NIKE BUYS THE START-UP RTFKT

After having imposed its brand on all sports fields, Nike is now interested in the virtual world. The launch of its virtual “Nikeland” in collaboration with the video game Roblox last month was a first step, the American equipment manufacturer is moving on to the second by buying the start-up RTFKT (“Artifact”), founded in 2020 by three associates including the French Benoît Pagotto.

The startup, which raised $8 million last May, designs limited-edition virtual wearables – including sneakers – in the form of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) certified on the blockchain. It has achieved $100 million in revenue by 2021. Nike, like many other sportswear brands, hopes to develop its reputation in the coming years in the digital domain.