adidas
Global sportswear manufacturer that pioneered mass-production 3D-printed footwear through its Futurecraft 4D line using Carbon's Digital Light Synthesis technology.
- CEO / Founder
- Bjørn Gulden
- Team Size
- 10000+
- Stage
- Public
- Total Funding
- Publicly Traded
- Latest Round
- IPO
- Key Investors
- Publicly traded on Deutsche Börse (Frankfurt Stock Exchange, DAX index); OTC: ADDYY
Technology & Products
Key Products
Futurecraft 4D (first mass-market 3D-printed performance shoe, 2018); 4DFWD (anisotropic lattice midsole running shoe); Climacool (fully 3D-printed footwear franchise); 4D basketball shoes (bespoke 3D-printed for athletes)
Technological Advantage
Exclusive partnership with Carbon for Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology; ability to produce 3D-printed midsoles at volumes comparable to traditional manufacturing; integration of athlete biomechanical data into lattice design; proprietary EPU 41 material co-developed with Carbon.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
adidas leverages additive manufacturing (Carbon's DLS technology) to produce high-performance, data-driven, customizable 3D-printed midsoles at industrial scale — bridging the gap between athlete-specific design and mass production.
How They Differentiate
adidas was first to market with mass-production-scale 3D-printed footwear (Futurecraft 4D), leveraging Carbon's faster DLS process vs. traditional SLA. Their 4DFWD midsole uses anisotropic lattice design tuned to convert vertical impact into forward motion — a biomechanically-driven differentiator.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Athletes, runners, sneaker enthusiasts, and mass-market sportswear consumers seeking performance footwear with data-driven lattice midsole technology.
Industry Verticals
Sportswear/Footwear; Athletic Performance; Fashion/Lifestyle
Competitors
Nike (Flyprint, ZoomX 3D-printed prototypes); New Balance (TripleCell using Carbon DLS); Under Armour (Architech 3D-printed shoes)
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
FY2024 revenue: €23.68B (11% YoY growth); ~59,000-65,000 employees; Market cap ~€25-31B (2025-2026)
Major Milestones
1949: Founded by Adolf "Adi" Dassler; 2017: Announced Futurecraft 4D partnership with Carbon; 2018: First consumer release of Futurecraft 4D; 2021: Launched 4DFWD with anisotropic lattice midsole; 2023: Bjørn Gulden appointed CEO; 2024: Revenue reached €23.68B
Notable Customers
Millions of consumers globally; elite athletes across running, basketball, soccer, and lifestyle segments
Recent coverage of adidas
- adidas unveils fully 3D-printed soccer cleats under R.A.P. project, targeting player-custom designs
- Adidas unveils first SLS 3D-printed football boot, monocoque construction eliminates assembly
- adidas launches CLIMACOOL Laced shoe with ADDITIVE 3D-printed UV-cured polymer midsole
- adidas launches Project R.A.P.