Do you want custom orthotics without having to go to the doctor? Winston-Salem-based startup inStyde has you covered.
Earlier this month, inStryde launched SmartFit, an AI-driven process for getting custom insoles delivered to a customer’s doorstep via smartphone. And just yesterday, the company, located in Winston Starts, was awarded $10,000 for coming in first place in Winston Starts’ Investor Pitch Event on March 24.
Founded in 2019, inStryde, which offers custom, affordable insoles delivered in just days, bridges the gap between medical orthotics and off-the-shelf insoles. Made-to-order orthotics, prescribed by a doctor, cost upwards of $200 dollars and off-the-shelf insoles, while significantly cheaper, are not tailored to a person’s foot and needs.
“The typical custom insole fitting and fabrication processes used today are 50+ years old and haven’t changed along with the tremendous advancements in technology,” Mike Schmid, founder and CEO, said.
Using SmartFit, a customer scans their foot through their smartphone camera. Customers also take a fit quiz and gait analysis that allows inStryde to know a customer’s pain points and how one moves and walks. InStryde’s AI and computer vision-based process measures the customer’s foot, including arch height, arch location and heel width, and generates a 3-D insole design from the results.
inStryde then 3-D prints the custom insole using patent-pending SmartCore material and a lattice design. The insole is lightweight and machine washable and the lattice structure promotes airflow, helping to reduce odor and designed to withstand use.
Guaranteed to fit any shoes or sneakers, the insoles cost $129 per pair and will ship to a customer within a matter of days.
Schmid said that inStryde has raised approximately $300,000 to date.
The launch of SmartFit came days after the startup was accepted into the Techstars Accelerator Program for the spring 2022 cohort. Focused on sports technology, Techstars is a 13-week accelerator program based in Melbourne, Australia, that will culminate in mid-June with a demo day.
“Techstars has connections to some of the world’s most established research facilities, medical practices, and athletic programs, and inStryde will be plugged into all of that and more,” Schmid said. “Additionally, we’re excited to be plugged into this incredible network of mentors, investors, and fellow entrepreneurs.”
