Nike aims to release products up to 12 months earlier than planned and has unveiled several cutting-edge prototypes
Nike’s new chief innovation, design, and product officer, Phil McCartney, has given his 4,000-member team a daring new mantra: “Create epic s--t.”
Tasked with reigniting the sportswear giant’s development, McCartney—who’s been with Nike for nearly 30 years—is pushing speed, risk-taking, and futuristic design.
The company aims to release products up to 12 months earlier than planned and has unveiled several cutting-edge prototypes:
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The Nike Mind shoe, which claims to calm athletes by stimulating pressure points in the brain.
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The Air Milano jacket, set to debut at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, which inflates or deflates to regulate temperature.
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Project Amplify is a powered footwear system that helps runners move farther with robotic-like propulsion.
After six consecutive quarters of revenue decline and an 8.7% drop in shares this year, McCartney and CEO Elliott Hill are restructuring teams and driving faster development.
Hill’s goal is to “Make stuff people want, need, and when we’re at our best, make stuff that people don’t even know is imaginable.” Nike hopes the latest move will help it reclaim its status as the world’s top sportswear innovator.