopmentisdrivenbythreefactors:theavailabilityofbigdatatotrainAIsystems,accelerationofcomputingpowerandheavyinvestmentsinthisarea.RetailersandbrandshaveexperimentedwithAI-basedtechnologiessuchasautomatedcustomerservicebots,socialmediaanalysisandrecommendationoptimization.

CompanyDescriptionAdeptMindInc.isacompanythatimprovesthesearchandcustomerserviceQ&Aexperienceusingdeepactivelearning.Thecompanyaimstoprovidee-commercesmall-tomedium-sizeenterprises(SME)withaturnkeysolutiontoimprovethesearchandproductinquiryexperience.TheAdeptMind-poweredsystemallowscustomerstoinputtheirrequirementdetailsintoasearchbarandthesystemcanreturnwithaccuratesearchresults.AdeptMindestimatesthereareatleast100,000e-commerceSMEsthatareinneedofthisservice.

WhatProblemisAdeptMindSolving?AI-basedsoftwareimprovesproductsearchaccuracyandbroadensthescopeofthewordsbeingsearchedbycustomers.Italsoprovidesinstantanswersaboutproductsandshoppingdetailssuchasshippingcostsandinstallationservicesusingdeepactive-learningtechnology.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:AdeptMindchargesacommissionfeeonimprovedsalesplusamonthlysubscriptionfee.

Competitivelandscape:AdeptMindcompeteswithnaturallanguagesearchstartupslikeZettata,TwiggleandAddStructure.

ManagementTeamGWu,CEOofAdeptMind,wasaco-founderofMaluuba,whereheoversawengineering,andproductandbusinessdevelopmentforvoiceassistants.Today,hehasshiftedhisfocustodeeplearningapplicationstobolstere-commercerevenuegeneration.

IndustryandCompanyOutlookWeexpecttoseeanaccelerationofAI-poweredsystemsadoptionbyretailersandbrands.Theshiftfromatext-basedinterfacetoavoice-basedonepresentschallengestoretailersintheircurrentoperationsoftheirdigitalshoppingchannel.AdeptMindhelpstoimprovethesearch-basede-commerceexperience.ThereisincreasingcompetitioninAI-basedsolutionprovidersforretail.

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Busker

Overthepasttwoyears,livestreamcontenthasincreasinglyoccupiedalargershareofviewingtime.MainstreamsocialmediaplatformssuchasTwitterandFacebookalsointroducedtheirversionsofthelivestreamingfunction.Chinaisattheforefrontoflivestreamingdevelopment.LivestreamingistheprimarychannelthroughwhichinternetinfluencersinteractwithfollowersinChina.However,thereisstillnodominantlivestreamplatformintheUS.AfterinitialdevelopmentsbyPeriscopeandMeerkat,technologycompaniessawbothpotentialandchallengesincreatinglivestreamplatforms.

Source:busker.co

CompanyDescriptionBuskerfallsundertheexperientialretailcategory.Itisalivestreamplatformthatallowsanyonetoshowcaseatalentorshareaproducttheylove.Viewerscanpostcommentsandquestionstointeractwiththehostsreal-time.Buskersupportspaymentswithinthelivestreamvideossoviewerscanenjoyasee-now-buy-nowshoppingexperience.Ithasbuiltacommunityof2,000dailyactiveusers.Thecompanyaspirestobecomeashoppablelivevideoplatformthatpairsbrandswithinfluencers.

WhatProblemisBuskerSolving?Thereissignificantwhitespaceforshoppablelivestreamingplatformsthatallowretailersandbrandstointeractwiththeircustomersvialivecontentcreatedbyinfluencers.Retailersandbrandshaverealizedthepotentialofinfluencermarketingandthepowerofvideos.However,combininglivestreamingandshoppingisstillanascentideaintheUS.Therehasnotbeenago-toplatformforbrandstointeractwiththeircustomersvialivevideos.

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RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:BuskertakesacommissionontransactionsthatoccurduringBusker-hostedlivestreamingsessions,whileviewersparticipateforfree.

Competitivelandscape:CompetitorsincludePeriscopeandMeerkat.

ManagementTeamCo-FounderandCEO,LippeOosterhof,hasastrongtrackrecordinmedia.Hehasledsalesandbusinessdevelopmentinthreeonlinevideoandpublishingstartups.OosterhofisalsocurrentlyCEOofLivestation,whichisthelargestonlineaggregatoroflinearnewsTVchannelswithover5millionmonthlyvisitors.

Source:busker.co

IndustryandCompanyOutlookWeexpectretailersandbrandstolookforwaystoworkwithtechnologycompaniestocreatelivestreamcontent.Buskeriswellpositionedtodevelopnicheshoppingusecasesforlivestream,whichisanuntappedmarketingareaforbrandsandretailerstoreachtargeteddemographics.

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Commerce.AI

AnotherAIstartupinthepitchcompetitionisCommerce.AI.

CompanyDescriptionCommerce.AIisanAI-poweredsystemthatsees,readsandlistenstotheworld’sproductinformationwithdeepproduct-learningtechnology.Thistechnologyhelpsretailersandbrandstounderstandwhatcustomersaretalkingaboutattheproductlevelandtobuildpowerfule-commercecatalogues.Someusershaveexperienceda25%increaseinsalesafterimplementingthetechnology.Thecurrentsystemhasprocessed10millionproductsworldwide.

Commerce.AIhasworkedwithWalmartandthreeothermajorretailbrandsontheirmerchandisingoptimization.

