Kenyan running shoe startup, Enda, has claimed the top spot in the Body & Mind category of the hotly contested ISPO Brandnew competition in Germany.
Enda, which translated to “Go” in Swahili, beat 400 other entrants to become the first African company to win the award.
The Body & Mind category assesses innovative products in the fitness space, from sportswear to fitness equipment.
Some of the winners of previous editions of the competition include; watch company, Nixon and action camera company GoPro.
ISPO Brandnew is one of the largest sports start-up competition. The 2020 edition marked 20 years of the competition since its inception.
ISPO Brandnew judge Barbara Klein, said, “I’ve been wearing sneakers for 50 years, and Enda won me over right from the start.”
Klein, the Founder & Managing Director of Flexi-Sports added, “The story behind it is something special. I like the fact that a running shoe has been developed in Africa based on the experience of the local athletes.”
Enda showed off its latest model, the Lapatet, which translates to “running” in the Kalenjin language.
The Lapatet will be officially released by the end of February.
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Enda co-founder and CEO, Navalayo Osembo, said, “The Lapatet is a great shoe, and it’s a joy to see it earn this prestigious recognition.”
Osembo adds, “We’re grateful to everyone who has made creating Kenyan running shoes possible, especially those who pre-ordered the Lapatet last year, making it possible for us to bring it into production. We can’t wait to have thousands of runners around the world out enjoying this shoe.”
Enda founders, Navalayo Osembo and Weldon Kennedy, successfully crowdfunded its launch in 2016.
The company’s social mission is to connect runners around the world to the culture of Kenyan running and subsequently, to increase the amount of income Kenya generates from its running reputation.
