In this edition of Innovator’s Hangout, we chat with Angelo Coletta, a trailblazing entrepreneur and the visionary co-founder and CEO of Zakeke, a platform that is transforming the e-commerce landscape through cutting-edge visual technologies. With a career spanning multiple successful ventures and a deep passion for AR/VR innovations, Angelo has built Zakeke into a global powerhouse, serving over 10,000 clients across 400+ industries worldwide, including major brands like Valentino, HP, and Colmar.
Starting from a small Italian startup in 2017, Zakeke has grown exponentially, now leading the charge in visual commerce by providing businesses with unique tools to enhance their customers’ shopping experiences. Angelo’s journey from marketing consultancy to building a visual commerce empire is a testament to his relentless pursuit of innovation, customer-centric approach, and ability to navigate the complex landscape of digital transformation.
Today, Angelo shares with us his insights on the future of retail, the intersection of digital and physical experiences, and how startups can overcome initial challenges to achieve global success. Get ready to dive deep into the world of visual commerce and learn how to create engaging, immersive shopping experiences that delight customers and drive growth.
Thank you so much Angelo for doing this with us! Your journey from marketing consultancy to founding Zakeke is incredibly inspiring. What sparked your interest in AR/VR technologies, and how did you decide to integrate these into the e-commerce space?
Thank you! I’ve always been captivated by how technology can enhance human experiences. My interest in AR/VR was sparked by their transformative potential—creating immersive, interactive environments that bridge the gap between digital and physical worlds. When I saw the growing need in e-commerce for more personalized, engaging shopping experiences, integrating AR/VR felt like the natural next step. It was about giving consumers the ability to truly connect with products, visualize them in their own space, and make more informed, confident purchasing decisions.
Zakeke has experienced a phenomenal 300% growth over the past few years. What do you believe has been the key to achieving such rapid expansion, especially in a competitive market like visual commerce?
The key has been a relentless focus on innovation and customer-centricity. We’re constantly listening to our clients, understanding their pain points, and developing solutions that not only meet their needs but exceed their expectations. We also invest heavily in R&D, ensuring that our platform stays ahead of the curve with cutting-edge features. But above all, it’s about passion—our team is deeply committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in visual commerce, and that drive is what fuels our growth.
You’ve worked with some major global brands like Valentino and HP. Can you share a success story from these collaborations that particularly resonates with you? What lessons did you learn from these partnerships?
One of our standout success stories is with Valentino. We worked together to create a digital experience that allowed their customers to customize Valentino’s iconic luxury products in ways that were previously unimaginable. This partnership taught us that when you align technology with the core values of a brand—such as craftsmanship and exclusivity—you can create something truly magical. The lesson? The best collaborations happen when both parties are equally passionate about innovation and pushing creative boundaries.
Starting as a small Italian startup, Zakeke has now reached over 10,000 customers worldwide. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the early days, and how did you overcome them?
In the early days, the biggest challenge was convincing businesses of the value of visual commerce. AR/VR was still in its infancy, and many were hesitant to adopt these technologies. We overcame this by building strong relationships with early adopters and showing tangible results. Patience and persistence were key—we knew the potential of what we were offering, and once our clients started seeing the impact on customer engagement and sales and we were able to produce case studies based on these results, it became easier to scale.
Visual commerce is a rapidly evolving field. How do you see the future of digital experiences blending with physical retail, and what role do you think Zakeke will play in this transformation?
The future of retail is a seamless blend of digital and physical experiences, where consumers move effortlessly between online and offline worlds. Zakeke will continue to be at the forefront of this transformation, providing the tools that enable brands to create these immersive, omnichannel experiences. Our goal is to make the shopping experience more engaging, more personal, and more effective for everyone involved. We also want to streamline and make everything easier for merchants—-we believe that adopting new tech should be simple!
Your team at Zakeke places a strong emphasis on listening to customers and crafting tailored solutions. Can you share an example of how customer feedback has directly influenced your product development?
Absolutely! Every new feature we develop into the platform (which is a lot, because we have a new product release about every 2 months!) is based on our customers’ needs and requests. For example, our advanced print ready-file builder was originally created in order to help merchants who needed to create custom, advanced files. This not only satisfied our existing customers but also opened the door to new industries.
With your extensive experience in leading tech companies and startups, what advice would you give to entrepreneurs looking to innovate within their industries?
