Niftmint at NRF Europe: Powering Digital Product Passports and Digital Twins for the Future of Commerce

September 26, 2025 The future of commerce is being shaped at the intersection of physical products and digital experiences. As brands prepare for new regulations, evolving customer expectations, and rapid technological change, the need for trusted product authentication and connected digital infrastructure has never been greater.

At NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show Europe, Niftmint joined global leaders in retail and technology to showcase how digital twins and Digital Product Passports (DPP) are redefining how brands build trust, deliver value, and create seamless experiences across every customer touchpoint. From authenticating physical products and preventing counterfeits to powering compliance and engagement, Niftmint’s platform is helping brands unlock new opportunities in an increasingly connected world.

Exploring Paris Ahead of NRF Europe

Ahead of NRF Europe 2025, our team spent time exploring Paris to observe how the world’s most innovative brands express themselves in real-world retail environments. A walk down the iconic Champs-Élysées revealed a masterclass in brand storytelling and customer experience.

From Nike’s bold athletic energy to the timeless luxury of Louis Vuitton and Dior, and from Moncler’s fusion of style and performance to Hugo Boss, Lacoste, and Tiffany & Co., each flagship store showcased a unique approach to identity and engagement.

Window displays were more than visual decoration. They served as strategic storytelling tools, condensing brand positioning and customer experience into a few square feet of glass. These moments on the street level demonstrate how leading brands shape culture, connect with customers, and set expectations long before a product is ever touched.

This is the essence of modern commerce: innovation that reaches customers at every touchpoint, blending physical presence with digital opportunity.

Showcasing Niftmint’s Vision on the Global Stage: Powering Digital Product Passports and Digital Twins

A key highlight of NRF Europe was the opportunity to showcase Niftmint’s platform and vision for the future of commerce. Our work with digital twins, such as authenticating physical products, preventing counterfeits, and enabling deeper engagement, is directly aligned with one of the most pressing priorities facing European brands today: the EU’s Digital Product Passport (DPP) mandate.

Niftmint’s solution was not built solely for compliance. It is designed to help brands go beyond the baseline and unlock new capabilities: ✅ Authentication of physical products ✅ Digital twins that enhance loyalty and engagement ✅ Digital Product Passports that create richer customer experiences

The response at NRF confirmed the growing demand for this type of technology. Throughout the event, leading European luxury brands and major grocery retailers visited the Niftmint booth seeking solutions that integrate seamlessly with their existing infrastructure while meeting DPP requirements. These conversations highlighted a shared understanding across the industry: compliance is only the starting point. The true opportunity lies in how authenticated products and connected digital twins can redefine customer relationships and drive long-term value, powering Digital Product Passports and Digital Twins.

NRF Europe marked Niftmint’s first major step into the European market, and the event proved to be an ideal launchpad for expanding our network and building momentum across new regions and verticals.

Always Building for What Brands Need Next

Niftmint is in active build mode, focused on delivering the tools and infrastructure brands need most: ✅ Digital Product Passports ✅ Authentication for physical items ✅ Digital twins that power compliance and customer experiences

Our mission is to provide solutions that brands can implement immediately, empowering them to meet regulatory requirements while also transforming how they connect with their customers. “Always be building” is more than a mindset for us. It is how we approach every stage of product development and deployment.

Niftmint demoed our Digital Product Passport solution for Brand and Retailers at the show.

Looking Ahead: Connecting the Physical and Digital Worlds

The conversations and insights from NRF Europe reinforced a clear truth: the future of commerce will belong to brands that seamlessly connect the physical and digital worlds.

The storefront of tomorrow will not stop at the glass. It will extend into how products are authenticated, how customers engage with them long after purchase, and how brands build trust and loyalty at every point of interaction.

Innovation is no longer limited to what happens inside the store. It is about how a brand shows up everywhere, physical, digital, and everything in between.

For brands preparing for the Digital Product Passport, exploring digital twins, or seeking new ways to build trust and engagement with customers, Niftmint is here to help. Our solutions make it possible to bridge compliance and customer experience, creating the foundation for the future of commerce.

Brand & Retail Innovation Day Recap: Seattle Tech Week 2025

Brand & Retail Innovation Day

Brand & Retail Innovation Day by Niftmint was a highlight of Seattle Tech Week and a powerful showcase of how innovation is shaping the future of commerce, brands, and retail.

Over the course of the day, more than 50 founders, investors, and innovators came together to connect, share ideas, and dig into what is next for the industry. The energy in the room was electric with conversations between people building category-defining companies, investing in bold ideas, and rethinking how brands engage with customers in a rapidly changing market.

