During 4YFN (MWC) the fashion brand Desigual reaffirmed its commitment to innovation by launching an Open Call for startups to join its Awesome Lab innovation program.
For that reason is partnering with Wayra, Telefónica’s open innovation initiative, to select between 8 and 10 companies to present their proposals to an expert jury in April.
The goal is to ultimately choose 4 companies to work with the different areas of the company from May onwards and develop pilot projects that can make a difference in the textile sector.
The international call, which runs until March 27th, seeks to attract projects that can provide solutions in key areas for the company and the fashion sector, such as user experience, data analysis, payment methods, and logistics optimization.
The innovation journey
Desigual’s commitment to collaboration and innovation is nothing new.
The company launched Awesome Lab in 2021 as the first accelerator of startups in the fashion sector in Spain.
In its first edition, it counted the participation of 7 startups, including Syrup, a solution based on artificial intelligence for inventory management.
This second edition of the program, which began last October, focuses on reinforcing the principle of collaboration and having startups in an advanced stage that allows for the activation of proofs of concept almost from the first moment.
Desigual’s founder and president, Thomas Meyer, stated that “innovation is one of our pillars within the Open Desigual philosophy and the one that allows us to maintain the spirit of constant transformation that characterizes us.”
This commitment to innovation and collaboration is further highlighted by the company’s partnership with Wayra, which has become a strategic partner to transfer all its experience with the Spanish entrepreneurial and technological ecosystem within the fashion sector.
Desigual’s Awesome Lab innovation program is a space for testing, innovation, and creativity, enabling a cultural transformation towards a more flexible and innovative company that directly impacts a better experience for the end customer.
As Eva Sirera, Technology Innovation Leader at Desigual explains, “We seek to drive change in an open and practical way, making Awesome Lab a space for testing, innovation, and creativity.”
It will be interesting to see the projects that are ultimately chosen and their impact on the textile industry.