Tyler Strothman, a senior on Rice University's track and cross-country teams, is on a mission to transform the running experience. His startup, Veloci, aims to empower runners by providing shoes that fit the anatomical shape of the human foot.
“It’s about empowering people and making them more comfortable while doing what they care about,” he explained.
Having struggled with foot pain — an all-too-common issue for runners — Strothman recognized a gap in the market during his time working at running shoe stores. He realized that existing products failed to address his pain points, prompting him to design shoes that adhere closely to the natural foot shape, especially in the toe box.
“There are minimalist shoes that attempt to solve the toe box issue, but they often lead to Achilles tendon problems,” Strothman noted. Veloci’s elevated heel drop aims to resolve these concerns.
The journey to create Veloci has been bolstered by Rice’s Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie), specifically through Launchpad and the Summer Venture Studio (SVS). Launchpad provides mentorship, funding and a supportive entrepreneurial community, while SVS offers hands-on experience for students to explore, develop,and de-risk their ventures over a three-month period. Participants benefit from equity-free funding and personalized support from mentors, successful founders and venture capitalists.
“Lilie has been alongside me throughout the whole process, encouraging me, teaching me, empowering me with opportunities,” Strothman said. “The mentors were incredible; they’re very experienced. It was great, especially as a solo founder — having people in your corner who can provide guidance and assistance was huge for me.”
As a one-man operation, Strothman has taken on multiple roles, including designer, CEO, marketer and salesman. Despite the challenges, Veloci is steadily growing. He has secured production overseas, established partnerships with 17 specialty stores nationwide, and has a budding sales team to facilitate future expansion.
“I love every part of it,” he shared. “The hard times and challenges are worth it because I can always fall back on the mission of helping people. I get to help a group, a cause, a sport, a community that I care about. It’s what has gotten me through.”
Veloci shoes are set to hit specialty stores in January 2025. To explore more entrepreneurial opportunities at Lilie, check out their offerings here.