We recorded every one of our panel discussions and you can watch them in full below, but here is a look at what made the day so impactful.

How AI and Emerging Tech Are Reshaping Commerce

Kicking off the day, Michael A. Agustin of Curie and John Shao of Pipe17 shared how new technology is transforming both the way customers shop and the logistics systems that power retail.

Their conversation explored the intersection of AI-powered 3D product visualization, advanced order management, and emerging sales channels, giving attendees a firsthand look at what the future of commerce could look like. From captivating product experiences to frictionless fulfillment, this session offered a roadmap for brands navigating rapid change.

Key insights included:

• How ultra-realistic 3D product models are driving higher sales conversion

• Scaling from a small brand into a multi-channel retail powerhouse

• The growing impact of TikTok Shop, influencer-driven sales, and conversational commerce

• Why the "language model" internet may be the next major platform shift

• The role of authenticity and personalization in building brand loyalty

• Leveraging AI agents and automation to streamline operations

• Strategies for staying relevant as commerce ecosystems evolve

For founders, retail tech builders, and e-commerce strategists, this session underscored the importance of blending cutting-edge tech with customer-centered experiences.

Brand IP Protection in the Age of Generative Content

In one of the most thought-provoking sessions of the day, Adam Philipp, founder of AEON Law, unpacked the rapidly evolving world of intellectual property in an era where AI and digital replication are rewriting the rules.

From AI training data rights to counterfeit goods, Adam walked through real-world examples like Anthropic’s book scanning controversy, the MetaBirkins NFT dispute, and the Jack Daniel’s “Bad Spaniels” trademark battle. Each case illustrated how copyright, trademarks, and brand protection strategies are shifting and how quickly brands must adapt.

Key takeaways included:

• How AI models use (and sometimes misuse) copyrighted material

• The difference between owning a product and owning its IP rights

• The concept of trademark dilution and how it can damage brand value

• Modern anti-counterfeit tactics, including Schedule A litigation

• How RFID, NFC, and digital twins can prove product authenticity in both physical and digital environments

Whether you are a brand owner, entrepreneur, or simply fascinated by the future of IP, this conversation delivered expert guidance and bold predictions on where law and technology are headed next.

AI-Driven Customer Experience in Commerce

In another standout session, Evan Smith of Ecosphere and Danesh Badlani of Drip shared how AI is transforming both in-store retail operations and e-commerce marketing.

From the sales floor to the inbox, their discussion explored tools that empower store managers with real-time insights, streamline personalized campaign creation, and help brands respond to customer needs with greater speed and precision. The conversation bridged the gap between physical and digital touchpoints, offering practical ways to drive growth in today’s retail environment.

Key insights included:

• Why 85% of retail revenue still comes from physical stores, and how to better leverage that channel

• Giving “superpowers” to store managers through AI-powered coaching and performance data

• Cutting email design time from three hours to twenty minutes using AI-generated drafts

• Overcoming brand trust challenges when adopting new retail and marketing technology

• Balancing employee feedback with privacy and workplace culture

• Navigating generational shifts in expectations for real-time performance metrics

• Avoiding "shiny object" AI tools that do not solve core business problems

• Moving from reactive to proactive customer engagement strategies

For brand leaders, retail tech builders, and e-commerce strategists alike, this session delivered both vision and actionable tactics for elevating customer engagement while improving operational efficiency.

The Energy in the Room

Beyond the panels, the biggest win of the day was the connections being made. Conversations kept going long after the sessions ended, with attendees trading ideas, forming partnerships, and sharing resources. Seeing so many people passionate about the future of commerce and meeting others in the same vertical was inspiring.

What’s Next

We are keeping the momentum going. Niftmint is now hosting monthly events through our Showroom event series, dedicated entirely to the commerce vertical. Whether you are a founder, investor, or operator, Showroom is your space to connect, share, and explore what is next in brand and retail innovation.

If Brand & Retail Innovation Day was any indication, the future of commerce is not just coming. It is being built right now, in rooms just like this one.

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About Niftmint

Niftmint helps brands protect and authenticate their products through secure digital twins, enabling proof of ownership, lifecycle tracking, and enhanced customer engagement. Our technology bridges the gap between the physical and digital worlds, giving brands the tools to safeguard their IP, incentivize product use, and build deeper customer relationships.

If your brand is looking to future-proof its products, fight counterfeits, and unlock new ways to connect with customers, we’d love to talk. Connect with us to explore how we can work together.

AI in Commerce: How Seattle Is Shaping the Future of Innovation

AI in Commerce Panel. Right to left: Jonathan G. Blanco, CEO & Founder at Nifmint, Larry Colagiovanni, Head of Shopping at Microsoft AI; and Daniel Mutch, Lead Architect, GenAI at T-Mobile.

