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Novel cushioning and thermal comfort solutions for athletic footwear
Textiles & apparel
What questions do you have about this RFP?
Get them answered by the team at Under Armour.
Background

Footwear can get very hot and uncomfortable during exercise due to excessive sweat, friction, and lack of airflow. Footwear also mechanically breaks down over time, which means the last mile used feels very different from the first mile. 

 

Traditional materials employed as cushioning for athletic footwear have additional limitations (including durability, stability, thermal and moisture management, environmental impact, weight, and aesthetics) and are almost all petroleum-based foams.

What we're looking for

We are looking for technologies that can deliver increased thermal comfort through better airflow across the foot while maintaining key properties in athletic footwear (energy return, compression set, weight). These approaches could include mechanical cushioning systems, non-polymer/foams if applicable, and biobased solutions.

Solutions of interest include:
  • Scalable molding processes
  • Biodegradable materials and/or composites
  • Ultrafast printing techniques that require very little post processing
  • Structural fibers and textiles
  • Adhesive free construction materials
Our must-have requirements are:
  • Compatible with standard manufacturing techniques (injection molding, compression molding). Alternatively, other methods must approach the cost and speed of these common practices.
  • Provide a measurable/perceivable benefit over traditional products (ie EVA foams) pertaining to thermal comfort.
Our nice-to-have's are:
  • Sustainability (i.e. compostable, biodegradable or recyclable)
  • Tunable mechanical properties (Easily change density, hardness, impact properties within a materials family)
  • Gradable mechanical properties within single parts (Demonstrate the ability to vary properties within a part. i.e. hardness increases continuously through a part from one side to another)
  • A unique external visual aesthetic
What's out of scope:
  • Fluorine-based chemistries
  • Solvents that cannot be recycled
Acceptable technology readiness levels (TRL):
Levels 3-9
What we can offer you
Eligible partnership models:
Sponsored research
Material transfer
Gift (Unrestricted grant)
Co-development
Supply/purchase
Licensing
Benefits:
Sponsored Research
Funding is proposal specific starting with proof of concept ranging from 25,000 to 100,000 for a period of 6-12 months with the possibility for expansion.
Gift (Unrestricted grant)
Gifts are available depending on partners expertise and range from 10,000 and 50,000.
Expertise
Partners may engage industry leaders to better understand the challenges to commercialization and brainstorm additional opportunities that can align research programs with commercial interests.
Tools and Technologies
If TRL warrants, partners will be able to use commercial manufacturing facilities to create materials and/or prototypes. Product field testing can also be provided to access commercial viability
Facilities and Services
Partners may access our world class characterization lab for textiles and footwear to evaluate materials performance Manufacturing services can also be used to progress prototypes
Who we are

Under Armour has partnered with industry-leading organizations including The University of Maryland's Engineering Department, The Dow Chemical Company, Huntsman, Lectra, Bemis, Epson, Desma, and 3dMD, among others. These partners and others will team up with Under Armour to drive innovation in product and process technology.

 Learn more
Reviewers
LH
Lorin Hamlin
Head of Open Innovation
MT
Mat Trexler
Director of Materials Innovation -Research
AH
Anna Harry
Lead, Global Corporate Comms
Q&A with Under Armour

The Q&A is now closed.

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Q.
Hi, I am in Mechanical Engineering with expertise in Materials Engineering. Mechanical Engineering is not one of the disciplines in this RFP. Am I still eligible to submit for this RFP?
1
A.
Thanks for your question. By all means please do submit. this is open to all disciplines. Look forward to you proposal.
MT
Mat Trexler, Director of Materials Innovation -Research, Under Armour
September 7, 2023
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0
Q.
Hi, does this proposal request focus primarily on the underfoot/sole of the shoe? Is it within the proposal scope to increase airflow through the 'upper' textile innovation? Thank you for your time.
1
A.
Thanks for your question! primarily underfoot but all concepts regarding overall foot thermal well-being will be considered.
MT
Mat Trexler, Director of Materials Innovation -Research, Under Armour
September 7, 2023
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0
Q.
Are you open for proposals from small business? I am a faculty member, but also have a small business affiliation and it maybe easier for IP transfer to work as part of a small business.
1
A.
Yes we are open to all types of collaborators! thanks.
MT
Mat Trexler, Director of Materials Innovation -Research, Under Armour
September 18, 2023
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