WhatProblemisCommerce.AISolving?AI-trainedsystemscouldusepredictiveanalyticstooptimizeonlinemerchandizing.Traditionally,productcataloguesareselectedmanuallybymerchandiserswithlimitedinformation.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Commerce.AIprovidesanAI-basedsoftwareasaserviceforretailersinexchangeforamonthlycharge.

Competitivelandscape:WhiletherearefewAIcompaniesspecializinginonlinemerchandising,Commerce.AIcompeteswithotheromnichannelpredictivemerchandisingstartupssuchasCelectandBlueYonder.

ManagementTeamAndyPandharikar,theCEOandCo-FounderofCommerce.AI,isaserialentrepreneurandangelinvestor.Heco-foundedFitiquettein2010,whichwasacquiredbyMyntrawherehetookonthepositionofChiefInnovationOfficer.MyntrawaslateracquiredbyFlipkart.In2015,PandharikarfoundedTallIdeaLabs,anincubatorthatincubatesnewideasrelatedtomachinelearning,NLP(naturallanguageprocessing),linguisticalgorithms,narrowAIanddeeplearning.HeisanangelinvestoratSFAngelsGroup.

IndustryandCompanyOutlookAI-powereddataanalyticssolutionsarejustbeginningtoentertheretailspacewhenitcomestooptimizingthemerchandisingprocessandimprovingproductassortmentsonlineandoffline.Inthefuture,weseeAIbringinglocalizedproductofferingsinthephysicalspaceandpersonalizede-commerceexperiencestoafargreaterdegreethatwhatweseetoday.Commerce.AIiswellpositionedtoplayinthisspace.Thecompanycanhelpretailerstooptimizetheirproductdisplaysinordertoimproveconversion.

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DropSpotAstheshoppingjourneyforcustomersbecomesmorecomplexandmoreexpensiveforretailers,wecontinuetoseemorecreativewaysfore-commercefulfilment.Anincreasingshareofpurchasesisbeingfulfilledthroughclick-and-collectandfromthird-partycollectionpointssuchaslockers.Over$100millionofmerchandisewasdeliveredviasame-dayfulfilmentin20citiesintheUSin2016.

Amongrecentlast-mileinnovationsareexperimentsbylargeretailerssuchasAmazonandWalmarttoredesigntheirstorestobuildincollectionservices.Amazonissettoopenthreedrive-throughgrocerycollectionstores.

CompanyDescriptionDropSpotisamobileappthatturnsneighborhoodstoresintopackagepickuplocations.Customersreceivepackagesthroughanetworkofneighborhoodmerchants,drivingtraffictothestores.DropSpotsolvestheproblemofhome-packagedeliverybylettingconsumersreceivetheirpackagesatpickuplocationsclosetotheirhomeorwork.Thecompanyhasenlistedover1,000merchantsacrossthecountrytobecome“dropspots”forpackages,andthenumberisexpectedtodoublebytheendof2018.

WhatProblemisDropSpotSolving?Ase-commercegainsmoreshare,retailersneedtobecomemorecreativeintacklingthechallengesoflast-milefulfillment.Last-mileisoftenacostlypartoffulfillmentandisimportantinbuildinggoodcustomerrelations.Turningneighborhoodstoresintopackagepickuplocationsprovidesconveniencetothecustomers,whiledrivingtraffictotheretailstores.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:ThecompanychargesretailersasmallfeeforeachpackagedeliveredthroughaneighborhoodstoreinDropSpot’snetwork.DropSpotchargescustomersareturnservicefeeforthosewhosendpackagesback.Thecompanyalsoofferspremiumconciergeandvacationstorageandinsurancefeesforcustomerswhowouldliketohaveamorepersonalizedservice.

Competitivelandscape:DropSpotcompeteswithotherthird-partylast-miledeliverycompaniessuchasPostmatesandDeliv.

ManagementTeamCo-founderandChairmanofDropSpot,RichardWarynisaseasonedentrepreneurandprivate-equityprofessionalwithexperiencebuying,growingandexitingfromawidevarietyofearly-tomid-stagegrowthcompanies.SincemovingtoColoradoin2010,Warynhasfocusedoninvestinghisownportfolioinavarietyofprivately-heldcompanies.

IndustryandCompanyOutlookWeexpectretailerstocontinuetousetechnologiestofulfillordersinatimelyandcost-efficientmanner.Therewillbemorecollaborationbetweenretailersandthird-partydeliverycompaniestomeetthegrowingdemandforpackagedelivery.Morecapital-lightandflexibledeliveryservicescompaniessuchasDropSpotwillhavetheopportunitytotakemarketshareinthisspace.

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Everywear

Astraditionalretailersstruggletooptimizee-commerce,newspecialtyretailersarelaunchingwithconsiderabletraction.RetailerssuchasEverlane,Bonobos,WarbyParkerandBirchboxaremeetingthedemandforconvenienceandpersonalization.Customers,particularlymillennials,areoftenlessattractedtomass-marketedproducts.Nicheproducts,experiencesandserviceuniquelysuitedtoindividualtastes,interestsandaspirationshavebecomethenewconsumerinterest.Consumersincreasinglywantproductsthataredirectedtowardsthemonapersonallevel.

Source:everywear.com

CompanyDescriptionEverywearfallsintotheproductcurationcategoryofretailinnovation.Itisasoftwaresolutionforretailersandbrands’e-commercewebsitesthatpersonalizestheuser’sbrowsingandpurchasingexperience.Newusersareaskedtogothroughaseriesofquestionssuchaswhatlookswouldyouliketoseemost,whatagegroupdoyoufallintoandwhat’sinyourcloset.Everywearthenmakesoutfitandproductrecommendationsbasedontheshopper’sclosetandtheshopper’stastes.

