About On

At On, we believe incredible things happen when humans move. Being in motion taps into the place in the subconscious where inspiration lies. It's called flow state: A mindset where action and awareness blur together, leaving us fully immersed in the moment. A hack for the mind, helping us to dream bigger and better.

Two people running through a Swiss mountain landscape, with snow-covered peaks.

The On story

Three friends, with one shared goal: To revolutionize the sensation of running

It all started in the Swiss Alps.

Portrait of On Co-Founder Olivier Bernhard in a gray t-shirt.

Retired athlete Olivier Bernhard wanted to create a running shoe with a totally new feel.

Prototype shoe with ink drawings all over it.

He started experimenting with pieces of garden hose, gluing them to the outsole of his prototype.

The three On Co-Founders sitting under a blue outdoor shower with water pouring down over them.

Caspar Coppetti and David Allemann came on board in 2010…

Person wearing blue and white Cloudflyer stepping onto a mirrored surface with clouds.

And the experience of ‘running on clouds’ was born.

Blueprint of an On shoe outsole.

The goal was to create the most high-performance shoe ever:

Close up of hands holding a CloudTec outsole.

Cushioned landings, powerful take-offs.

Fully engineered in Switzerland, using the most advanced technology possible.

In March 2010, On’s revamped prototypes won the ISPO BrandNew Award.

Leah Falland running on track in On gear, as other runners are trailing behind her.

Today, On has been welcomed into the hearts (and onto the feet) of over 7 million athletes in over 50 countries…

Welcome to the On Lab

Technological innovation lies at the heart of On. ‘Better’ is achieved through continual experimentation. Never being afraid to start again different or break the mold. Dreaming up ground-breaking new ideas isn’t enough – we want to make them a physical reality. Today, our world-class team of scientists and technicians continue to cook up trailblazing innovations within our Zurich-based On Lab.

Two people stand at a desk, with colorful Speedboards scattered around it.

From the Oniverse

These are the stories that make us. From next-gen tech, to the power of grassroots community action – brought together by the daring ability to dream.