Winterthur – The start-up hooq creates special shoes for climbing with digital design. With the personally tailored shoes, the company wants to revolutionize the sport of climbing.
The Winterthur-based start-up hooq wants to revolutionize the production of climbing shoes with new digital methods. According to a media release, the shoes are adapted to the individual foot shape of the athletes. The climbing shoe is a technical sports shoe that is optimized specifically for climbing and is worn very tight. The most important feature of such a shoe is that it fits perfectly. In order to be able to transfer power to small steps as well as possible, the climbing shoe must offer optimal support. That is why it is so important that the climbing shoe fits the particular foot shape.
"We are developing a digital process that makes it possible to automatically generate unique climbing shoes from a digital foot analysis and individual needs in terms of shoe characteristics," Livia Zumofen, co-founder and CEO of hooq, is quoted as saying in the release. After digital foot analysis, automated design algorithms and 3D printing are used to create models of a custom shoe, which are then handmade in an experienced shoe factory. The automated design process makes manufacturing efficient.
Currently hooq is aiming for a swarm funding . With the campaign, the start-up wants to expand its awareness and reach a stable customer base in the field of climbing. ce/ww