The New York Fashion Tech Lab Unveils The 2025 Cohort

6 Startups Shaping the Future of Fashion and Retail Technology

Established in 2014 by Springboard Enterprises, the NY Fashion Tech Lab remains the leading
program and community for fashion and retail technology founders, collaborating with a new
group of retail and brand partners each year.

The New York Fashion Tech Lab (NYFTLab) returns for its 12th
year, continuing its mission to accelerate women-led B2B technology startups transforming the
fashion and retail industry. The highly competitive non-profit program is designed for early-to-
growth-stage innovators and is backed by some of the industry’s most influential brands and retailers.

Since its launch in 2014, NYFTLab has partnered with over 40+ leading retail, brand, and
corporate partners who support and participate as part of the experience. This year’s Retail and
Brand partners include AEO Inc., Gap Inc., J.Crew Group, lululemon, Saks Global, The TJX
Companies, Inc., and Tapestry.

In mid-February, executives from the 2025 retail and brand partners gathered at the SAP
Experience Center, in NYC, to see this year’s selected finalists present. From there, 6
companies were chosen to take part in the 12-week program that runs from mid-March to mid-
June:

The 2025 Lab Companies Include:

• Athena Studios
• KSI Vision
• LiquiDonate
• Slip
• Spangle AI
• Vody

Each year, the selected companies reflect the industry’s most pressing priorities, and 2025 is
no different. This year’s cohort is tackling key areas such as Circular Economy, Product
Development, Personalization, Customer Journey, In-Store Analytics, and Post-Purchase
Solutions. These innovations are more than just trends; they represent real, practical
applications that drive efficiency, deepen consumer engagement, and enhance loyalty, all while
addressing sustainability for our future.

These 6 women are participating from London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, New York, San
Francisco, and Uruguay, joining the 80+ global alumni of the Lab.

The 2025 Lab Timeline is as follows:

• Fall 2024: Open applications for women-led, b2b startups to apply
• Winter 2025: Applications are reviewed by the 2025 Partners
• Mid-February: Finalist Session for Retail Partners to select the cohort
• Mid-March: Announcement of cohort and program kick-off
• Mid-March – Mid-June: 12-week program: Meetings with retail partners + weekly
  sessions + workshops + introductions to the lab’s expert network and key strategic
  partners, including Manatt and SAP.
• June 17th: Annual NYFTLab Cohort Showcase/Demo Day event will take place at HSBC-
  The Spiral at Hudson Yards

About

New York Fashion Tech Lab is a community-driven, relationship-building, collaboration, and
business development platform. The non-profit program was co-founded by Springboard
Enterprises and key fashion retailers to support women-led companies that have developed
innovations at the intersection of fashion, retail, and technology. Learn more at: nyftlab.com

Springboard Enterprises is a US-based venture catalyst and 501(c)3 organization with a
mission to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial companies led by women through access to
essential resources and a global community of experts. It is the leading network of influencers,
investors, and innovators dedicated to building high-growth companies led by women
transforming industries in technology and life science. Since 2000, over 930+ Springboard
portfolio companies have created over $60B+ in value, executed over 240 exits to strategic
acquirers, achieved 28 IPOs, and 10 unicorns. Learn more at: springboardenterprises.org