summary: Steven Vasilev is the co-founder of RTFKT and Senior Director of Digital-Physical Product at Nike, an investor and creative curator at the forefront of tech, cu...
content: Steven Vasilev, also known as Zaptio, is the co-founder of RTFKT and the Senior Director of Digital-Physical Product at Nike. A creative curator and investor, he has built visionary companies at the forefront of culture, tech, and Web3. With cofounders Benoit Pagotto and Chris Le, Vasilev launched RTFKT (pronounced artifact) in 2020 to create digital clothing and sneakers for the metaverse. Vasilev previously crafted real-life custom kicks for celebs. "I saw how sneakers were becoming status symbols for Gen Z kids, how physical marketplaces worked, and I thought it could be more frictionless with digital assets." In May 2021, RTFKT raised $8 million from Andreessen Horowitz and others and was acquired by Nike that December for an undisclosed price. <br