Recognized by TIME Best Inventions. Backed by the U.S. National Science Foundation. Developed with Dr. Hylton Menz.
Designed in New York City. Crafted in Portugal.
Meet Keith
A seasoned tech entrepreneur and venture investor who has built companies at the intersection of technology and human performance. As the founder of FitLinxx (reached #20 on the Deloitte Fast 500) and Great Play (a three time Entrepreneur 500 company), he pioneered innovations in fitness technology and tech enabled children’s motor skill development.
Now, as a Managing Director at Techstars in Washington DC and NYC, Keith helps guide the next generation of founders. He holds multiple patents in sensor and machine vision technology, has raised $50M+ in venture funding, and earned degrees from Cornell and MIT.
Keith wears the MODEL T in white and black. We spoke with him about fit, comfort, and the moment heel slip stopped.
Heel slipping to secure all day comfort with custom executive shoes
If your heels slip in dress shoes, comfort fades. Keith switched to a made to fit pair and the heel slip stopped. Miles on New York sidewalks felt easier. The fit stayed secure without pressure points. Explore the MODEL T.
Why secure fit matters for executive health and performance
Feet are complex. Left and right can differ. Workload, heat, travel, and time of day change volume and shape. A precise fit reduces hotspots and fatigue so your attention stays on the work in front of you.
- Posture support: Alignment that lasts through long days.
- Lower fatigue: Less strain in meetings and travel.
- Fewer hotspots: No heel slip, no rub.
- Consistency: Fit that improves on reorders.
Read more: TIME Best Invention and NSF SBIR Phase II.
How personalization solves heel slipping in professional shoes
Mass sizing is a compromise. Two people with the same size can have different ball girths, instep volumes, arch heights, and heel shapes. That is why slip happens.
The IAMBIC method pairs a three image smartphone scan with a short comfort survey. We model 20+ biometric variables. A biomechanical engineer reviews your plan. Your last is made to fit. Over time, Sole Print™ wear analysis and a learning loop guide refinements for the next pair.
Prefer a guided setup? A biomechanical engineer can support your scan on a video call. Learn more in IAMBIC 101 and How custom-fit shoes work.
Q&A with Keith
How did it feel wearing a true one-of-one pair of shoes crafted just for you?
The most interesting thing about them being crafted just for me is how well they fit. And I had never even noticed that my shoes didn't fit right. My other shoes don't hurt me - they just slosh around. My feet kind of move around in them to make up for that. With these, the heels actually stay on the whole time and it fits snugly yet still comfortably. And I'd never experienced that before.
And it ends up being much better for walking around and putting miles on them each day, walking around the streets of New York. They just stay comfortable all day.
How do you feel about the look and style of the shoes?
So I was actually surprised by how cool they look too and how I wear them with just about anything. I'm now finding that I put them on whether it's with jeans or with a jacket or whatever it might be and it just dresses them up and I feel better wearing them. And then people who notice shoes actually comment - this has never happened to me in my life. People will actually comment, "Those are cool, where'd you get those?" So I love it.
I like being an early adopter of new technology. My home's fully automated. I wear the latest trackers on fingers and wrists and things. And so when people notice and ask "What are those shoes? Those are pretty cool," I have a really interesting story to tell. I took three pictures of my feet and they sent me a custom pair that fit just right and they're super comfortable.
What aspects of IAMBIC’s technology impressed you the most?
It was just really cool to be able to take just three pictures of my foot to be able to get the sense that this thing is going to be built just for me. It didn't actually seem likely to be possible that it would be that simple. And then when I first put them on and they fit exactly right and the heels don't slip and they stay on and they're comfortable, it just really hit home that that's how all shoes should be made. So it was just a really cool process.
What excites you the most about your shoes becoming more personalized with each pair through the Sole Print technology?
So my very first pair of IAMBICs already fit really well. The fact that as I wear them more and more - you can see I'm getting some wear on them already - as I wear them more and more, the fact that it might even get better is pretty surprising, but it also makes it that I'm not likely to ever switch to another type of shoe. It's hard to picture what better would feel like, but the fact that more data will help out, that's pretty cool.
Can you describe the moment you first put on your IAMBIC shoes and felt the precision fit?
