Cocorico! French start-ups have taken up residence for three days in the aisles of the NRF, accompanied by Business France and Retail Tech. These young companies are taking advantage of the opportunity to target different markets and make their solutions known to the “top retailers” present at the show.
For several years, France has been the country with the largest NRF flag. With 40 start-ups representing various aspects of retailer needs, Business France and Retail Tech are beginning a new year of presence at the New York show. The young startups from France were selected in spring 2024 by a jury of retailers. Several criteria must be met to secure a place on the stand. Among them, the ability to manage a significant lead flow.
To prepare for this, the start-ups which were about to take their first steps in the aisles of the show were coached in November during a “bootcamp” organized at the VusionGroup premises. They are then advised to survey the markets they target in order to identify topics of interest to retailers. “This year, they are looking for a quickly measurable ROI, AI and less visible but very effective tech solutions”specifies Mike Hadjadj, founder of Retail Tech.
“For their first year in New York, we advise start-ups to prioritize French retailers who are making the trip”he continues. An astonishing postulate which can be explained byr the panel of traders from France present in the aisles of the NRF. “These are difficult to access in France, he specifies. These are big retail bosses who arrive in New York with a very important mandate.” An opportunity to make yourself known to retailers like L’Oréal, Fnac Darty or Le Printemps that start-ups must seize.
Retailers looking for inspiration
At the French consulate, Solange Potel, deputy general director of Intersport, explains that the annual trip to the streets of the Big Apple allows its teams to project themselves : “With the members of our cooperative, we are thinking about what we want to do with Intersport in 5 or 10 years. As the store is at the heart of our model, we are taking the opportunity to visit a certain number of points of sale inspiring New Yorkers.”
A similar postulate for Enrique Martinez, CEO of the Fnac Darty group, who insists on the importance of the digital shift in retail, which must not be to the detriment of stores. In front of the 40 start-ups on the Business France stand, he expressed his admiration for “the power of the French ecosystem at the NRF” and specifies that his trip will allow him to draw inspiration from the thirty use cases currently implemented by the Fnac Darty group.
Source: www.ecommercemag.fr