My advice is simple: never stop learning and never stop listening. Innovation isn’t just about having a great idea; it’s about understanding your market, your customers, and the ever-evolving landscape of your industry. Be open to feedback, don’t fall in love with your idea, adapt quickly, and always stay curious. And remember, failure is a part of the journey—embrace it as a learning tool, not a roadblock.
AI is becoming increasingly prominent in retail. How do you envision AI shaping the future of visual commerce, and what innovations are you most excited about?
AI is shaping the future of visual commerce in two ways: first, it’s improving and simplifying the customer experience while making shopping much more engaging. For example, one of our more recent feature releases allows customers to prompt AI to customize the products they see on-screen using their text and voice. On the merchant’s side of things, AI is making operations and processes smoother and faster.
You’ve mentioned that Zakeke aims to change how consumers think and interact with brands. What do you believe is the most important factor in creating a memorable and engaging customer experience?
The key to a memorable customer experience is emotion. When you create an experience that resonates on an emotional level—whether through personalization, interactivity, or simply making the process more enjoyable—you create a connection that goes beyond just a transaction. At Zakeke, we focus on making those moments happen, where customers feel delighted, empowered, and engaged with the brand in a way that’s meaningful to them.
Given your background and successes with multiple exits, what do you think are the critical components that investors should look for in a tech startup, particularly in the visual and digital commerce space?
Investors should look for a strong vision and a team that’s both passionate and adaptable. In the fast-paced world of tech, the ability to pivot when needed and stay resilient in the face of challenges is crucial. Beyond that, the product needs to have real-world applications that solve a genuine problem, and there must be a clear path to scalability. In visual and digital commerce, it’s especially important to focus on how the technology enhances the customer experience and adds value to the businesses adopting it.
As someone who has navigated both the startup and scale-up phases, what do you find most challenging about scaling a business globally, and how have you managed to maintain Zakeke’s core values through rapid growth?
Scaling globally brings challenges like navigating different markets, cultures, and regulations. But the biggest challenge is maintaining the culture and values that made your startup successful in the first place. At Zakeke, we’ve managed this by staying true to our mission—delivering innovative, customer-focused solutions—and by fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous learning. We make sure that as we grow, our team remains aligned with our core values of innovation, integrity, and customer-centricity.
Innovation often involves taking risks and challenging the status quo. What’s the most unconventional decision you’ve made at Zakeke, and what impact did it have on the company?
One of the most unconventional decisions we made was to focus heavily on self-service and automation from the very beginning. We believed that empowering our customers to manage their own visual commerce experiences would set us apart. This decision paid off—it allowed us to scale quickly and efficiently, and our clients love the control and flexibility it gives them.
Something else that sets us apart is that while many of our competitors decide to focus on a single specific market, Zakeke has always strived to be product-agnostic. We want to develop a platform that is truly all-in-one and able to answer different industries’ needs in different ways. Because of this, Zakeke is one of the major players in visual commerce.
You’ve been at the forefront of the visual commerce revolution. If you were to start Zakeke today, what, if anything, would you do differently?
If I were to start Zakeke today, I would place an even greater emphasis on AI from the outset. The pace of AI advancements has been extraordinary, and while we’ve integrated AI into our platform, I see so much more potential. I’d also focus more on building partnerships with other tech innovators earlier in the journey—collaboration is key to accelerating growth and staying ahead of the curve.
Your career has spanned various industries and roles. How has your diverse experience influenced your leadership style at Zakeke, and what unique perspectives do you bring to the table?
My diverse background has taught me the importance of adaptability and open-mindedness. I’ve learned to approach challenges from different angles and to value the input of people with varying expertise. At Zakeke, this translates into a leadership style that’s collaborative, empowering, and always forward-thinking. I bring a global perspective to the table, having worked across different industries and markets, and I’m always looking for ways to innovate and push boundaries.
Finally, with Zakeke continuing to grow and innovate, what are your top three goals for the company in the next five years, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Our top three goals are:
1) To further expand our global footprint and become the go-to platform for visual commerce in every major market.
2) To continue leading innovation in AR/VR and AI, making these technologies more accessible and impactful for businesses of all sizes.
3) To deepen our focus on sustainability, helping brands reduce the waste they produce, specifically our clients in the apparel industry. This is achieved by helping our clients do away with the need for samples and reduce their return rates by properly setting their customers’ expectations based on realistic 3D models of their products and AR/VR technology.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
