HILOS

"[Their] technology allows HILOS to produce shoes on-demand, eliminating overproduction and reducing waste by streamlining the manufacturing process from 65 parts across 360 steps to just five parts in 12 steps. By fulfilling orders within 72 hours, HILOS not only meets consumer demand quickly but also sets a new standard for sustainable and agile manufacturing in the footwear industry." Michael Molitch-Hou for Forbes https://lnkd.in/e6pSXM8A

The nine buildings being revitalized by the Made in Old Town initiative are being outfitted with prototyping and test equipment, ultimately to be inhabited by biomechanics engineers, startups working on sustainable textiles, and other brands focused on rewriting the rules of manufacturing. https://lnkd.in/e2vTkJGz

Former Nike Chief Sustainability Officer Noel Kinder and ex-Adidas President Eric Liedtke have joined the stewardship committee for a $125 million urban redevelopment project in Portland, Oregon. The aim: Transform the city’s oldest neighborhood into a sustainable footwear and apparel innovation hub. Shoemakers including adidas, Nike, and Allbirds have offices in Portland. The “Made in Old Town” project will use local talent to drive collaboration and economic growth, while also addressing office vacancies. The first phase of the project, costing $15 million, will create a 110,000-square-foot Footwear & Apparel Manufacturing Innovation hub by late 2024. HILOS, which developed a way to manufacture shoes with fewer pieces using 3D printing, is one of the anchor tenants. Its CEO Elias Stahl is the third person on the aforementioned stewardship committee. You can read the whole story here: https://lnkd.in/ehEmvWQv

2024 marks the first year of the KIC-OFF Festival dedicated to sharing Knowledge, Innovation, and Culture. This 3-day festival is the launching pad of our week-long series of events. Over 30 speakers and sponsors helped grace the stage and elevate the sneaker community. We are truly grateful to be bridging the gap for future professionals, creators and collectors with such amazing partners. Thank You! Ford Motor Company Travel Portland Prosper Portland Wacom Nike HOKA adidas HILOS Guayakí Yerba Mate and the rest of our contributing partners!

🌆 Exploring the Heart of Portland’s Entrepreneurial Spirit 🌆 Yesterday, Right to Start Founder and CEO Victor W. Hwang had an incredible day diving into the essence of entrepreneurship and policy influence in Portland. He kicked off the morning at the first-ever Cafe con Pitch in Portland that brought together Latino business leaders in the community, hosted by Juan Barraza and the Latino Founders. This impactful event emphasized prioritizing entrepreneurs in America's agenda. The discussion also underscored the essential roles of grassroots organization, policy advocacy, and elevating the voices of entrepreneurs. Victor then joined an inspiring tour at the HILOS Studio in Old Town, detailing the history and vision of 'Made in Old Town' for the Portland neighborhood. The afternoon discussions were just as enriching, with a Community Listening Session hosted by Instrument as well as roundtables with entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and policymakers hosted by Perkins Coie. The sessions focused on the needs and future of Portland's small business and startup communities, with an emphasis on how policy can help support all entrepreneurs. This was a day of connection, insight, and forward-thinking. A big thank you to everyone who participated and shared their stories and visions, and a special shoutout to Right to Start Ambassador Dwayne Johnson and Arsh Haque! Gabriel Flores, Edgar Navas, Leo Ochoa, 💃🏻 Sylvia Salazar, Nyah Zarate PhD, Andrea Sommer, Cristian Vargas, Maria Teresa Lopes, Angel Medina, Ana Iris Ruiz Morillo, MBA, Matthew Claudel, Stephen Green, Joshua Wylie, Black Business Association of Oregon, City of Portland's Office of Small Business, Marquita Jaramillo, Shea Flaherty Betin, Prosper Portland, Livelihood NW, Xcelerate Women, Deadstock Coffee and Sneaker Gallery, Bproud, The Hub, Business Oregon, Skip Newberry (he, him), Technology Association of Oregon, Portland Seed Fund #LetUsStart #BuildYourDreams #Entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #Portland

"An ongoing effort to revitalize downtown Portland’s Old Town neighborhood is taking form in the way of innovative footwear." Julia Lopez on HILOS for KPTV Fox 12 Oregon. https://lnkd.in/eVnNeBMF

The whole HILOS team is so excited to be involved in this project to not just rebuild our city but to accelerate our industry's transformation - the future is on-demand and zero waste!

The shoe industry’s top players came out in full force during the FN Summit on Tuesday in New York City. The day-long summit, themed “The Hot List,” centered around several important topics: the hot markets that are driving the industry forward; the retail innovations that are fueling a brick-and-mortar comeback; the AI revolution; and the critical conversation around diversity, equity and inclusion. But across several conversations, brand leaders kept coming back to one major theme: the importance of their people.

Artificial intelligence is coming for retail. But that doesn’t mean it’s coming for everyone’s jobs. In presentations during the FN Summit on Tuesday in New York City, executives from PACSUN and HILOS discussed how companies can implement AI into their businesses while keeping humans engaged in the process.

Two of the best talks on #AI and its impact on the #footwear business I’ve ever heard at the Footwear News summit today. Shirley Gao with PACSUN and Elias Stahl with HILOS brought practical and digestible information on the proliferation of AI. Great takeaways. The potential of AI building brands overnight using open source information. 🤯