The number of trainer patent applications by the largest sportswear brands jumped to 791, up 31% from 601 in the previous year, as companies race to develop new footwear technology, says intellectual property law firm Mathys & Squire.
Mathys & Squire says the rise in patent filings in this field reflects the growing investment in research and development of new technologies and innovations aimed at improving the performance of amateur and recreational runners, who are becoming increasingly competitive.
Specifically, the rise of communities like Strava and Parkrun, adoption of professional training methods, and the increased use of data and performance tracking technologies, has made amateur / recreational runners become more competitive than ever. Recreational runners also more willing (and able) to take on demanding events, such as the London Marathon and Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc.
Sportswear companies are looking to capitalise on this by developing trainer technologies that will help amateur athletes run further, for longer. For example, leading trainer manufacturers are locked in a race to create near-weightless shoes for runners; solutions include injecting gases such as nitrogen into soles and eliminating laces altogether, with some designs pushing the total weight below the 100g threshold.
Adam Gilbertson, managing associate at Mathys & Squire, said: “We are also seeing footwear innovation become increasingly focused on comfort and motion support, as more people engage in running through communities and new trends that promote competition and performance monitoring. This is undoubtedly driving demand for technology that helps runners run faster and longer, and take on more demanding challenges like marathons with confidence.”
Nike is dominating the global trainer technology race, with 374 footwear patent applications published in 2025, comfortably outpacing 18 other major competitors considered in this study (see graph below).
In fact, Nike had as many footwear technology patent applications published in 2025 as its five nearest competitors combined, which include Adidas, Sketchers, Asics, Puma and On. Nike’s long-time German rival, Adidas, increased its patent applications published by 88 in 2025, narrowing the gap but still trailing by a significant margin.
Among the patent applications by Nike is a “fluid movement controller” system embedded in a shoe’s sole, which enables users to adjust cushioning and support levels in real-time to adapt to running conditions and fatigue levels.
Other technologies aimed at improving runners’ performance for which patents are being pursued include:
- Shoe soles from On that return energy with every step. Flexible layers inside the sole stretch when you land and spring back as you push off.
- Adidas shoes that automatically shifts part of their sole sideways in response to foot pressure, to help keep the runner balanced.
- On’s running shoe midsole, which is designed to support runners by absorbing impact and smoothing uneven movement, helping running feel more stable and comfortable, even without perfect form.
- Adidas’ smart running shoes which have sensors that analyse movement and signals users to adjust their gait using vibrations or pressure cues.
- A running shoe that uses an internal air bladder with locking elements to adapt to the foot and then secure it in place, improving comfort and stability for long-distance runs.
Mathys & Squire says that while established footwear giants such as Nike, Adidas, Asics and Puma continue to innovate, data shows that newer rivals are developing their own technologies and investing more in patent protection. For example, over the past year, Swiss brand On had 49 patent applications published, breaking into the top 5 filers for the first time, while Lululemon had 11.
Rebecca Tew, Partner at Mathys & Squire, added that having invested in research and new technologies, footwear companies need to be wary of posting on social media too soon and ensure their intellectual property (IP) is protected via appropriate patent, design and/or trade mark filings. Otherwise, once displayed on social media, it may already be too late to seek patent protection for new technologies and innovations which might quickly be copied by competitors, making anti-counterfeiting particularly challenging.
