“These recipients represent the true spirit of innovation. The extraordinary new products, services and experiences they have created are poised to play a transformative role in the retail industry.”
Inaugural Contest Celebrates Some of the Most Innovative Products in Retail
LAS VEGAS – The National Retail Federation today announced the winners of its inaugural Innovation Awards, a new competition to acknowledge cutting-edge tech startups and other companies using the best and latest technology to revolutionize the retail shopping experience. The awards were presented as part of NRF’s annual Shop.org conference, which concludes tonight at the Venetian Resort.
“It is exciting to celebrate these pioneering companies that are leveraging technology and digital innovation to reimagine the retail experience,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “These recipients represent the true spirit of innovation. The extraordinary new products, services and experiences they have created are poised to play a transformative role in the retail industry.”
The winning companies are:
- Innovation Lab: Best Awareness Tech: IceCream Labs
- Innovation Lab: Best Consideration Tech: Allure Systems
- Innovation Lab: Best Engagement Tech: Hero
- Innovation Lab: Best Logistics and Loyalty Tech: ZigZag
- Top Exhibitor: Startup Zone: Mystore-E
- Shop.org Attendee Choice Award: Trade’EM
“These winners are examples of how much technology and innovation were front and center at this year’s conference,” said Lacoste Vice President of Retail and Digital Chris Hardisty, one of the judges for the awards. “They are fierce competitors who highlight how much there is to be excited about when it comes to the evolution of retail and what the future holds.”
The winners were chosen from among the 34 exhibitors at the conference by a panel of judges representing venture capitalists, technology incubators, retailers and journalists. Companies had to showcase their ability to most effectively apply the latest advances in artificial intelligence, augmented reality, machine learning, facial recognition, data analytics, robotics and more. The winners were selected based on the impact of their innovation, product execution, ability to scale and market fit. Of the six winners, IceCream Labs, Allure Systems, Hero, and ZigZag were chosen among categories at the conference’s Innovation Lab and Mystore-E from the Startup Zone while Trade’EM was designated as the “Shop.org Attendee Choice Award” selected by attendees voting via the conference’s mobile app.
The winners will receive spots in the Innovation Lab or Startup Zone and participate in a session on the Innovation Lab stage next year at NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show. NRF’s annual convention is scheduled to be held January 13-15, 2019, in New York as over 37,000 retailers from nearly 100 countries gather to address the industry’s latest trends, innovations and strategies for transformation.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Based in Washington, D.C., NRF represents discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy.