Winner: The 10th Competition
Startup
The startup that won over the jury at Innovation Village Retail – the fashion tech innovation initiative now in its tenth year – has been awarded the prize.
The tenth Startup Competition edition at Innovation Village Retail concluded with Shoefitr. io’s victory.
This event is a prime vantage point for identifying the technological solutions that are transforming the sector. It is a fair within a fair, open to startups, companies, institutions and professionals, where the culture of innovation can be shared, and where networking and business opportunities can be created between emerging players and established names. Over five years and ten editions, the initiative has seen steady growth, involving a total of 85 startups from 19 countries. This confirms the project’s strong international focus and its ability to attract and promote innovative solutions on a global scale.
The solidity of the path taken and the growing recognition gained by the initiative have also facilitated its extension beyond national borders, with the aim of identifying the main trends and drivers of evolution in the international market. With this in mind, after events in the
United Kingdom and Mexico in 2025, this year’s international tour came to the United States, further strengthening the project’s position as a leading innovation platform in the retail sector. Led by innovation expert Alberto Mattiello, who sits on the Scientific Committee of Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags, and is a member of the Retail Hub Advisory Board, the jury was won over by
Shoefitr.io.
It came out on top against eight other innovative companies selected from around the world, standing out for its ability to meet new market demands through a solution that combines technological innovation, sustainability and a tangible impact on business. This year’s event also featured the Investor
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Simulator, which allows jurors to allocate a virtual budget among competing startups, simulating real investment dynamics and making the competition more market-oriented. The startup’s “Fit Intelligence” technology works by combining two scanning levels: consumers scan their feet using the Shoefitr. io mobile web app at the moment they intend to purchase, generating the exact geometry of their feet. Then, factories and brands scan the finished shoes using
Shoefitr.io’s hardware after production, detecting the actual volume and dimensions. The platform correlates both sets of data and it is precisely through this comparison between the real foot and the finished shoe that returns can be avoided.
The nine startups selected for the Innovation Village Retail Startup Competition presented solutions that demonstrate how artificial intelligence, sustainability, personalisation and digitalisation are the primary drivers of innovation in fashion retail. These include digital traceability and the Digital Product Passport proposed by HALA and Circular Solution; the new frontiers of personalisation and on-demand production developed by PlatformE, Tailoor and CustomWrkshop powered by Threedium; and
continues on page 12 JUNE 2026 • FOOTWEAR & FASHION TODAY • 11
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