40 Best Footwear Startups to Watch in 2025

The Definitive Seedtable Ranking of Footwear Startups

We track 71,000+ companies and rank them dynamically using our Seedtable Score – a score that uses quantitative and qualitative data points to signal the momentum behind a company. We then monitor the list manually leveraging our expertise as founders and investors.

There are 40 start-ups with an aggregate funding of $3.9b. The average funding per company in this subset is $96.9m.

Last update to the database: Feb 18, 2025. See changelog.

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Hugo Boss logo

Hugo Boss

Hugo Boss is a major German luxury fashion company.

1

Funding Rounds

Atoms logo

Atoms

Atoms makes shoes for everyday wear. Made with elastic laces, copper lining, breathable materials, and simple design.

1

Funding Rounds

$8.1m

Money raised

Allbirds logo

Allbirds

Allbirds is a startup company manufacturing wool footwear.

8

Funding Rounds

$2.0b

Money raised

Zappos logo

Zappos

Zappos is an online shoe and clothing shop founded in 1999 by Nick Swinmurn.

4

Funding Rounds

$42.5m

Money raised

ShoeDazzle logo

ShoeDazzle

ShoeDazzle is a El Segundo, California-based company founded in 2009 by Kim Kardashian.

4

Funding Rounds

$66.0m

Money raised

Voxel8 logo

Voxel8

Voxel8 is a company developing digital manufacturing technologies for footwear and apparel.

5

Funding Rounds

$16.8m

Money raised

The Iconic logo

The Iconic

The Iconic is a Sydney-based company founded in 2011.

4

Funding Rounds

$110.0m

Money raised

Feetz Shoes logo

Feetz Shoes

Feetz shoes is a manufacturer of 3D printed custom-fit footwear.

2

Funding Rounds

$1.0m

Money raised

True Fit Development India logo

True Fit Development India

True Fit Development India is a company founded in 2010 by William R. Adler, Romney Evans and Jessica Murphy.

11

Funding Rounds

$236.3m

Money raised

FTSY logo

FTSY

FTSY is a consumer service company that uses AI to match a selection of shoes.

2

Funding Rounds

AliveShoes logo

AliveShoes

AliveShoes is a custom shoes marketplace founded in 2013 by Luca Botticelli.

3

Funding Rounds

$1.0m

Money raised

Wiivv logo

Wiivv

Wiivv is a custom footwear company founded in 2014 by Louis-Victor Jadavji.

4

Funding Rounds

$7.5m

Money raised

Gales logo

Gales

Developer of protective footwear designed to protect frontline healthcare workers with anti-microbial, waterproof, and slip-resistant footwear. The company offers waterproof footwear with microbe barrier protection that provides comfort and is also machine washable.

4

Funding Rounds

$4.8m

Money raised

Bucketfeet logo

Bucketfeet

Bucketfeet is a Chicago-based company founded in 2011 by Raaja Nemani.

3

Funding Rounds

$2.2m

Money raised

ROTHY'S logo

ROTHY'S

ROTHY'S is a San Francisco-based company founded by Stephen Hawthornthwaite.

3

Funding Rounds

$517.0m

Money raised

Stadium Goods logo

Stadium Goods

Stadium Goods is a retailer specialised in the resale of aftermarket sneakers.

1

Funding Rounds

$4.6m

Money raised

Goat Group logo

Goat Group

Goat Group is a company founded in 2015.

4

Funding Rounds

$285.0m

Money raised

Birdies logo

Birdies

Birdies is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2015.

4

Funding Rounds

$20.0m

Money raised

Tamara Mellon (company) logo

Tamara Mellon (company)

Direct-to-consumer luxury shoe brand founded by fashion superstar, Tamara Mellon

2

Funding Rounds

$74.0m

Money raised

Tecovas (company) logo

Tecovas (company)

Tecovas is an Austin, Texas-based company founded in 2015.

3

Funding Rounds

$60.4m

Money raised

Hylo (company) logo

Hylo (company)

Hylo is a company founded in 2012 by Lawrence Wang, Ray Marceau and Edward West.

1

Funding Rounds

$2.5m

Money raised

SafeSize logo

SafeSize

SafeSize is a Nijverdal-based company founded in 2013 by Antonis Argyros.

1

Funding Rounds

$11.3m

Money raised

Highsnobiety logo

Highsnobiety

Highsnobiety is a Germany-based company founded in 2005.

1

Funding Rounds

$8.5m

Money raised

Kaleidoscope (retailer) logo

Kaleidoscope (retailer)

Kaleidoscope is a company in the retail sector founded in 1989.

1

Funding Rounds

Velasca logo

Velasca

Velasca is a Milan-based company founded in 2013 by Enrico Casati.

1

Funding Rounds

$5.0m

Money raised

Scarosso logo

Scarosso

Scarosso is a company founded by Moritz Offeney.

2

Funding Rounds

Simplifyber logo

Simplifyber

Simplifyber is a New York City-based company.

1

Funding Rounds

$3.5m

Money raised

M.Gemi logo

M.Gemi

M.Gemi is a company founded in 2014 by Jono Schafler, Cheryl Kaplan and Ted McNamara.

1

Funding Rounds

$16.0m

Money raised

Joules (clothing) logo

Joules (clothing)

Joules is a Market Harborough-based company founded in 1989.

1

Funding Rounds

$33.3m

Money raised

1

Funding Rounds

Taft logo

Taft

TAFT is a direct-to-consumer men’s footwear brand specializing in unique, bold shoe designs.

1

Funding Rounds

$5.0m

Money raised

Thesis Couture logo

Thesis Couture

Thesis Couture is a footwear company.

1

Funding Rounds

$1.8m

Money raised

Oliver Cabell logo

Oliver Cabell

Oliver Cabell is a company founded in 2016.

1

Funding Rounds

$1.2m

Money raised

True Linkswear logo

True Linkswear

True Linkswear is a Tacoma, Washington-based company founded in 2010.

1

Funding Rounds

$1.5m

Money raised

4

Funding Rounds

$230.0m

Money raised

StyleTread logo

StyleTread

StyleTread is a Victoria, Gozo-based footwear company.

2

Funding Rounds

$24.5m

Money raised

Rothy logo

Rothy

Rothy is a San Francisco-based footwear company.

1

Funding Rounds

$35.0m

Money raised

Sports Engineering logo

Sports Engineering

Sports Engineering is a company founded in 2017 by Ed Cowle.

1

Funding Rounds

$1.0m

Money raised

NOBULL, LLC logo

NOBULL, LLC

NOBULL, LLC is a Boston-based footwear company founded in 2017.

1

Funding Rounds

$12.0m

Money raised

Hickies logo

Hickies

Hickies is a New York City-based footwear company founded in 2011.

1

Funding Rounds

$10.0m

Money raised