Nike Contest Seeks Shoe Designs for Athletes of All Abilities

"If you have a body you are an athlete." That was said by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman. It is the philosophy behind the company's new Nike Ease Challenge. The contest seeks designs for "footwear solutions for athletes of all abilities."

The contest invites designers, engineers, makers and innovators to advance and reinvent footwear design for athletes of all abilities with a $50,000 cash award and the possibility of working with Nike designers.

"Nike is driven by a competitive spirit that drives us to do the seemingly impossible for our athletes," said Chairman, President and CEO of NIKE, Inc., Mark Parker. "Today, we are working with others who share our passion for removing barriers through breakthrough innovation. I can't wait to see what powerful ideas come out of this challenge."

The company says that the challenge is intended to build upon the advancements of Nike’s array of innovative designs – such as Nike HyperAdapt 1.0, Nike FLYEASE, Nike Air Rift, Nike Sock Dart and more – that help people more easily put on, secure and take off their shoes.

The deadline is Dec. 15, 2016. Three finalists will be chosen by the end of March, 2017. They will be invited to Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, where they will present their designs to a panel of Nike leaders and athletes. The winner will be selected in April 2017.

To apply or for additional details, go to www.NikeEaseChallenge.com. To learn more about Nike and its design innovations that redefine the traditional method of putting on and lacing up a shoe, visit Nike News.

Photo courtesy Nike