Meet the tech startups driving change in retail

James Rhee
Executive Chairman and CEO, Ashley Stewart

As someone who has spent my career both investing in and leading retail brands through times of disruption and change, I know how important it is to always be on the lookout for new technologies that will make your business stronger.

NRF’s newly formed Innovation Advisory Committee, which I am chairing, brings together venture capitalists, tech incubators, accelerators, retail strategists and educators to identify and connect with the latest technology companies — and introduce them to the retail community.

As part of that effort, NRF is hitting the road. We’re traveling the country, meeting and promoting the people and brands that are powering the latest innovations in retail.

That brings us to Neighborhood Goods in Plano, Texas, a new type of store featuring a rotating cast of popular direct-to-consumer brands and space for consumers to mingle with food, drink and cultural events. The department store-meets-community space has already caught the attention of influential tech investors. Now, it’s lending the store to us.

On September 19, NRF and RevTech Ventures will co-host Tech Trends in Retail 2019, sponsored by American Express and held at the Neighborhood Goods flagship. RevTech is a fund that focuses on early-stage retail startups; its Managing Director David Matthews joins me on the Innovation Advisory Committee.

This event brings together retail executives and investors. Attendees will see an exclusive showcase of startups and their technologies that are pushing the boundaries in retail, plus a fireside chat with Neighborhood Goods CEO and co-founder Matt Alexander. And, of course, there will be lots of local food and cocktails.

The showcase will include Brain of the Store, an artificial intelligence platform that tracks hidden data patterns; Crave Retail, a startup creating solutions like interactive fitting rooms and store dashboards with actionable customer insights; and AppleSaaS, a platform that allows companies to curate and target content across physical stores.

James Rhee is the executive chairman and CEO of Ashley Stewart, as well as founder and president of investment firm FirePine Group. He is the chairman of NRF’s Innovation Advisory Committee.