Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n- Nathalie Bernce and Jacov Nachtailer built tm:rw as an innovation retail destination, a category that previously didn\u2019t exist.<\/li>\n
- Shaquille O\u2019Neal\u2019s partnership isn\u2019t a typical celebrity endorsement. He\u2019s an active investor and equity partner.<\/li>\n
- tm:rw is a bet that there\u2019s an audience for a place where innovation is something you need to experience to believe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
<\/figure>\nThe Times Square flagship store location of tm:rw<\/a> feels different than the traditional retail experience. Instead of glass cases and \u201cdo not touch\u201d signs, there are F1 simulators you can drive, robots you can interact with, and a hologram spanning two floors with a rotating display that periodically features a giant (even more so) version of Shaquille O\u2019Neal.<\/p>\nThe 120-plus brands featured there were chosen for their experiential nature. That\u2019s what co-founders Nathalie Bernce, CEO, and Jacov Nachtailer, COO, envisioned when they founded tm:rw and that\u2019s the reason Shaq joined as an investor, partner, and global ambassador.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I saw what tm:rw was building, I knew I wanted in,\u201d he said. \u201cThis isn\u2019t just about tech, tm:rw is building something completely different. It is not just a store, it is an experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Building something new<\/h2>\n
Nathalie Bernce didn\u2019t try to improve retail. She wanted to build something new. \u201ctm:rw was built to bring life and excitement to what the world is creating,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Visitors are encouraged to explore, test, and engage with new technologies. It\u2019s a space where you walk in, pick things up, and try them on. AR glasses with real-time, two-way translation in 127 languages. Red light masks that promise to help you age gracefully. A simulator that replicates the experience of flying. Not flight, flying.<\/p>\n
Bernce describes it as the global home of innovation. Like most entrepreneurs, she got there by refusing to build something that already existed.<\/p>\n
Why Shaq Said Yes<\/h2>\n
Shaq is a seasoned investor, with over 50 investments across technology, food, fitness and entertainment. He\u2019s spent decades building businesses, not just endorsing them. When he came on board at tm:rw, he came on with equity.<\/p>\n
Shaq told Entrepreneur he follows the investment advice of Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, focusing on investments that change lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always believed in being early on ideas that can really change how people live and experience the world,\u201d O\u2019Neal said. \u201cWhen I saw what tm:rw was building, I knew I wanted in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shaq and tm:rw are a good fit. A self-proclaimed \u201cgeek\u201d who loved Sharper Image and FAO Schwartz, Shaq was hooked from the first time he walked in. \u201cI was introduced to [tm:rw] by a friend, and I went crazy. I spent about $10,000. Went to the one in London, they had different products, spent another 10.\u201d<\/p>\n
What Comes Next<\/h2>\n
Shaq\u2019s role isn\u2019t ceremonial. As a partner, he\u2019ll shape global expansion, contribute to brand strategy, and help develop the kind of media and live experiences that extend the brand.<\/p>\n
tm:rw is a bet that there\u2019s an audience for a place where innovation is something you need to experience to believe.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\nKey Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n- Nathalie Bernce and Jacov Nachtailer built tm:rw as an innovation retail destination, a category that previously didn\u2019t exist.<\/li>\n
- Shaquille O\u2019Neal\u2019s partnership isn\u2019t a typical celebrity endorsement. He\u2019s an active investor and equity partner.<\/li>\n
- tm:rw is a bet that there\u2019s an audience for a place where innovation is something you need to experience to believe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Shaquille](\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/Tm-rw-x-Shaq-Selects-5-1.jpg?w=1024\")
<\/figure>\n
The Times Square flagship store location of tm:rw<\/a> feels different than the traditional retail experience. Instead of glass cases and \u201cdo not touch\u201d signs, there are F1 simulators you can drive, robots you can interact with, and a hologram spanning two floors with a rotating display that periodically features a giant (even more so) version of Shaquille O\u2019Neal.<\/p>\n The 120-plus brands featured there were chosen for their experiential nature. That\u2019s what co-founders Nathalie Bernce, CEO, and Jacov Nachtailer, COO, envisioned when they founded tm:rw and that\u2019s the reason Shaq joined as an investor, partner, and global ambassador.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I saw what tm:rw was building, I knew I wanted in,\u201d he said. \u201cThis isn\u2019t just about tech, tm:rw is building something completely different. It is not just a store, it is an experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Nathalie Bernce didn\u2019t try to improve retail. She wanted to build something new. \u201ctm:rw was built to bring life and excitement to what the world is creating,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Visitors are encouraged to explore, test, and engage with new technologies. It\u2019s a space where you walk in, pick things up, and try them on. AR glasses with real-time, two-way translation in 127 languages. Red light masks that promise to help you age gracefully. A simulator that replicates the experience of flying. Not flight, flying.<\/p>\n Bernce describes it as the global home of innovation. Like most entrepreneurs, she got there by refusing to build something that already existed.<\/p>\n Shaq is a seasoned investor, with over 50 investments across technology, food, fitness and entertainment. He\u2019s spent decades building businesses, not just endorsing them. When he came on board at tm:rw, he came on with equity.<\/p>\n Shaq told Entrepreneur he follows the investment advice of Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, focusing on investments that change lives.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always believed in being early on ideas that can really change how people live and experience the world,\u201d O\u2019Neal said. \u201cWhen I saw what tm:rw was building, I knew I wanted in.\u201d<\/p>\n Shaq and tm:rw are a good fit. A self-proclaimed \u201cgeek\u201d who loved Sharper Image and FAO Schwartz, Shaq was hooked from the first time he walked in. \u201cI was introduced to [tm:rw] by a friend, and I went crazy. I spent about $10,000. Went to the one in London, they had different products, spent another 10.\u201d<\/p>\n Shaq\u2019s role isn\u2019t ceremonial. As a partner, he\u2019ll shape global expansion, contribute to brand strategy, and help develop the kind of media and live experiences that extend the brand.<\/p>\n tm:rw is a bet that there\u2019s an audience for a place where innovation is something you need to experience to believe.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nBuilding something new<\/h2>\n
Why Shaq Said Yes<\/h2>\n
What Comes Next<\/h2>\n
Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/figure>\n