Hardware Podcasts

On athletic shoes: Olivier Bernhard and Caspar Coppetti

How I Built This · 22 Jul 2024 · 1h 15m

What this episode covers

Olivier Bernhard and Caspar Coppetti, co-founders of On, explain how a prototype running shoe made with garden hose strips inspired a new sneaker design that challenged industry giants like Nike and Adidas. After being rejected by major brands, the founders partnered with David Alaman, quit their high-paying jobs, and launched On in 2010, eventually securing an investment from tennis legend Roger Federer. The company scaled from a garage startup to a $2 billion enterprise, navigating manufacturing crises and rebranding to become a global lifestyle brand.

Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up and large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Nike, Adidas, Puma, Young and Rubicam, McKenzie, Vitra
Products
On, Eames, Arc'teryx, iPhone
Also
Roger Federer, George Brunsweiler, David Alaman, Ispo

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