Retail Week’s inaugural Discovery 50 report showcases the world’s top tech start-ups, shining a light on innovative solutions that can support the retail sector – both during the pandemic and in the future.

Retailers across the globe are scrutinising their business models more intrinsically than ever before as they grapple with the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

Digital and online capabilities, logistics prowess and the use of customer data have become increasingly vital as retailers seek to deliver sales and maintain relevance among consumers.

There is a growing realisation in boardrooms worldwide that collaboration with start-ups and third parties is crucial for retailers to achieve these aims and to better position themselves within the new post-Covid-19 world of commerce.

Profiling the top 50 retail tech start-ups operating globally,  Discovery 50 analyses the influential role these start-ups can play.

Judged and shortlisted by a panel of retail and business experts, the start-ups in Discovery 50 all started trading in the last seven years. They have each worked with a breadth of retailers and brands to transform their businesses, from Adidas and Tesco to Vivienne Westwood and Next.

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Many of the start-ups have helped brands leverage their online presence, support the development of tribes and communities and take costs out of a business – all areas that are front of mind as the sector enters uncharted coronavirus-influenced waters.

Several others specialise in in-store solutions, some of which will be redundant for retailers right now but have the potential to help non-essential retailers bounce back when the crisis passes.

The report also serves as a directory of the best start-ups to work with. As corporate start-up engagement company Co:Cubed chief executive Jeremy Basset says: “There’s no shortage of start-ups out there. But with new companies going to market every week, access to this innovation jungle without expertise can be chaos.

“If [retailers are] serious about getting this right, it’s vital you’re working with the best start-ups in the world – not just the ones that appear in your inbox.”

While investing in a start-up partnership might be the last thing on the agenda for retailers right now, Discovery 50 offers advice on how leaders can open themselves up to new and different ways of thinking and the benefits this can have on the bottom line.

For instance, a 2018 report from professional services company Accenture found only 6% of corporate businesses were generating a significant proportion of their income from new activities and investments. However, this same 6% reported the strongest financial performance of all 1,440 companies Accenture surveyed.

So, which tech start-ups can drive retail forward in the short and long term, and what are the game-changing solutions retailers need to know about? Download the Discovery 50 report for free to find out.

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Want to know who the Discovery 50 are?

Access your free copy today to:

  • Meet the top 50 retail tech start-ups from across the world – spanning Europe, the US, Canada, the UK and the Middle East
  • Learn why start-ups can offer a lifeline to retailers and how brands have already benefited
  • Gain practical insight on how to create partnerships with the start-up community