Editor’s Note: This announcement references the National Science Foundation SBIR Phase II award, recognizing IAMBIC’s technology in precision-fit footwear and AI-driven design.
IAMBIC has been awarded approximately $1 million in funding from the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to advance its AI-tailored, precision-fit footwear platform.
The grant supports IAMBIC’s mission to scale made-to-measure footwear, combining biomechanics, artificial intelligence, and European craftsmanship to create shoes engineered from each individual’s anatomy.
Advancing AI, fit, and manufacturing
Co-founders Maeve Wang (CEO) and Chaudhry Raza Hassan (CTO) have spent over four years developing IAMBIC’s proprietary Fit Engine, a system that transforms biometric data into digital lasts unique to each wearer. The platform integrates biomechanics, advanced modeling, and adaptive materials to redefine precision comfort and alignment.
“NSF accelerates the translation of emerging technologies into transformative new products and services,” said Erwin Gianchandani, Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “We are proud to fund deep-technology startups shaping science and engineering into meaningful real-world solutions.”
Erwin Gianchandani, Assistant Director, National Science Foundation
The award marks a major milestone as IAMBIC scales its research and production infrastructure. The funding will expand precision manufacturing in Portugal and further refine AI systems that model fit, pressure distribution, and movement in real-world conditions.
Scaling innovation and collaboration
The NSF Phase II award positions IAMBIC to advance sustainable, data-driven footwear production while exploring collaborations across health, performance, and design sectors. The company’s technology enables personalization at scale, reducing returns, waste, and inefficiencies in mass manufacturing.
“This marks our next phase of growth as we expand production, broaden our product line, and partner with innovators defining the future of footwear,” said Wang.
Maeve Wang, Co-Founder and CEO, IAMBIC
Delivering precision-fit footwear
IAMBIC’s flagship model, the MODEL T, is available to customers today. Each pair begins with a 3D smartphone scan that maps more than twenty biometric variables per foot. The Fit Engine converts this data into a made-to-fit digital last, which European artisans use to craft each pair for alignment, endurance, and fluid motion.
The NSF funding strengthens ongoing research in AI modeling and automated manufacturing, creating a more efficient path from digital scan to handcrafted shoe.
What the grant supports
- AI fit modeling: Translating 3-image smartphone scans into precision digital lasts.
- Sole Print™ feedback: Integrating real wear data to enhance future designs.
- Digital-to-physical craft: Refining the link between modeling, geometry, and European production.
- Platform expansion: Testing across devices and improving data precision globally.
Background and recognition
- Validated at scale: Over 50,000 scans with 98% accuracy between scan and last.
- Protected IP: 12 patent-pending innovations in biomechanics and fit modeling.
- Recognition: Named a TIME Best Invention.
- Ecosystem support: Featured by the Stony Brook Center for Biotechnology.
- Design and craft: Designed in New York City and handcrafted in Portugal.
About IAMBIC
IAMBIC builds precision-fit footwear from a 3D smartphone scan. Each pair maps over twenty biometric variables per foot and evolves through real-world feedback. Every model is crafted in Portugal and backed by the Signature Fit Guarantee with unlimited refits for lasting precision and comfort.
About the NSF SBIR Program
The National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program supports early-stage companies developing technologies with national impact. Phase II awards fund development, validation, and commercialization of innovations that bridge science and real-world application.
Media contact
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Sources and helpful links
IAMBIC is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, monitor, or prevent medical conditions.
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. With these, the heels actually stay on the whole time and it fits snugly yet still comfortably. 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 walk down the street, get on the subway, do my commute, bring my kids to school, and not feel concerned 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 that I had been feeling with the shoes that I previously came in wearing were completely gone. I was wearing 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.
I deal with chronic foot pain, and a lot of it comes from shoes that do not really fit. When I wear my IAMBICs, I notice less pain and they are incredibly comfortable. I do not worry about support, and I even get compliments on them when I am out, which feels great.
A lot of shoes feel fine for a short walk but not for hours. What I like about IAMBIC is that it feels snug and comfortable, yet substantial enough for long walks without discomfort. That matters to me, and the shoe has really delivered on that.
The first time I tried my IAMBICs, I noticed the difference right away. I have small feet, so most shoes either do not fit or are uncomfortable somewhere. Knowing these were tailored to my foot was meaningful. They are truly comfortable and still versatile in style, which is rare to find.
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.
In motorsport, a millimeter matters. My IAMBICs are built with that same precision, and you can feel it when you move. They remind me of the exactness you find in high-performance machines, translated into footwear.
With IAMBIC, I can be on my feet through long shoots without that usual end-of-day fatigue. I do not worry about burning out or feeling drained like I used to. They help me get through overtime and long days without thinking about pain.
They move with me and quickly became part of my day. I do not wear them only for style, I wear them because they make me feel good. The comfort and support are what keep me reaching for them.
With most shoes I am always wishing I had chosen something else. With IAMBIC, I don’t think about switching. I want everything else to feel the way these do, because they are the pair I reach for every day.
When I wear my IAMBICs, I barely notice them, and I think that says everything. The difference shows up when I switch to other high-end sneakers and immediately feel the discomfort. They fit my feet so well that comfort just feels natural.