Inessence,thecompanyprovidespersonalizedproductrecommendationsforthecustomer.Throughtheapp’smessagingsystem,Everywearalsoconnectsuserswithstyliststohelpthemshopbasedontheirclosetandpersonaltaste.

WhatProblemisEverywearSolving?AccordingtotheshoppingcommerceplatformShopVisible,presentconversionratesinfashionandbeautye-commerceare5x–7xlowerthanin-storerates.Existinge-commerceplatforms,suchasRadial,Demandware,BigCommerceandMagento,capitalizeontheneedforsearch,butoftenlackafront-endintelligencelayerthatpromotescross-merchandisinganddiscovery.Everywearislookingtofillthatgap.

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RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Thecompanyhastwomodels:1)forlargedepartmentstores―itchargesanupfrontset-upfee,monthlylicensingfeeandamonthlymaintenancefee;and2)forlarge-andmedium-sizedbrands―thecompanychargestheaforementioneditemsandreceivesanincrementalrevenueshare.

Competitivelandscape:Competitorsinclude:1)B2CpersonalizedstylingcompaniessuchasStitchFix,TrunkClubandPSDept;and2)B2BcompaniesthatoptimizeconsumerdataforconversionsuchasTrueFit,ShopifyandNersuite.

ManagementTeamEverywearwasfoundedbyCEOBrandonHolleyin2015.Holleyistheformereditor-in-chiefforLucky,theaward-winningshoppingandstylingmagazine.ShebeganhermagazinecareerasawriterforPaper,whicheventuallyledtoleadershiprolesatTimeOutNewYork,GQ,ELLEgirlandYahoo!Shine.

Source:everywear.com

IndustryandCompanyOutlookEveryweariscurrentlyfocusedonapipelineoflargefashionandbeautyoperations,butanticipatesexpansionintothehomespaceandsmallerretailvenues.AccordingtoHolley,asthecompanyenhancesitstechnology,datacaptureandbrandposition,itenvisionsadditionalcapabilitiesasadiverseconsumermarketingdeliverysolutionservingarangeofretailsegments.

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Feed.FM

Retailersandbrandsareactivelytryingtobuildaudience,engagementandretentiontotheirmobileappsande-commerceplatforms.TheUSretailindustryspentandestimated$15.09billionononlineandmobilemediaadvertisingin2016,up14.9%from2015,accordingtoeMarketer.Withshoppingincreasinglytakingplaceondigitalplatforms,andconsumersshoppingmoreontheirmobiledevices,brandsaretryingtocreatedeepercustomerengagementthroughmobileplatforms.Usingmusictoimprovethecustomerexperiencehasbeendonefordecades,butusingmusiconlinetobuildengagementandretentionisrelativelynew.Musiccanbeapowerfulmarketingplatformtoincreasecustomerengagementandloyalty.

CompanyDescriptionFeed.fmfallsundertheexperientialretailcategory.Itisa“music-as-a-service”platformthatallowscompaniestointegratemusicintotheirwebsitesandmobileapps,aswellasprovidestatisticstothebrandonhowpeopleareengaging.Whencustomersvisitthebrand’smobileapporwebsite,theyreceiveanopt-inoption,sotheycandecidewhetherornottoplaythemusic.

Theeditorialteam,ormusicexperts,workswiththebrandstocreatecustomtracklistsbasedontheiraudienceandpreferences.Feed.fmhandlesthenegotiationsandlicensingwiththeartiststomakesuretheyareproperlycompensatedandtherearenocopyrightissues.Ina60-daytrialperiodwithAmericanEagle,Feed.fmreporteda200%increaseinsessiontimeswhencustomersengagedwiththeradio,a100%increaseinretentionanda200%increaseintheuniquevisitortoorderconversionrate.

WhatProblemisFeed.fmSolving?Traditionalretailersaretryingtokeeppacewithe-commerce,particularlyAmazon,soofferinguniquebrandedcontenttoengageusersisveryimportant.Withtheriseofsocialcommerce,retailersalsofacetheriskoflosingbusinesstosocialcommerceplatformssuchasFacebook,InstagramandPinterest.Inaddition,integratingdigitalmusicintoretailplatformsiscomplex,largelybecauseofthehighcostsassociatedwithlicensingsongsandcopyrightissues.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Feed.fmisasubscriptionservicethatchargesamonthlyfeeof$5,000.Clientssignannualcontracts. Competitivelandscape:Otheronlineplatforms/managementsystemsfordigitalmusicintegrationincludeMuzak,whichdesigns,deliversandinstallscustommusicandvoicemessaging,formultipleindustriesincludingretail,hospitalityandrestaurants.ManagementTeamJeffYasuda,FounderandCEO,hasextensiveexperienceinsoftwareandhardwaretechnologycompanies.In2008hefoundedBlip.fm,avideostreamingandmusicdiscoveryplatform.PriortoBlip.fm,heworkedwithnumeroustechnologycompaniesinsoftware,hardware,andcomputerservicesandtelecommunications.

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IndustryandCompanyOutlookAsconsumersincreasinglyshopondigitalplatforms,andsocialplatformsgainpopularity,brandswillhavetoprovideauniqueandcustomizedofferingtoenhancetheuserexperience.In2016eMarketerpredictedthatmobileretailrevenueintheUSreached$96.2billion,up28%from2015.Weexpectthisnumbertocontinuetoincrease.Thecompanycanhelpretailersoptimizetheirdigitalplatformsinordertoimprovetheengagementandbrandexperience.

