NFT News: Benoît Pagotto, RTFKT Co-Founder, Dies Suddenly at 41

Benoit Pagotto, who founded RTFKT (later acquired by Nike), died suddenly at 41, leaving an indelible mark on digital fashion and NFTs.

Benoît Pagotto, a co-founder of Nike-owned NFT and digital fashion leader RTFKT, has passed away unexpectedly at the age of 41.

Philippe Rodriguez, a partner and co-founder of Avolta Partners, was the first to share this news publicly, calling the death of Pagotto very unexpected and commending his creative instincts and modesty.

Co-founder Steven Vasilev verified the news with a touching post on X, noting that the vision and inspiration of Pagotto would endure.​

Source X

Digital Fashion Pioneer’s Sudden Exit Shocks Web3 Community

In early 2020, Pagotto co-founded RTFKT with Steven Vasilev and Chris Le.The company emerged as one of the leading Web3 studios that specializes in innovative NFTs, virtual sneakers, and other artistic partnerships.

The Clone X x Takashi Murakami collection ranks among their most successful undertakings and stands as one of the most profitable NFT collections.

As a fashion and blockchain technology integration company, under Pagotto, RTFKT established a new standard of creativity in the metaverse and transformed digital collectibles.​

In December 2021, Nike purchased RTFKT to enhance its presence in the metaverse and digital innovation.

In late 2024, however, Nike stated its intention to shut down RTFKT, with the company reevaluating priorities. Nevertheless, Pagotto remained at Nike as the Senior Director of Brand and Partnerships, working on the digital transformation of the brand.​

Remembering a Visionary Innovator Beyond Digital Sneakers

Co-workers remember Pagotto not only as a man of genius in business, but also as a man of inspiration and modesty.

Former RTFKT CTO Samuel Cardillo recalled Pagotto’s enigmatic nature, unlikely gift, and kind heart when others proposed him for the CTO role.

Through the unexpected demise of the co-founder, we are faced with a significant gap within the nexus of blockchain, gaming, and fashion innovation.​

Benoit Pagotto’s work continues to have an impact in the field of digital collectibles and the culture of Web3.

His legacy lives on through the creative community that he helped establish and the groundbreaking work at RTFKT that propelled NFTs into the mainstream of digital fashion.​

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