DIFF.
DIFF. is a Mizuno spin-out that produces personalized, foot-scan-based 3D printed TPU shoes (DIFF.3D) using its proprietary DIFF.ENGINE automated design system.
- CEO / Founder
- Yuichi Shimizu
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $450K
- Latest Round
- Seed
- Key Investors
- Ikeda Senshu Capital; Lightup Ventures
Technology & Products
Key Products
DIFF.3D (personalized 3D-scanned, 3D-printed TPU shoes, ¥27,500 tax-in); DIFF.ONE (sells shoes in mismatched left/right sizes); DIFF.ENGINE (proprietary automated internal-geometry design/fit engine).
Technological Advantage
Proprietary DIFF.ENGINE automated design algorithm converting 3D foot-scan data into distinct internal shoe geometry per foot, paired with direct 3D-printed (TPU) end-use manufacturing, eliminating tooling/lasts.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Converts individual foot-scan data (length, width, instep height, heel shape) into a proprietary internal geometry design per foot, then 3D prints made-to-order TPU shoes at a fraction of the cost and lead time of traditional bespoke shoemaking.
How They Differentiate
Unlike bespoke last-based shoemakers (slow, expensive, wooden-last method) or mass-market sneaker brands, DIFF. combines foot scanning + automated per-foot internal design + direct 3D-print manufacturing to deliver individualized fit at consumer price points and short lead times, with a stated ambition to license DIFF.ENGINE as a white-label fit-and-manufacture service to outside brands.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Consumers with foot-fit issues (including left-right size mismatch), semi-athletes, and eventually diabetic/medical-needs patients; longer-term co-creation partners include footwear brands, designers, retailers, and medical/welfare providers.
Industry Verticals
Footwear/Apparel; expanding into medical/diabetic foot care and welfare.
Competitors
Mizuno 3D U-Fit (in-house 3D-printed sole/shoe fitting technology from parent company); Zellerfeld (Germany, fully 3D-printed footwear); Wiivv (custom 3D-scanned insoles/footwear).
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Production capacity currently capped at 80 pairs/month; product developed through 200+ prototype rounds, 30 testers, and a 20-person beta program prior to September 2026 official launch.
Major Milestones
2022-10: Founded via Mizuno secondment entrepreneurship (shukko kigyo) by ex-Mizuno engineer Yuichi Shimizu; 2023-12: First VC funding (¥20M); 2025-04: Second funding round (¥45M) to enter diabetic-patient 3D-printed shoe segment; 2026-09-01: Official commercial launch of DIFF.3D.