Fract

Whenitcomestoretailers,onlineandoffline,choosingtheoptimalbusinesslocationisextremelyimportant.GeospatialAIcompaniesareincreasinglyworkingwithretailerstoidentifysuitablelocationsbasedoncharacteristicssuchaspopulation,race,medianhousehold,income,ageandemploymentstatus.Thesecharacteristicscanhelpcompaniesensurebusinessestheoptimallocation.AccordingtoSAP,80%ofalldatahasalocation/geographicelementtoit,whichmakeslocationanalyticsandintelligenceoneoftheessentialaspectsofbusinessanalytics.

CompanyDescriptionFractisanAIplatformthathelpsretailersoptimizestorelocationsandmapterritoriesandtradeareas,usinggeospatialintelligence.Fractcollectsgeographicdataandprovidesactionableinsightstoitscustomers.

Geospatialanalyticsenablesbusinessestonotonlytakeintoaccountdemographicandpsychographicdata,butalsolookatcustomermovement.Thecompanyprovidesanswerstoquestionssuchas,howeasyisittogettoyourstore?Arethereanynaturalobstaclesthatcustomersneedtoovercome?Arethereanycompetingbusinessessituatedonthesameroutethatmostcustomerstaketogettoyou?

WhatProblemisFractSolving?Ifyourbusinessreliesonfoottraffic,locationisastrategicnecessity.Traditionally,businessownersspendcountlesshoursstudyingtheoptimallocationfortheirbusinesswithlimitedgeospatialresources.Inaddition,aspurchasescontinuetoshiftonline,storeandwarehouselocationrelevanttoitscustomersisvitalinreducingshippingtimesandcosts.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:ASaaSsubscriptionmodelbasedonfeatures,suchasnumberofusers,sizeofbusinessandusage.

Competitivelandscape:OthergeospatialAIsolutionssuchasAmigoCloud,whichisageospatialplatformthathelpsbusinessescollect,manage,analyze,visualizeandchooseasitelocation.

ManagementTeamMikeMack,Co-FounderandCEO,hasover20yearsofretailandbusinesslocationanalyticsexperience.PriortoFract,MikefoundedDatMap,ageo-spatialsoftwarecompanyforbig-boxretailersforsiteselection.

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IndustryandCompanyOutlookAccordingtoarecentstudybyGartner,by2020,everycompanythathopestoachievesuccesswillneedtotakeintoaccount“where”theoptimallocationforbusinessis.Thisspatialinformation,pairedupwithdemographic,psychographicandsalesdata,canopenupcountlesspossibilitiesforbusinessestotargetcustomersonawider,deeperandmorepersonalizedlevelthaneverbefore.

Hanger

Personalizationinfashionisadifferentiatingfactorforretailersandbrands.About45%ofonlineshoppersaremorelikelytoshoponasitethatofferspersonalizedrecommendations,accordingtoInvesp.Meanwhile,socialshoppingplatformsareplayingamoreimportantroleinmakingmorepersonalrecommendationstocustomers.In2015,over5%ofallretailspendingcamefromsocialnetworkreferrals,accordingtoe-commerceshippingcompanyReadyShipper.

CompanyDescriptionHangerisaplatformfortrackingandsharingclothingandstyleinspirationswithintheuser’spersonalnetworkoffriendsandfamily.TheHangerappconnectsuserswiththeirfriends’closetsandhelpsthemdiscoverthevaluethat’salreadyhangingintheirownwardrobe.Hangermakesusersexpertsintheirpersonalstyleandinspiresconfidenceinwhattheywear.Theapphas2,600activeusersandover10,000downloads.Thecompanyiscurrentlyintalkswithmajordepartmentstoresandfashionbrands.

WhatProblemisHangerSolving?Brandandretailershavestruggledtopersonalizestyleandproductrecommendationsbasedonwhatisalreadyintheircustomers’wardrobes.Consumerswouldlikepersonalizedstylingadvicefromtheirpeersandfrombrands.Hanger’ssocialshoppingplatformprovidesconsumerswithtoolstomanagetheirpersonalstylewhiledevelopingrelationshipswithbrands.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Hangertakes7%–22%ofeachtransactionthattakeplacethroughHanger’srecommendation.

Competitivelandscape:Hangercompeteswithothersocialshoppingapps.SavelGoisonesuchappthatoffersusertheopportunitytohaveconversationswithotherconsumerswhoareshoppingforsimilaritemsworldwideandgetreal-timefeedback.StuffNStyleisapersonalstylingappthatcollectspicturesofcustomers’closetsandhelpsthemfindfeedbackinputtingoutfitstogetherfromothers.

ManagementTeamDanielEvansistheCEOandCo-FounderofHanger,amulti-sidedmarketplacethatprovidesconsumerswithtoolsandanalyticstomanageandsharetheirpersonalstylewhilefacilitatingauthenticrelationshipswiththebrandstheylove.PriortofoundingHanger,EvansheldavarietyofrolesacrosstwodecadesinthetechnologyfieldincludingUX/UIdesigner,developer,productownerandexecutive.

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IndustryandCompanyOutlookWeexpecttoseesomelevelofconvergenceofsocialmediaandshoppingplatformsinthefuture.Therewillbeincreasingdemandforconsumerstointeractwithbrandsandretailersinasocialenvironmentanddrivesalesthroughtrustedrecommendationsbyinfluencersorpeers.Hangeriswellpositionedtobenefitfromthissocialshoppingtrend.

Myagi

Theinternetandmobiletechnologyhaschangedthewayconsumersinteractwithbrands.Moreretailersaremovinginthedirectionofempoweringtheirstoreassociateswithtoolstoimprovetheirperformance,andthistrendisexpectedtopickupin2017.

