Munich Startup: What does Sneakprint do? What problem do you solve?
Kevin Zürn, Sneakprint: Sneakprint produces and sells sneakers that are individually adapted to the foot and the needs of the wearer and whose midsole using 3D printing This means we don't sell sneakers by size; instead, we measure, digitize, and analyze each foot in advance to model and produce a "me-size" midsole for the wearer. 3D printing allows us to individually adjust the hardness and shape and then produce everything in a single process.
We are revolutionizing the current shoe industryby replacing mass production with mass personalization. It's important to us that you wear a shoe that really fits and is worn for a long time. Currently, one in five sneakers is thrown away unworn, as it's often cheaper for existing brands to dispose of the shoe rather than put it back into circulation.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Kevin Zürn, Sneakprint: A product like ours doesn't yet exist in this form. Of course, there are "comfort shoes" on the current shoe market that feature a so-called memory sole. The sole is supposed to adapt to the shape of the foot, but this is counterproductive if you have a misalignment. A memory sole would merely manifest the misalignment, not correct it.
Of course, there are also insoles or orthopedic shoes. However, insoles often have the problem that they only fit the shoe to a limited extent and often no longer provide support after a short period of wear. Orthopedic shoes are often unfashionable and therefore unattractive to young people. Our stylish and fashionable sneakers are optimized for each individual foot by an orthopedic technician—a true innovation.
(Photo: Ruan van Jaarsveldt)
Ready for market after three years of development
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Kevin Zürn, Sneakprint: I need insoles myself and have very wide feet, which made it difficult for me to buy shoes that fit. I had to buy a shoe that matched the insole and often couldn't find one I liked. In 2015, I was still a student and was asked to set up a fictitious company for a university project. At that time, 3D printing had arrived in the shoe industry. However, it wasn't being used for any health benefits; it was simply used as a marketing tool. This is how the idea for Sneakprint was born: 3D printing is ideal for customizing each shoe to the wearer's foot. The idea never left me alone, but I couldn't really pursue it at first due to other jobs.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the time had finally come. I finally found the time and energy to delve deeply into the idea and found Sneakprint. After more than three years of research and development, testing, and prototyping, we've now made it and reached market readiness.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Kevin Zürn, Sneakprint: The biggest challenge was finding a suitable shoe construction, material, printing technique, and structure for the midsole. We also developed a workflow that automatically generates the individual grid structure. This was a major challenge, but one we mastered. After countless tests, setbacks, and investments, we finally developed the perfect material in combination with the printing technique, structure, and mold. This involved many partners, and intensive discussions and collaborations were necessary. Another challenge was developing a functioning impression set/digitization solution for our customers' feet. There are many mobile phone scanning options for digitizing feet from photos. However, many of them were not precise enough, so we opted for our functioning manual solution, at least for the time being. In the long term, however, this will be replaced by a digital scanning solution.
Sneakprint aims to promote conscious shopping behavior
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Kevin Zürn, Sneakprint: Our goal is to be an established brand for "me-size" sneakers in one year. We want to gain recognition in the DACH countries and already make our first customers happy. In five years, we want to supply all of Europe with our sneakers. We are working on our own production line; this is a realistic five-year goal.
In the long term, our goal with Sneakprint is to encourage conscious purchasing behavior among our customers with our sustainable and personalized products. We don't want mass production that ends up in landfills; instead, we want to create lasting impact with high quality, customized fit, and design. A B2B solution for the industry is also in the planning stages.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Kevin Zürn, Sneakprint: There are countless programs and funding opportunities for startups in Munich. We ourselves had the opportunity to receive funding for our developments through the Innovation Voucher, Wipano, or the Digital Bonus. This helped us a lot, as resources are limited as a self-financed startup. However, it takes a lot of time to find the right funding program for you, as there are countless options. There are also countless networking events and programs where you can present and showcase your project to the public. Therefore, I would say Munich is an ideal startup location.
Munich Startup: Public transport or bicycle?
Kevin Zürn, Sneakprint: Luckily, my office is close to my apartment, so I can take a walk every day in my innovative custom sneakers. I mostly use public transportation in the city, and I've noticed many positive changes at the Munich Transport Authority (MVG) in recent years: from simplifying the zoning system to more attractive prices for the Deutschlandticket (Germany Ticket). Since parking in the city is almost impossible anyway, public transportation and our sneakers are the perfect combination for getting around Munich.
