### Avelo Running: The Future of Intelligent Running Footwear
**Update:** Avelo Running is on the verge of making its debut with an already successful [Kickstarter campaign](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/avelorunning/avelo-meet-the-worlds-smartest-running-shoe) that surpassed its target within hours of its initiation. Discover more about the initiative and [contribute your support to participate in the journey](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/avelorunning/avelo-meet-the-worlds-smartest-running-shoe).
Avelo Running is a fitness-oriented startup that [has recently emerged from stealth](https://avelorunning.com) to reveal its inaugural product. The offering from the company has the capacity to serve as the ideal running partner for Apple Watch users. However, any runner with a smartphone can gain advantages without needing to carry a phone or watch during their run.
Avelo caught my attention as soon as the company appeared on my radar—prior to disclosing their actual product—yet I was concerned that their running solution might require me to choose between it and my Apple Watch.
I’m uncertain I would have completed my first mile without the Apple Watch, [let alone my first 5K or seventh half marathon](https://9to5mac.com/2025/04/24/reflecting-on-apple-watch-at-10-how-it-made-me-a-half-marathon-runner/), thus creating a genuine product loyalty that has developed over time. The watch serves more than just a run tracker for me, and I am not eager to add more technology to my person.
However, Avelo isn’t attempting to compete for wrist space. Instead, the company will be up against a market where brand loyalty is held in even higher regard: running footwear.
In my view, Avelo Running shoes are the spiritual descendants of the [Nike+iPod Sport Kit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike%2BiPod) from nearly two decades ago.
Nike provided a connected running system that was quite basic by 2025’s technological standards. It included a single sensor that could be attached to or embedded within a running shoe and a receiver that paired with an iPod. This system recorded workout duration, distance covered, pace, and calorie expenditure with varying degrees of accuracy.
These days, similar running tracking metrics boast significantly improved fidelity thanks to heart rate sensors, GPS, and sophisticated algorithms. Apple has also extended the watch’s capabilities beyond capturing elementary workout data. Now, the Apple Watch indicates running power and aspects of running form such as vertical oscillation, ground contact time, and stride length. Yet, even Apple admits that a suite of sensors on your wrist cannot measure all workout data. This is why the Apple Watch can connect with Bluetooth accessories for activities like cycling, for example.
Avelo’s intelligent running shoes might be comparable to those accessories for runners: purpose-built hardware that augments what a smartwatch can accomplish, without being in competition with it. Moreover, they aren’t just standard smart shoes—they are primarily designed as supertrainers, crafted to be favored by runners before any technological considerations are integrated.
That addresses merely the hardware. Avelo intends not only to gather more running data with greater precision but also to offer feedback and coaching that could enhance your running performance. This is a lofty objective requiring a mix of expertise and cutting-edge technology that hasn’t been assembled in this specific manner before.
For this reason, Avelo is adopting an Apple-like full-stack strategy. The firm is not merely inserting a chip into a conventional shoe. They are developing all components—from the footwear to the sensor array to the software layer that transforms biomechanics data into actionable insights. The team behind it unites experts in footwear design, sports science, and software engineering, aiming to provide lab-quality data in a product accessible to all runners.
Unlike virtually every other smart product available today, Avelo’s smart shoes will not require recharging. The battery is engineered to endure the entire lifespan of the shoe. This is significant for a product that aims to integrate seamlessly into your daily routine. Another crucial detail is that each shoe is equipped with its own sensor. While this might seem like a given for a product that wants to create the most comprehensive view of your running performance, even Nike’s system from 2006 operated with a single sensor per pair of shoes.
Avelo Running undoubtedly has a significant challenge ahead. Convincing runners to test any product is daunting enough. Gaining their trust with the material that connects them to the ground? That presents an entirely different obstacle, but one that Avelo Running aspires to overcome.
Avelo Running has only recently stepped out of stealth mode and publicly showcased their developments. For now, the best way to express interest is to [sign up for free to track Avelo’s journey](https://avelorunning.com). You can also follow Avelo Running on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/avel