Source:myagi.com

CompanyDescriptionMyagifallsundertheretailasaplatformcategory.Itisamobile-andweb-basedtrainingplatformthatconnectsretailersandbrandswiththeirsalesassociates.Throughitsplatform,retailersandbrandscreate,manage,deliverandmeasurecustomerservice,productandsalestrainingatthestorelevel.Theplatformallowsbrandstodelivermessagesdirectlytothepocketsofitssalesassociatesinordertoinfluencecustomerconversationsatscaleinanengagingandgamifiedapplication.

Myagigivesitscustomersfeedbacktopinpointwherebesttofocustocontinuallyimprovetheperformanceoftheirstoreassociates.Myagi’sanalyticssuitehelpsidentifythecontent,peopleandmanagementpracticesthatareoptimalinliftingitscustomers’salesandserviceperformance.Thecompanyclaimsearlycasestudieshaveshowna44%increaseinsalesandareductioninemployeeturnoverofasmuchas30%.MyagicurrentlyworkswithleadingglobalbrandsandretailersworldwidesuchasAdidas,ASICSandToys“R”Us.

Audienceprize

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WhatProblemisMyagiSolving?Itisachallengefortraditionalbrick-and-mortarretailerstodeliveragreatexperience.Customerserviceisoneaspectofthat.Oneareathathaslaggedbehindthedigitaltransformationisthemanagementandtrainingofstoreassociates,who,inmanycases,arestillusingoldsystemsandmanytimesdonotreceivemuchtrainingatall.

Customersareenteringthestore―afterinteractingthroughdifferentdigitaltouchpoints―armedwithinformationonproductandpricing.Often,customersknowmoreabouttheproductsandservicesofthebrandthanthestoreassociatesdo.Theuseofenablingtechnologiescanimprovetheknowledgedeficiencygapforbrick-and-mortarretailers’storeassociates.AccordingtoRetailNext,thethreekeyelementstohelpmaximizethein-storeexperienceandclosetheknowledgegapare:proximitymarketing,interactionsanalysisandmobiledeviceusage.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Myagichargesitscustomersbythenumberoflocationsandbythelevelofservicerequested. Competitivelandscape:Otheronlineplatforms/managementsystemsforemployeetrainingthatoffersimilarservicesinclude:

• Mindflash―Providesawebplatformforcompaniestoeasilyshareknowledgeandtrainemployees.

• Docebo―Isalearningmanagementsystem(LMS)toorganize,trackanddistributeonlinecoursestoemployees.

• Experticity―Itsonlinetrainingplatform(3point5.com)bringstogetherbrands,retailersandexpertstotrainsalesassociatesontheirproducts,howtheyworkandwhatmakeseachoneunique.

ManagementTeamSimonTurner,Co-FounderandHeadofBusinessDevelopment,hasextensiveexperienceintheretailindustry.HefoundedFivespot,aleadingwholesalerandmanufacturerofhigh-qualityoutdoorproductsforthesportingindustryinAustralia,in2005.

IndustryandCompanyOutlookStoreassociatesareakeytouchpointwithcustomersinphysicalretail,andtechnologiesthatenablestafftoprovidebetterservicemoreefficientlywilllikelybecomethefocalpointofomnichannelstrategiesgoingforward.Myagilookswellpositionedtomeettheneedsofretailerslookingtooptimize,digitizeandoptimizetheirstoresalesassociates.

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ObsessVR

In2016,virtualreality(VR)applicationsgeneratedsignificanthypeacrossindustriesfromgaming,toentertainment,toretail.AnumberofVRdevicesweredevelopedlastyear,includingHTC’sVive,Samsung’sGearVRandFacebook’sOculusRift.VRshoppingblendstheonlineandin-storeshoppingexperiencebyallowingshopperstobeimmersedinastore-likeenvironmentwithoutphysicallytravelingtothestore.VRshoppingalsoallowsretailerstoshowcasetheirflagshipstorestoanexpandedglobalaudience. ResearchfirmIDCestimatedthatVRhardwareshipmentswouldreach9.6millionunitsin2016,and64.8millionunitsin2020,orafive-yearCAGRof184%.

Source:obsessvr.com

CompanyDescriptionObsessVRfallsintotheexperientialretailcategory.ItisaVRshoppingplatformforfashion.Thiswhite-labeledVRsoftwareenablesfashionbrandsandretailerstosetuptheirownvirtualstorefrontswithoutsignificanttechnologyinvestments.ThecompanyaimstobecometheShopifyofVRshopping,andtoreplacetoday’se-commerceexperiencewithanimmersiveandinteractiveone.WeseesignificantopportunitiesforcompanieslikeObsessVRtoprovideaone-stopsolutiontoretailersthatareinterestedincreatingaVRexperiencefortheircustomers. ObsessVRhaspartneredwithSamsungandNewYorkFashionweektocreateVRfashionshows.InadditiontotheVRexperience,Obsessalsoprovidesviewer’stractiondatatothedesignersintheback-end.

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WhatProblemisObsessVRSolving?Themajorityofretailerswithlimitedtechinvestmentsarestillinneedofaone-stopsolutioninordertocreateVRshoppingexperiences.TheVRexperiencealsoneedstointegratepaymentfunctionsandretailers’existinge-commerceoperations.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Thecompanychargesafeeonsalesandaflatfeeforhostingthestore.

Competitivelandscape:CompetitorsincludeInContextSolutionsandNimbleVR.

