Matthias Brendel (Footprint Technologies): “IP strategy can be as decisive as any technology roadmap or go‑to‑market plan"

Leaders League: What were the first steps of Footprint Technologies?

Matthias Brendel: Footprint Technologies was founded in 2019 to solve a basic but costly problem: helping people finding well‑fitting footwear in the best possible size without endless try‑ons. From the outset, our focus was on combining computer vision and deep neutral networks with a very simple user setup. Our core technology measures feet with any smartphone camera and a standard sheet of A4 paper as a size reference, achieving a level of accuracy comparable to much more expensive laser-scanning systems, but without the need for dedicated hardware.

The solution can be integrated into e-commerce environments to reduce size‑related shoe returns and into professional fitting workflows for safety shoes, where it helps sales agents identify the best‑fitting shoe model and insoles far more efficiently. The same technology can also accelerate the provisioning of military recruits with correctly fitted boots and shoes, shortening process times and improving keeping rates across large cohorts.

Leaders League: How does the technology work in practice? 

Matthias Brendel: Our AI-driven service effectively turns a standard smartphone into a high‑precision measuring device. It captures both feet in seconds using only the camera and a sheet of paper, then matches the measurements with brand- and model‑specific inner geometries to generate a shoe‑specific size and fit recommendation, rather than relying on generic size charts.

For safety footwear, this smartphone-based process can replace expensive and slow 3D laser scanners with faster fittings, fewer complaints and measurable productivity gain. Scan times decrease, recommendation acceptance rises and insole attachment rates increase. Correctly fitted footwear reduces pressure points, instability and fatigue, thereby supporting occupational safety and long‑term employee health. At the same time, field sales teams can equip entire workforces using only their smartphones, simplifying logistics across locations and countries. 

Backed by insights from biomechanics and movement science and supported by ROI analytics, the service delivers not only better comfort but also a compelling business case and a smaller CO₂ footprint for large‑scale provisioning.

Leaders League: What process led Footprint Technologies to acquire the patent rights?

Matthias Brendel: The relevant patent was originally filed in 2013 by an early startup in this field which later went bankrupt. It was subsequently acquired by a different start-up looking to establish itself in the market. When the patent was finally granted in 2021, it became a key competitive advantage in the German mobile foot-measurement segment, with the new owner enforcing it against market participants, including Footprint Technologies.

During the subsequent three years of enforcement, two market participants stepped out of the market, both cases occurring against the backdrop of the risk of injunctive relief. Footprint Technologies, by contrast, argued that its AI based solution did not implement all the elements of the claims of the patent, and therefore denied the infringement allegations. The dispute ultimately led to a commercial resolution, whereby Footprint Technologies acquired the patent rights.

In this process, Maiwald Intellectual Property supported us on IP strategy, infringement assessment and the broader structuring of what became a market-defining situation.The message for tech startups is clear: While team, product and traction still decide much of the journey, IP can quietly determine who is even allowed to enter the field of play. In this case, a single process patent has helped shape the competitive landscape of mobile foot measurement in one of Europe’s key markets, illustrating how IP strategy can be as decisive as any technology roadmap or go‑to‑market plan.

Sophie Stevenard