FOOT LOCKER GIVES $3 MILLION INVESTMENT TO YOUTH CULTURE START-UP NTWRK

Foot Locker has made a new strategic investment in NTWRK, a leading youth culture e-commerce and content platform. The footwear retailer has contributed $3 million in NTWRK’s latest series A round, which has raised a total of $10 million, led by investments from Live Nation and Foot Locker.

Since its inception in 2018, NTWRK has pioneered “Shopping at the Speed of Culture,” which encompasses an overlap of content creation, episodic programming, experiential activations, and exclusive launches to drive e-commerce sales. Its platform gives brands and artists the ability to tell stories behind their most compelling products, with partnerships focused on the creation and commercializing hype in new and exciting ways.

NTWRK is headquartered in Los Angeles, California and led by CEO Aaron Levant, who previously served as senior VP at Reed Exhibitions. In that role, he founded the Agenda Show, the industry’s largest streetwear trade show, and spearheaded the launch of ComplexCon, a cultural event attracting consumers and the biggest names in pop culture across fashion, arts, and sports. NTWRK was initially backed by Warner Brothers Entertainment and has since brought commerce and community to an exciting new level.

“NTWRK’s innovating and engaging content platform is pioneering the way brands tell their stories and the way youth culture shops,” said Richard Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer at Foot Locker, Inc. “At Foot Locker, we are focused on continuing to elevate the customer experience and investing for growth, and our partnership with NTWRK reflects our commitment to driving our business in new and exciting ways. We look forward to working closely with Aaron and the NTWRK team to deliver exclusive products and experiences for our customers and extend our reach in youth culture.”

“NTWRK is building the content platform and retail marketplace of the future through an approach that has undeniably elevated the consumer experience,” added Aaron Levant, CEO of NTWRK. “We are excited to partner with Foot Locker on this journey, further enhancing what experiential commerce means to the consumer. Given Foot Locker’s strong, global track record for retail leadership, we collectively aim to exceed the expectations of the next wave of consumers.”