ManagementTeamObsessVRwasfoundedbyateamofengineerswithsignificantexperienceinretailtechnology.FounderandCEONehaSinghspentfiveyearsatGoogleasasoftwareengineerbeforejoiningluxurye-commercestartupAHAlife,wheresheledtheproductandtechteam.ShewasmostrecentlytheheadofproductatVogue.HerCo-FounderDanielChangspent12yearsasasoftwareengineeratMicrosoftand,mostrecently,hewastheDirectorofEngineeringatGQ.

Source:obsessvr.com

IndustryandCompanyOutlookWhileVRshoppingwillstilllikelyremain“icingonthecake”forcustomers,weexpecttoseemoreexperimentswithretailersinVRapplication,inanattempttocreatemoreexperiencesfortheircustomers.Weseeastrongdemandforthird-partyVRsoftwareproviderstohelpstreamlinethedevelopmentprocessforbudget-constrainedretailers.

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March20,2017


QueueHopThecustomercheckoutexperienceiskeytocustomerretentionforstore-basedretailers.AsurveybyeMarketerrevealsthatatleast30%ofcustomerswouldgobacktobrick-and-mortarstoresifsmoothandquickself-checkoutoptionsexisted.About33%ofcustomersleavethestorewithoutbuyingifthecheckoutlineislongerthansevenminutes.Theretailself-checkoutexperiencehasevolvedfromtheself-checkoutkiosksinthe2000stoRFID-basedscannerscurrentlyinuse.

CompanyDescriptionQueueHopgivescustomerstheoptiontocheckoutontheirphones,withoutthehassleofhavingtowaitinline,usingQRcode-scanningandRFID-poweredsecuritytagsonitems.QueueHopmakesRadio-FrequencyIdentification(RFID)anti-theftapparelsecuritytagsthatautomaticallyunlockafterapaymentismade.QueueHophasworkedwithRebeccaMinkofftoreimagineitsin-storecheckoutexperience.

WhatProblemisQueueHopSolving?Thein-storeexperiencehasbecomeincreasinglyimportantasretailersstruggletodrivetrafficandsalestostores.Providingaspeedyandconvenientcheckoutexperiencecontinuestobeachallengeforstore-basedretailers.Technologycompanieshavedevelopedvariousmobile-basedsolutionstosolvethisproblem.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:QueueHopchargesretailersanimplementationfeeforaddingRFIDsecuritytagstotheirproducts.Feesarenotdisclosed.

Competitivelandscape:QueueHopcompeteswithothermobile-basedself-checkoutsolutionproviderssuchasSelfcartandShopic.

ManagementTeamCo-FounderandCEOLindonGaostartedhiscareerininvestmentbankingasananalystatGoldmanSachsandJPMorgan.HestartedQueueHopin2015,acompanythatissettodisrupttheuser-initiatedpaymentlandscapewithintheretailindustry.HealsoownsajewelrymanufacturingcompanyfordesignersandwholesalerscalledLPGCrafts.

IndustryandCompanyOutlookWeexpecttoseemoreinnovationinself-checkoutexperiences,especiallywithinthefashion,groceryanddrugstorespace.AsthepriceofRFIDtagsdecreases,weexpecttoseemoreretailersinvestinRFID-basedsolutions.QueueHopiswellpositionedtoreimaginetheself-checkoutexperienceatfashionretailstores.

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March20,2017


Returnly

Theaveragereturnsratehasincreasedfrom9%in2013,to30%,accordingtotheNationalRetailFederation(NRF).Freeshippingforreturnsisincreasinglyanexpectationofconsumers.Thereturntimetoreceivearefund,onaverage,is21days.Slowreturnsprocessesoftenreduceconsumers’tendencytopurchaseandcanaffectbrandloyaltyandthecustomerexperience.Amazonisknownforitsfastreturnspolicy,averaging1.3daystoreturncashtocustomers,whilemostonlinestoreswillonlyrefundshoppersoncethereturnsparcelisintransitorhasbeeninspected.

Source:returnly.com

CompanyDescriptionReturnlyfallsundertheconnectedtechnologycategory.ItisaB2Bfintechplatformthatoffersbrandsastreamlinedreturnsexperience.WithReturnly,shoppersgetInstantRefunds™asstorecredittobuyagainevenbeforereturningtheitems.Returnlytakestheroleofthemiddleman―helpingconsumersavoidtheholdoverperiodbetweenthetimethegoodsarereturnedandthetimearefundisreceived.Returnlyfrontsthecustomers’theirmoneyintheformofanonlinewalletthatcanbeusedforrepurchasesonlyatthesamebrand.Oncetheretailerreceivestheoriginalgoods,themoneyistakenoutofthecustomer’swallet(ifithasnotyetbeenspent)andputbackintothecustomer’saccount.Returnlytakes100%ofthereturnsandconsumerrisksothemerchantisneverataloss.

AccordingtoReturnly,becauseoftheinstantrefund,shoppersare3xmorelikelytopurchasefromthesamebrand,whichincreasesshopperloyaltyandthelikelihoodtheshopperwillbuymoreexpensiveitems.Thecompanyiscurrentlyworkingwithover400brandsandretailers,includingShopify,KITH,GoopandRussellAthletic.

Judge’sprize

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March20,2017


WhatProblemisReturnlySolving?Mostonlineproductreturnsresultinlostsalesfortheretailerandorbrandandfrustratedshoppers.Ittakesbrands21days,onaverage,toprocessarefund.Theshopperstartsthereturnprocess,thecarrierdeliversthegoodstoawarehouse,thewarehouseinspectsthereturnedgoods,thebrandissuesanorderrefundandfinallythemoneyisreturnedtotheshopper.Retailersoftencannottakeontheproductreturnsrisktoshortenrefundtimestotheircustomers.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Returnlychargesaninitialsetupfeeafteranonlineretailerfirstadoptstheservice.Thecompanycollectsnearlyallofitsrevenuefromcommissionsonpost-returnsales(undisclosed).

