NRF 2026: 6 start-ups at the heart of in-store performance despite agentic commerce

Featured image of the article NRF 2026: 6 start-ups at the heart of in-store performance despite agentic commerce
While the shore floor remains a top priority for global retailers, mind Retail selected 6 start-ups from NRF that stood out for their focus on in-store operational efficiency. We believe this is one of the key drivers of retail performance for the coming year.
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Following the Retail Big Show from January 11 to 13, 2206, mind Retail selected 6 promising start-ups. Most are featured in the Forrester report and were presenting in the NRF’s Innovators Showcase, dedicated to the 30 most innovative retail start-ups. Here is our selection, focused on operational efficiency for physical stores:

-Synq (Canada, 20 staff in 2015): Synq digitises analogue processes such as customer requests and team communications. The service uses physical or digital call buttons (such as QR codes in-store) and allows customers to request assistance from sales staff.

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