The New York Fashion Tech Lab Unveils The 2025 Cohort

20 Mar 2025

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.

Jackie Trebilcock, Managing Director, NY Fashion Tech Lab
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

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