So the first time I got my IAMBICs and I put them on, I really wasn't quite sure what to expect. I thought they'd be good. And they felt about right just putting them on, like a nice normal snug shoe that fits right. But then it was really walking around in them the first time and going, "That's weird. The heel's not slipping off." And I'd never really experienced a dress shoe where it stayed on tightly. My loafers, my heel just kind of comes in and out and that's why they are comfortable.
But these, the heels staying in and I find that the shoes kind of hugging me as I'm walking and it wasn't in an uncomfortable way. And then it turns out that as you walk all day - and I put a few miles on them a day in New York - they stay comfortable all day. My feet never get tired. So it's really quite impressive and cool technology.
How has experiencing precision fit transformed your expectations for all footwear?
Some shoes that are many times the price that I tend to wear are one of 12 sizes and they don't fit quite right. So when we're talking about these sorts of price points, the fact that this customization isn't part of them is actually now surprising.
This is the kind of technology - and I love new technology - but this is the kind of technology that you just now say, "I don't know why this didn't exist before." And it becomes obvious once you start using them that it should have always existed and all shoes should be made this way. It doesn't make sense that we just buy half sizes apart and they fit broadly, maybe okay. Your shoes should be made to fit you. And it's way more comfortable.
Explore the MODEL T. Learn why it was named a TIME Best Invention.
New to IAMBIC? Start with the Fit Guide Quiz.
Covered by our Signature Fit Guarantee. Unlimited refits until it feels perfect.
FAQs
How do I start if I’m new to IAMBIC?
Begin with the Fit Guide Quiz. We offer a limited number of complimentary introductory consultations to people who qualify.
Can a biomechanical engineer guide my scan on a video call?
Yes. If you prefer live support, a biomechanical engineer can guide your scan and review your plan.
What if my heels still slip?
Tell us. Your plan includes fit preferences and we stand behind the Signature Fit Guarantee with unlimited refits.
Are these appropriate for client meetings?
Yes. Customers wear IAMBIC with suits, dresses, and smart casual looks. Choose materials and finishes that fit your setting.
How long does it take to receive my pair?
Most orders ship in about 4 to 6 weeks after you upload your consultation.
The most interesting thing about them being crafted just for me is how well they fit. And I hadnever even noticed that my shoes didn't fit right. My other shoes don't hurt me - they just slosharound. With these, the heels actually stay on the whole time and it fits snugly yet stillcomfortably. And I'd never experienced that before. They just stay comfortable all day.
As a runner, as an athlete, just knowing that I'm doing a good service to my body is incredible.It’s the reason that I love my IAMBIC shoes. It's that precision that makes me feel safe to walkdown the street, get on the subway, do my commute, bring my kids to school, and not feelconcerned that I'm doing it in a shoe that doesn't fit right or that doesn't feel good.
The thing that I was surprised by the most with the precision fit is that any pressure points thatI had been feeling with the shoes that I previously came in wearing were completely gone. I waswearing a shoe that wasn't too tight. It wasn't too loose. The sole fit just right. Total comfort.That's the best way to put it.
So I suffer from chronic foot pain and I believe that a lot of that has to do with wearing shoesthat actually don't fit. Whenever I wear my IAMBICs, I've noticed that I have felt less pain,which is really incredible. And they're just so comfortable. I'm not worried about the back of my heel popping out or my ankles not having enough support. Also, they're just so stylish andevery timeI wear them out in the street, I always get compliments, which never happens to me.
A shoe that may feel comfortable for a half hour walk is not a shoe that always feels comfortablefor a three and a half hour walk. So what I like about IAMBIC is, even though the snug fit isthere and it feels comfortable, it also feels substantial enough that I can walk a lot withoutgetting any discomfort. That's just something that's especially important to me and I think theshoe has really delivered that.
The first moment that I tried on my IAMBIC shoes, I noticed a difference. I have small feet. So whenever I try on shoes, I usually expect them to not fit. If they do fit, there's usually some sort of discomfort, whether that's in the toe box or too much space or at the heel. So knowing that this shoe was tailored to my foot was really meaningful. It's rare that you find a shoe like IAMBIC that truly is comfortable, but also hits the markers of style versatility.
I think we're all placed on this earth as unique individuals. None of us are really off the rack in terms of sizing. So for me to have that experience of having something made specifically for me that fit perfectly was something that was a little bit mind blowing. And once I got the shoes, I tried them on, they looked great, they felt great. And honestly, they fit like a glove.