July 8, 2025 | Seattle, WA

The future of commerce isn’t just online, it’s intelligent. AI is no longer just a buzzword in boardrooms and investor decks. It’s quietly and rapidly transforming how we shop, how we build products, and how brands engage with consumers.

That’s exactly what we set out to explore at the very first Showroom evening event, hosted in Seattle by Niftmint founder Jonathan G. Blanco. The goal: bring together the region’s retail, tech, and brand innovation leaders to talk about how AI is reshaping commerce and why Seattle is at the center of it.

Why We Launched Showroom: A Commerce Community for Builders

Seattle is home to some of the most influential names in commerce, including Amazon, Microsoft, Nordstrom, REI, and more. But until now, there hasn’t been a community solely dedicated to the builders, brands, and technologists innovating in retail and commerce.

That’s why we created Showroom: a recurring event and community space for entrepreneurs, enterprise leaders, developers, and creators who believe the next big wave of innovation will come from the intersection of technology, business, culture, and commerce.

“There are events for startups. There are events for blockchain. But there’s no consistent community for commerce. That’s what we’re building here.” - Jonathan G. Blanco

Commerce Is How Consumers Meet New Technology

Commerce is the first touchpoint.

Consumers don’t engage with cutting-edge tech through whitepapers; they experience it by shopping. From voice assistants in online checkout to personalized recommendations powered by AI, commerce is often the first way new tech reaches real people.

Shopping is universal.

Everyone shops, regardless of background, industry, or tech fluency. That universality makes commerce the perfect launchpad for introducing complex innovations like generative AI, recommendation engines, and smart search.

Innovation needs scale, and commerce has it.

For new technologies to go mainstream, they need scale and adoption. Commerce delivers both. When applied thoughtfully, AI in commerce can reach millions overnight, improving experiences while driving business value.

The Panel: AI in the Real World of Commerce

We brought two industry leaders to the stage to share how they’re integrating AI into real-world commerce operations:

🎤 Larry Colagiovanni – Head of Shopping at Microsoft AI

Larry leads Microsoft’s shopping experiences across Bing, Edge, and Copilot. His team is using AI to power everything from smarter product discovery to contextual recommendations that help users make better decisions. For example, someone might ask, “How do I use this makeup I just bought?”—and get a helpful, AI-powered response in real time.

Larry is also exploring how AI changes internal workflows. His team is running hackathons to test how product managers and designers will use AI tools over the next year. It’s not just about building AI for users, it’s about rethinking how we build, period.

🎤 Daniel Mutch – Lead Architect, GenAI at T-Mobile

Daniel has been working in AI since long before it was cool, building his first language model 30 years ago. Today, he’s focused on how GenAI can reduce friction across customer support, sales, and digital commerce channels at T-Mobile.

He emphasized that while AI is powerful, it’s only a small part of the equation. Most of the work still comes down to great UX, clean APIs, fast testing cycles, and reliable infrastructure. AI adds value, but it can’t compensate for bad fundamentals.

The Takeaway: AI Isn’t Replacing Commerce, It’s Enhancing It

AI is an enhancer, not a silver bullet.

Both speakers agreed that AI can’t run your entire commerce stack. It works best when added to already strong digital infrastructure, enhancing, not replacing, what great teams have already built.

Strong foundations still matter.

Behind every great AI-powered experience is a solid base: product vision, user-centered design, rigorous testing, and clear metrics. Without those, even the best AI tools fall flat.

The opportunity is in the application.

AI shines brightest when applied with intention. Whether it’s reducing friction, personalizing experiences, or automating support, the magic lies not in the tech but in how you use it to solve real customer problems.

Get Involved: Join the Showroom Movement

Builders wanted.

Showroom is for people building the future of commerce, whether you're creating a product, running a retail operation, or exploring new ways to connect tech with consumer experience. If that’s you, you belong here.

Brands needed.

We’re looking to collaborate with brands that want to explore what’s possible with AI, digital twins, loyalty innovation, and beyond. This is your place to experiment, network, and lead.

Sponsors and volunteers make it happen.

Help us grow. Whether you can contribute time, ideas, or resources, every bit of support matters. Volunteers help run events smoothly, and sponsors help fuel the community.

“The best way to support us is to show up. Come to the next event. Bring a friend. Help us build.”

Watch the Full Discussion

Join the Next Showroom Event

Whether you’re at a major brand, launching your own startup, or building retail tech, Showroom is your community. Let’s shape the future of commerce together.

We'll see you at Brand and Retail Innovation Day!

Pictures from the Event