World

Dream

<p>The skies of Web3 are very dark. After the crypto storms, the sector now loses one of its most emblematic pioneers. The sudden death of Benoît Pagotto, co-founder of RTFKT — a company acquired by Nike — leaves a considerable void in the digital fashion world. Pagotto was not running just a simple NFT company: he carried a vision, a dream, a bridge between art, technology, and humanity. And now, all that dream seems suspended.</p>
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  <h2 class="in-brief--title" id="in-brief">In Brief</h2>
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   <li>Benoît Pagotto co-founded RTFKT, a unique fusion between digital art, sneakers, and engaged Web3.</li>
   <li>In 2021, Nike acquired RTFKT after a meteoric rise and millions of NFTs sold.</li>
   <li>Tributes pour on X: friends, co-founders, and collectors salute a rare creative mind.</li>
   <li>RTFKT left behind over $120 million in cumulative NFT revenues, including projects.</li>
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<h2 id="h-pagotto-the-architect-of-creative-web3">Pagotto, the architect of creative Web3</h2>
<p>Benoît Pagotto, 41 years old, co-founded RTFKT in 2020 with Steven Vasilev and Chris Le. The idea? To merge sneakers, <a href="https://www.cointribune.com/en/artverse-celebrates-digital-art-in-paris/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">digital art</a>, and blockchain culture. Three months after its creation, the studio sold virtual sneakers for over $3.1 million. One year later, Nike bought the gem. The story was underway.</p>
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<p>One of the major coups: the Clone X series, co-created with Takashi Murakami. Nearly $120 million generated in cumulative sales. “<em>He believed that beauty could change the world</em>“, wrote <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philrod_benito-est-parti-jai-appris-ce-matin-activity-7383133128577531904-qlc_" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Philippe Rodriguez on LinkedIn</a>.</p>
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 <p><em>He will remain the entrepreneur, super creative, discreet, and humble. Passionate but always reasonable, he inspired as much as he sought inspiration from others.&nbsp;</em></p>
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<p>Pagotto embodied a rare alchemy between aesthetic demand and technical knowledge. His influence went far beyond French borders: from Japan to Silicon Valley, his name resonated in luxury circles as well as in Web3.</p>
<h2 id="h-nike-and-rtfkt-from-dream-to-disillusion">Nike and RTFKT: From Dream to Disillusion</h2>
<p>When Nike announced the acquisition of RTFKT in 2021, the Web3 world rejoiced. The promises were many: <a href="https://www.cointribune.com/en/nft-fashion-50-luxury-brands-in-competition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">linking NFTs with physical items</a>, integration into Roblox, trademarks for virtual clothing. Everything seemed aligned to conquer the metaverse.</p>
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<p>But the momentum faltered. By 2023, NFTs lost some of their appeal, collectors grumbled, the infrastructure faltered. In April 2024, NFT images temporarily disappeared due to a server outage. And simultaneously, a $5 million lawsuit hit Nike for “broken promises” toward NFT holders.</p>
<p>Steven Vasilev pays tribute to his co-founder:</p>
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 <p><em>The vision, mission, and inspiration that Benoît offered to the world will live forever.</em></p>
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<h2 id="h-a-pioneer-gone-too-soon-figures-and-footprints">A Pioneer Gone Too Soon: Figures and Footprints</h2>
<p>The Web3 community <a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/374298/benoit-pagotto-co-founder-of-nike-acquired-rtfkt-has-died?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">mourns a genius</a>. But beyond the emotion, the facts testify to his legacy.</p>
<h3 id="h-key-figures-of-the-rtfkt-adventure">Key Figures of the RTFKT Adventure</h3>
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 <li>2020: Foundation of RTFKT, amid the rise of the NFT market;</li>
 <li>$3.1M: Revenue in minutes from a sale with the artist FEWOCiOUS;</li>
 <li>2021: Acquisition by Nike, estimated valuation at $33.3 million;</li>
 <li>$120M: Revenue generated by the Clone X x Murakami project;</li>
 <li>$5M: Amount of the lawsuit against Nike for alleged abandonment of the NFT community.</li>
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<p>Beyond his economic successes, Benoît Pagotto was marked by uncompromising creativity. Former RTFKT CTO Samuel Cardillo spoke frankly on X: he described a character both “grumpy Parisian cliché” and “unfiltered genius,” capable of saying things bluntly while raising crows on his windowsill.</p>
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<p>This anecdote, half-poetic half-fantastical, says everything about this extraordinary character.</p>
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<p>Nike’s Web3 journey has not been a smooth ride. In April, the company was <a href="https://www.cointribune.com/en/nike-sued-for-nft-fraud-millions-of-dollars-at-stake/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">sued for NFT fraud</a>. A story where millions, digital promises, and disillusions intertwine. With the passing of Benoît Pagotto, a certain vision of Web3 — that of the link between beauty and technology — fades a little.</p>

The World of Web3 in Mourning After the Passing of Benoît Pagotto

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