Competitivelandscape:Returnlyisuniquelypositionedandcurrently,therearenoothercompaniesofferingasimilarservice.

ManagementTeamFounderandCEOEduardoVilarestablishedReturnlyin2014.HepreviouslyfoundedIntegralcom,asoftwarecompanythatbuiltcustome-commercestorefrontsandcontentmanagementsystems.Theteamhasastrongbackgroundinfintechande-commerceengineering.

Source:returnly.com

IndustryandCompanyOutlookTohelpalleviatetherisingcostsofreturns,retailersareincreasinglyworkingwiththird-partylogisticsfirmstospeeduptheprocess.Returnlyoffersanicheservicethatisrisk-freeforbrands.Asonlineshoppingcontinuestoincrease,withmorebrandsofferingfreereturnstostaycompetitive,weexpectmorebrandstolookforwaystoworkwithtechnologycompanies,likeReturnly,tostreamlinethereturnsprocess.

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March20,2017


ShopperKit

Althoughonlinegrocerysalesrepresentaverysmallportionoftheoverallgroceryretailmarket,thesegmentisamongstthefastest-growinginthecategory.Onlinesalestopped$48billionworldwidein2016,up15%duringthepastyearandaccountingfor1.4%ofthetotalgrocerymarket,accordingtoKantarWorldpanelandourestimates.Weexpectthepaceofgrowthingrocerye-commercetoaccelerate,andfortheonlinechanneltocapture2%oftotalgrocerysalesintheUSbytheendof2017.

Source:shopperkit.com

CompanyDescriptionShopperKitfallsintotheconnectedtechnologycategoryofretailinnovation.Itisasoftwareplatformthatenablesexistingbrick-and-mortarstorestoreceive,prioritizeandprocessonlinegroceryorders.ShopperKitdesignsstoreplanogramsandproductzoneswithinthestoretocreatepickingpathsforstoreassociates.Asaresult,merchandiseispickedfasterandallowsformultipleorderstobeshoppedatthesametime,whichreducesthelaborcostsofonlinefulfillmentandfasterpickuptimes.

ShopperKit’sAPIintegrateswithanyonlinestorefrontorhostsystem,sothereisnoneedfornightlydatatransfersintoaseparatedatabase.Thiseliminatescomplexdatalogsofstoreinventoryforretailers,fasterstoreintegrationtimesandlowerstartupcosts.Thesoftwarealsoprovideswaystocommunicatedirectlywithstoreassociatesforreal-timecustomercommunication.Grocerswhocommunicatereal-timewiththeircustomersthroughShopperKithaveshownanoverallincreaseinbasketsizefortheseorders.

WhatProblemisShopperKitSolving?Withthegrowthoffoodretailexpectedtoremainlowoverthenextfewyears,andtheincreaseingrocerye-commercepenetration,retailersmustconsiderthepotentialthatdigitalizationofferstoengagewithcustomersandopennewrevenuestreams.However,digitalizationpresentsnewchallengesforretailers,asthelogisticalcostsofe-commercethreatentoerodeprofitmargins.

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March20,2017


E-commercewillbecomeevenmoreimportantforstore-basedretailers,furtheringtheneedtoimplementonlinefulfillmentcapabilities.Partneringwithdigitalgrocery-orderanddeliverystartupsofferscost-effectivesolutionstoreducefulfillmentcostsandcompetemoreaggressively.

Source:shopperkit.com

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Thecompanychargesaone-timefeeforPOSintegration.Beyondthat,ShopperKitlicensesitstechnologyonasubscriptionbasis.

Competitivelandscape:Competinge-commerceplatformsthathavesomeleveloffulfilmentincludeMyWebGrocer,Buy4NowandFreshhop.

ManagementTeamShopperKitwasfoundedanddevelopedbyateamofexpertswithdeeponlinegroceryfulfillmentanddomainexperience.JackRecord,CEOofShopperKit,wasoneofthefirstemployeesatVersionOne,anAtlantatechnologystartupfocusedonagile/leanproductsandservices.

IndustryandCompanyOutlookFor2017,weexpecte-commercetobecomeevenmoreimportantforstore-basedretailersintheUSastheyfacestrongercompetition.Asmoreshoppersarebecomingcomfortablewithpurchasinggroceryitemsonline,brick-and-mortarretailershavethepotentialtoattractmoreshoppersthroughonlineorderinganddeliveryservices.

Sincelaunchingin2016,Shopperkithasbeenworkingwithfourmajorretailers,andexpectstobeinover200storesinthenext12months.

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March20,2017


TigerTrade

Theoff-pricesectorinvaluetermsrepresents$90billioninappareland$280billionacrossallcategories.Themarketsharefortheoff-pricesectorisexpectedtogrowto10%ofoverallapparelsalesby2018.

Source:tigertrade.com

CompanyDescriptionTigerTradefallsundertheretailasaplatformcategory.ItisanonlineB2Bwholesalemarketplaceforbuyingandsellingexcessinventory.TigerTrade’splatformisdisruptingahighlyinefficientmarketbyautomatingtradingandenablingreal-timebidding,vendorverificationandend-to-endfulfillmentusingitsproprietarytechnology.Sellerscanquicklyselltheiroverstockmerchandisetotrustedbuyersontheplatform.Thecompanycurrentlyworkswithleadingglobalbrandsinapparel,footwearandfashionaccessories.Theplatformhasover1,200registeredbuyersfromover100countries.

