What Fashion innovation center does

Fashion Innovation Center (FIC), operating under the legal entity Faince AB, is a Stockholm-based acceleration and innovation hub serving the fashion industry. The company functions as a B2B services intermediary rather than a technology product vendor, accompanying fashion brands through a structured three-phase digital transformation journey: Initiation (hands-on labs and workshops to identify starting points and define roadmaps), Piloting (small-scale real-world testing leveraging industry partnerships), and Scaling (providing roadmaps and partner connections for large-scale implementation). Its primary customers are fashion brands seeking to digitalize operations, develop sustainable business models, and translate innovation strategies into deployable outcomes.

FIC does not operate proprietary technology products. Its core offering is a curated service platform that bridges industry players, content providers, and academia, supported by partnerships with academic institutions (University of the Arts London, Amsterdam Fashion Institute, Stanford ChangeLabs, Istanbul Fashion Institute), technology and engineering vendors (DTech, T-Systems, Etteplan, Blender, Flex), and institutional bodies (UNFCCC, UN Partnerships, EIT, NetZeroCities, Vinnova). The organization positions itself around user experience, cross-sector collaboration, and sustainability outcomes rather than a defined platform architecture or proprietary software stack, with its digital presence hosted on Squarespace infrastructure.

Revenue is generated through professional services engagements with fashion brands on a quote-based, project-tied model. No pricing, revenue figures, funding rounds, or named paying customers are publicly disclosed. The organization operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees and pursues direct enterprise sales, engaging brands throughout their transformation journey. Strategic positioning leverages institutional affiliations and an extensive partner network to extend reach and credibility without scaling internal headcount.

Name

Fashion innovation center

Legal name

Faince AB

Website

https://www.fashioninnovationcenter.org/

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fashion Innovation Center (Faince AB) is a Stockholm-based B2B acceleration and innovation hub that guides fashion brands through digital transformation via a three-phase service model: Initiation, Piloting, and Scaling. It serves as a cross-sector intermediary bridging fashion industry, academia, and institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Acceleration and Innovation Services: FIC generates revenue through structured service programs accompanying fashion brands throughout their digital transformation journey. Services include initiation (labs and workshops), piloting (real-world testing in industry partnerships), and scaling support. The hub merges business, technology, and research with hands-on industry explorations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Fashion Innovation Center (FIC) is an acceleration and innovation hub for the fashion industry, operating under Faince AB in Stockholm, Sweden. It offers a structured three-phase service journey—Initiation (hands-on labs and workshops), Piloting (real-world testing with industry partnerships), and Scaling (roadmap and partner connections for large-scale implementation)—to help fashion brands digitalize their operations and adopt sustainable yet profitable business models.

Product overview

Fashion Innovation Center (FIC) is an acceleration and innovation hub offering a unified service portfolio focused on digital transformation for the fashion industry. The three core services—Initiation (labs and workshops to define roadmaps), Piloting (real-world testing with industry partners), and Scaling (connecting clients with partners for large-scale implementation)—function as an integrated journey that guides brands from identifying their starting point through to successful scaling. FIC merges new business, technology, and research with hands-on explorations between industry, content providers, and academia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Initiation

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations climate framework partner supporting sustainability initiatives in fashion industry transformation.
• OCA (Organic Content Alliance)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization listed in the 'We Work With' section, indicating collaboration in the fashion innovation ecosystem.
• UAL (University of the Arts London)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing academic collaboration and research integration in the fashion innovation ecosystem.
• Stanford ChangeLabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic innovation lab partner contributing to research and development of sustainable fashion solutions.
• BoraasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the fashion innovation ecosystem, listed in 'We Work With' section.
• ACTEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the fashion innovation ecosystem.
• AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFashion education institute partner contributing to industry-academia collaboration.
• CoR (College of Religion)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the innovation ecosystem.
• FlairminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the fashion innovation ecosystem.
• Goethe InstitutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural institution partner supporting international collaboration in fashion innovation.
• Global Textile Scheme GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTextile industry partner contributing to sustainable fashion initiatives.
• PCIAW (Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partner supporting professional clothing sector innovation.
• Vogue UkraineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing fashion industry content and visibility.
• Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEsports and lifestyle brand partnership for cross-sector collaboration.
• ReboundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the fashion innovation ecosystem.
• SFFW (Sustainable Fashion Forum)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable fashion industry forum partner.
• FilaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFashion brand partner in the innovation ecosystem.
• CKIC (Chengdu-Kobe Innovation Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational innovation center partnership supporting cross-border collaboration.
• UN PartnershipscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations system partnership supporting global sustainability and fashion industry transformation goals.
• NetZeroCitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU mission partnership supporting cities' transition to climate neutrality, relevant to sustainable fashion transformation.
• EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean innovation institute partner supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in sustainable fashion.
• VinnovacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish government innovation agency partner supporting research and innovation initiatives.
• ihkib (Istanbul Fashion Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFashion education institute partner supporting international collaboration.
• FFC (Fashion for Conservation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation-focused fashion initiative partnership.
• MFAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the fashion innovation ecosystem.

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fashion for Good: Global fashion innovation platform and accelerator focused on sustainable fashion, running pilots and scaling programs with brands — directly comparable to FIC's Initiation–Piloting–Scaling model and sustainability mission.
• The Mills Fabrica: Fashion-tech incubator and innovation hub investing in and accelerating sustainable textile and apparel startups, with corporate brand programs — closely mirrors FIC's role as a fashion industry acceleration hub.
• Plug and Play (Fashion & Retail vertical): Global startup accelerator with a dedicated Fashion & Retail program running corporate innovation, pilots, and brand–startup matchmaking — comparable accelerator/innovation-hub motion serving fashion brands.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey & Company (Fashion & Luxury practice): Global management consultancy with a dedicated Fashion & Luxury practice advising brands on digital transformation and sustainability — a much larger incumbent offering overlapping strategic advisory.
• Boston Consulting Group (Fashion & Luxury): Global consultancy with deep fashion/luxury and sustainability practices, often called in for large-scale transformation mandates that overlap FIC's offering to enterprise brands.
• Deloitte (Consumer & Fashion practice): Big-4 firm with a global Consumer industry practice covering fashion, sustainability, and digital transformation — competing for the same enterprise transformation mandates.
• Accenture (Fashion & Luxury): Global consulting and technology services firm with a Fashion & Luxury practice covering digital transformation, supply chain, and sustainability — overlapping with FIC's enterprise transformation work.

Others

• Textile Exchange: Non-profit driving sustainable fiber and material adoption across the fashion industry — not a direct competitor but an adjacent ecosystem organization with comparable sustainability transformation mission and brand network.

Emerging players

• CLO3D: Provider of 3D digital garment design and simulation technology used by fashion brands for digital transformation — an emerging tech provider competing for the same brand digitalization budget FIC serves.
• Fashable: AI-driven fashion trend forecasting and design platform for brands and retailers — an emerging technology vendor in the fashion digitalization space where FIC runs transformation programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fashion innovation center