Founded 2019 · Zürich
Two athletes. One materials lab. The absolute refusal to play in a shoe that didn't deserve them. NIKTEN was never meant to be a brand — it was meant to solve a problem.
The Origin
"The shoe should disappear on your foot and appear in your movement."
Stefan Niklov was a professional player. Dr. Lena Dresner was a composite materials engineer at ETH Zürich. They met in 2018, argued about biomechanics for six hours, and never stopped. After 43 hours of motion-capture analysis and 18 months of prototype testing — NIKTEN was born.
History
What We Stand For
Not marketing copy — these are the criteria every shoe must pass before leaving our workshop.
Every NIKTEN shoe is weighed to ±0.5g before shipping. Not because it matters most of the time. Because it matters all of the time.
AeroKnit carbon mesh delivers 19% less foot fatigue per match. Speed is not just about the shoe — it is about what the shoe does not take away from you.
NeuroFoam EVA retains 96% cushioning after 800km. You should never think about the shoe. You should only feel the court.
Every pair is warrantied for two seasons of professional play. We build things that last because we have no interest in making the same shoe twice.