Barefoot shoes from Dießen: Health Innovation at Ammersee!

Barefoot shoes from Dießen: Health Innovation at Ammersee!

Dießen am Ammersee, Deutschland - Dießen on Lake Ammersee is not only known for its picturesque landscapes, but also for innovative companies that specialize in health and technology. Such a success story is that of Sole Runner®, which is considered a pioneer in the area of barefoot shoes. On July 22, 2025, District Administrator Thomas Eichinger visited the company and paid tribute to the impressive achievements of founder Thorsten Ludwig.

Sole Runner has achieved a lot since the brand was founded in 2010. The first German barefoot shoes are developed here and exported to numerous European countries, including Denmark, Estonia, France, the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Their shoes, which are ergonomically designed and certified by the Institute for Health and Ergonomy e.V. The local connection to Dießen and the region remains of central importance for the company, as well as Landkreis-landsberg.de.

a digital champion

The award of Sole Runner® as a "digital champion" in Bavarian retail in 2020 is another highlight. Thorsten Ludwig himself launched the first barefoot shoe online shop in Europe in 2006. In times when the shopping behavior has changed due to Corona, Ludwig has focused on digitization to meet the challenges of today. This includes projects such as the implementation of plentymarkets, a multichannel sales expansion and current projects for potential analysis for Instant Payment, which are to be realized in cooperation with IBI Research and the Mittelstand-Digital Center Augsburg. The role of artificial intelligence within the company is also becoming increasingly important, so this technology is used in various areas such as customer communication, social media and even for automation of processes.

buyers are increasingly attaching importance to environmental and climate atmosphere, which also affects online trading. In view of the current economic challenges - such as war, inflation and interest development - there is a trend towards increased economy in the industry. This leads to an increase in bankruptcy of well -known retail chains, which underlines the importance of small and medium -sized companies for the economic stability of the region. Here, too, the district administrator emphasizes how important these companies are for the social and economic development of the region.

a workshop for the future

In order to promote the exchange about digital issues and the challenges associated with digitization, a workshop on AI for companies in cooperation with the Technology Transfer Center of the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences will take place on October 29, 2025. Interested parties can find more information on Tha.de or on the LinkedIn page of the district office.

The commitment of Sole Runner® shows how small companies with innovation spirit and a clear focus on health and environmental awareness can exist in today's world. Here it becomes clear that the Ammersee location has much more to offer than just nature - also real economic magnets that think and act in a future -oriented manner.

For more information about the products of Sole Runner®, visit sole-runner.com.

With a strong focus on digitization and a clear green commitment, Sole Runner® shows how to combine the present and the future - and this makes the company a real pioneer in the region.