This is a paid press release. Contact the press release distributor directly with any inquiries.
The New York Fashion Tech Lab Unveils the 11 Companies of The 2026 Collective
Inaugural Collective to Make Its Debut September 10 During New York Fashion Week
NEW YORK, September 08, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The New York Fashion Tech Lab (NYFTLab) is proud to showcase the 11 companies selected for The 2026 Collective— the program’s largest group of participants to date. This milestone comes as the Lab marks its 13th year of connecting women-led, B2B retail technology startups with the industry’s leading retailers and brands. The 11 companies, representing two groups of innovators, will come together for the first time at a live Experiential Tech Event during New York Fashion Week this September.
The event will be co-hosted with N4XT Experiences, the live events company behind NYFW Collections, and will take place on September 10, 2026 at The Penthouse at NeueHouse in New York City, in partnership withConvene Hospitality Group andAWS.
The private gathering will bring together an audience of 200+ retail executives, investors, lab alumni, and press. The afternoon prior, on September 9, the 2026 Collective Companies will be spotlighted on the Nasdaq Tower in Times Square.
For 2026, NYFTLab debuted a revised format called The Collective, evolving from its traditional single-cohort model to expand the number of participating startups and create greater opportunities for dialogue and collaboration. Finalists presented to retail and brand partner executives during two selection sessions held in April and June 2026 at the SAP Experience Center in New York City. The 11 selected companies then took part in five weeks of curated programming with the Lab and its partners.
“Our goal with the 2026 Collective is to create more opportunities for dialogue and collaboration between B2B retail tech startups and retail leaders as the industry continues to evolve.”
– Jackie Trebilcock,Managing Director, New York Fashion Tech Lab
The 2026 program is supported by a group of leading retail and brand partners who participated in the selection and programming of The Collective, including AEO Inc., Gap Inc.,J.Crew Group,Kohl’s,lululemon,Saks Global,The TJX Companies,VF Corporation,Steve Madden. The 2026 program is also supported by strategic partners SAP,Manatt, andJ.P. Morgan.
The 11 companies,selected across both the April and June programs, represent innovations across key B2B retail technology categories including data management, authentication, fraud, quality assurance, discovery, post-purchase, loyalty, inclusivity, visual experiences, profitability, and consumer feedback.
