On Sprints to $4B With Garden Hose Innovation

A garden hose, a dinner with Roger Federer, and a Halloween YouTube video don't sound like the ingredients for a sports empire. But for On cofounder David Allemann, they became the building blocks of a $4 billion brand that's outpacing Nike and redefining athletic footwear.

In 2010, Allemann and his team saw something the legacy brands missed. Instead of just adding more foam cushioning to running shoes, they engineered a completely new approach called CloudTech. The radical sole design literally changes how running feels, offering both soft landings and explosive takeoffs.

The innovation started with unconventional thinking and scrappy experimentation. While Nike and Adidas relied on decades-old playbooks, On's small team turned to garden hoses and YouTube tutorials to prototype their vision. That willingness to start from scratch, rather than tweak existing designs, set them apart in a crowded market.

Over 16 years, the Swiss brand went from startup to serious competitor. They're now leading a new generation of athletic companies including Hoka and Tracksmith that are winning customers away from established giants. Nike is struggling to respond while On keeps growing.

Allemann credits their success to staying focused on making people excited about movement. He runs along the Hudson River in New York and sees the proof: communities of runners choosing their shoes because they genuinely love how they perform. The brand's mantra, "dream on," captures that spirit of possibility.

The Ripple Effect

On's rise is changing more than just the footwear market. Their success shows that innovation and premium design can still disrupt industries, even when facing billion-dollar competitors with massive marketing budgets. Other startups are watching and learning that radical new ideas can win over incremental improvements.

The company is also proving that specialty athletic brands can build global reach without sacrificing their core values. By focusing on genuine performance improvements rather than just celebrity endorsements, they're creating products that athletes actually want to wear and recommend to friends.

Allemann believes On's defining decade is still ahead. With new robotic manufacturing processes like their LightSpray technology, they're continuing to push boundaries. The first-of-its-kind system represents their philosophy: solve problems in completely new ways rather than optimizing old solutions.

For runners lacing up On shoes this morning, the brand offers something bigger than footwear. It's proof that companies built on authentic innovation and making movement joyful can still rise to the top.