WhatProblemisTigerTradeSolving?Thebuyingmarketfortheoff-pricemarketisextremelyinefficientduetothelackofdigitalmarketplacestomatchtheopportunisticexcessinventorysupplieswithsuitablebuyersglobally.Therearemanychallengesintermsofinternationaltraderegulationswhenitcomestomovinginventoryacrossbordersintimeforsale.

RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:TigerTradeprovidestheend-to-endserviceinexchangeforapercentageoftransactionstakingplaceontheplatform. Competitivelandscape:CompetitorsincludeInturn.

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Source:tigertrade.com

ManagementTeamTanjilaIslam,CEOandFounderofTigerTrade,isaninternationaltradeexpertandeconomicdevelopmentspecialist.Shehasdesignedlarge-scaletradepromotionprogramsfortheWorldBankandUSAIDthroughoutSouthandSoutheastAsia.Islam’sadventureinglobaltradeinspiredhertocreateTigerTradeinordertobringinternationaltradeonline.

IndustryandCompanyOutlookTheoff-pricesectorisexpectedtooutpacetheoverallretailindustrygrowth.Weexpectsignificantdemandfromoff-pricebuyersforexcessinventoryglobally.Ontheotherhand,thecurrentbuyingmodel,withprimarilyrelationship-basedinquiriesandfewdigitaltoolstoenablethetransactions,isexpectedtotransformintoamoretransparentandefficientone.TigerTrade’splatformispoisedtoattractmoresellersandbuyersintheoff-pricesector.

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March20,2017


ZielConsumers―particularlymillennials,whichnowrepresentthelargestdemographicintheUS―areoftenattractedtonicheproducts,experiencesandservicesuniquelysuitedtoindividualtastes,interestsandaspirations.Theyoungergenerationofshoppersvaluetransparencyandsustainability.Asaresult,manyapparelbrandsareturningtoon-demandmanufacturingtofosterasenseofcommunityandpersonalizationamongstshoppers.

Source:zielwear.com

CompanyDescriptionZielisane-commerceplatformthatenablesanylifestylecompanytoexpandthereachofitsbrandsintoactivewear.Thecompanycreateson-demand,customperformance-wearapparelforitstargetcustomers,whichincludelifestylebrands,celebritiesandinfluencers.CustomerssignupandZielhandlesdesign,production,inventorymanagement,onlineandofflinesalesandcustomerpaymentsonitsretailplatform.Zielalsoofferse-commerceintegration,sobrandscanofferZiel’sproductsontheirwebsites.

Inaddition,everypieceofapparelismadetoorder,thuslimitingtheenvironmentalimpactofunwantedgarments,andenergyandresourcesusedtomakeanddistributetheapparel.Bybuildinganon-demandapparelsupplychainanduniquedesigntechnology,Zielcanofferitsclientsaplatformtorapidlyselllimitedcollections,whichcancreateanurgetobuywiththeircustomers.

WhatProblemisZielSolving?Customerswanttoextendtheirbrandtonewproductstogeneratenewrevenuestreams,andraiseawarenesstotheircommunitythattheyaresociallyresponsible.Thehighcostandhighriskoftheextensivedevelopmentandinventoryrequiredbytraditionalmanufacturersisachallengetodevelopingabrandedapparelline.Zielenablesitscustomerstoselltoandengagedirectlywiththeconsumerwithouthavingtodealwithlargeapparelmanufacturersandnationwideretailers.

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March20,2017


RevenueModelandCompetitiveLandscapeRevenuemodel:Zielrequiresaone-timesecuritydepositagainsttheftandlossforanyinventory.Zielsetsabasecostpriceforeachitemandtheclientsdefinestheirmarkup,orclientsearnmarginorcommissiononsalesonaweeklybasis. Competitivelandscape:ThecompetitionincludesArtfulGentleman,acustomclothingshop,andotherbrandedactivewear.

ManagementTeamFounderandCEOMarleenVogelaarhasanextensivebackgroundincustomapparelmanufacturing.PriortoZiel,sheco-foundedShapeways,whichalsoofferscustomproductsthroughdigitalmanufacturing.DanielIfcher,HeadofBusinessDevelopment,wasformallyExecutiveVP/DivisionHeadatGlobalBrandsGroup.

Source:zielwear.com

IndustryandCompanyOutlookOn-demandmanufacturingenablesretailerstoconnectwiththeirconsumersfromsourcingtothefinishedproduct.Webelievethatlocalsourcingandenvironmentally-friendlymanufacturingwillcontinuetogainstrengthamongstconsumers.Ziel’splatformispoisedtoattractmorecustomers,aslocalproductionandeco-friendlyattitudesincreaseamongconsumers.

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DeborahWeinswig,CPAManagingDirectorFungGlobalRetail&TechnologyNewYork:917.655.6790HongKong:852.6119.1779China:86.186.1420.3016deborahweinswig@fung1937.comStevenWinnickResearchAssociate

HongKong:8thFloor,LiFungTower888CheungShaWanRoad,KowloonHongKongTel:85223004406London:242–246MaryleboneRoadLondon,NW16JQUnitedKingdomTel:44(0)2076168988NewYork:1359Broadway,9thFloorNewYork,NY10018Tel:6468397017

FungGlobalRetailTech.com

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Shoptalk 2017 Day 1 Takeaways - deborahweinswig.com · Shoptalk 2017 Day 1 Takeaways: Startup Pitch On Sunday, Fung Global Retail & Technology Managing Director, Deborah Weinswig,