Ektio Pitch Deck (2016): 20-Slide Breakdown

Ektio presents a compelling case for specialized athletic footwear by addressing the high failure rate of traditional ankle braces and tape, which the company claims loosen after just 15 minutes (Slide 2). The core value proposition is an internal strap technology built into the shoe wall to provide 'ultimate lockdown' (Slide 3). The deck leans heavily on credibility, citing a study by Dr. Howard Hillstrom at the Hospital for Special Surgery (Slide 5) and boasting a management team that includes NBA legends like Rick Barry and John Starks (Slide 6). While the company demonstrates established…

Key takeaways

• The product addresses a specific medical pain point: the high sprain rate and inefficiency of external ankle braces (Slide 2).
• Internal strap technology is the primary differentiator, designed to bring the foot and shoe together as a single unit (Slide 3).
• Clinical validation is provided by the Hospital for Special Surgery, showing the shoe performs similarly to barefoot or conventional footwear in range of motion while providing support (Slide 5).
• The management team is a mix of medical expertise (CEO Barry Katz, M.D.) and high-profile athletic promoters like Rick Barry and John Starks (Slide 6).
• Ektio has secured significant retail footprints including Eastbay, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Amazon (Slide 7).
• The company claims a '6 Year Success Rate' where ankle sprains in customers have been 'almost non-existent' (Slide 8).
• The 'Highpoint' model signals a strategic expansion into the hiking market using recycled rubber and eco-friendly materials (Slide 9).
• The US hiking market is valued by the company at $400,000,000 based on internal projections (Slide 10).

Frequently asked questions

What is the primary technology behind Ektio footwear?

Ektio utilizes 'Internal Strap Technology,' which consists of two straps built directly into the wall of the shoe. According to Slide 3, these straps are designed to support ligaments and lock the foot into the shoe, ensuring the foot and footwear move as a single unit to minimize the risk of inversion and subsequent sprains.

How does Ektio validate its claims of superior ankle support?

The company cites a study conducted by Dr. Howard Hillstrom at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Slide 5 notes that the study tested kinetics, kinematics, and muscle firing patterns, concluding that Ektio shoes compare favorably to conventional footwear and taping while limiting shoe inversion.

Who are the key members of the Ektio management and advisory team?

The team is led by CEO and President Barry Katz, M.D. It features notable athletic figures including NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry (Board of Directors/Promoter) and former NBA player John Starks. The team also includes shoe industry veterans like John Hanna and Michael Chen, and product designer Omar Bailey (Slide 6).

What is Ektio's current retail and distribution status?

According to Slide 7, Ektio has established distribution through major channels. These include Eastbay.com (which covers Footlocker, Champs, and Foot Action), Dick’s Sporting Goods Online, and Amazon.com, indicating the brand has moved past the prototype stage into active commercialization.

What is the new market opportunity Ektio is pursuing?

Ektio is expanding into the hiking market with a new model called the 'Highpoint.' Slide 10 identifies a US market of 39 million hikers and a total addressable market of $400 million, noting that the sector has experienced a 5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) since 2008.

Ektio pitch deck: the facts

Company

Ektio

Year

2016

Slides

20

Sector

Athletic Footwear / Health Tech

Deck type

Pitch Deck

Headquarters

United States

Ektio pitch deck PDF

The full Ektio deck is embedded on this page and can be read slide by slide in the browser — no download or account required. Each slide is covered in the breakdown above.

What the Ektio pitch deck was used for

This deck is a May 2016 fundraising presentation by Ektio, an athletic footwear company founded in 2009 in New York that develops patented, clinically tested shoes designed to prevent ankle sprains. The deck highlights the company’s original focus on basketball shoes and a strategic pivot into the U.S. hiking market, citing a $400 million addressable segment for ankle-injury–reducing hiking footwear. It positions Ektio’s differentiator as its patented internal strap and ankle-support technology, supported by laboratory studies at the Hospital for Special Surgery indicating increased inversion support compared with conventional shoes. The presentation seeks capital to fund design, testing, manufacturing and marketing of a new hiking shoe line using the same core technology.

Business model: Designs and sells specialized athletic footwear incorporating patented internal strap and ankle-support technology aimed at preventing ankle sprains, initially focused on basketball and later exploring hiking applications.

Year

2016

Raising

$1,250,000

Investors

Former NBA players John Starks and Rick Barry, who were reported as both investors in and endorsers of Ektio’s basketbal

Founded

March 2009

Founders

Barry Katz

Headquarters

New York, United States

Industry

Athletic footwear / sports injury prevention

Use of funds as presented: Design, testing, manufacturing, and marketing of a new hiking shoe line incorporating Ektio’s ankle-sprain-prevention technology.

What happened after the Ektio deck

Publicly available information indicates that Ektio achieved some niche success and partnerships in basketball footwear but does not show evidence of scaling into a major footwear brand; subsequent indications of final sales suggest the business did not grow into a large ongoing enterprise.

• Ektio launched its first basketball shoes around 2010 and secured early distribution through channels such as its own we
• By 2013–2014, the company had released next‑generation models and formed partnerships including exclusive shoe provision
• The brand continued to promote ankle-sprain-prevention basketball shoes, with later indications of clearance or final-sa

What the Ektio deck got right

• Patented, problem-focused technology. Ektio offers a differentiated product with patented internal strap and ankle-support technology integrated into the shoe, directly addressing the common and costly problem of ankle sprains in sports.
• Independent lab validation from reputable institutions. The company’s technology has been evaluated in laboratory settings at the Hospital for Special Surgery, where studies reported about 20% greater inversion support compared with alternatives, providing credible third‑party validation for the core product claims.
• Medically informed founding team and athlete backing. Founder and CEO Dr. Barry Katz is an orthopedic radiologist who developed the shoe with other orthopedic specialists, and the brand has attracted former NBA players like John Starks and Rick Barry as investors and advocates, strengthening domain credibility.
• Clear articulation of a hiking-market expansion strategy. The 2016 deck clearly articulates a pivot from basketball into a quantified $400 million U.S. hiking market, showing that the team is thinking about broader applications and scalable markets beyond its initial niche.
• Specific funding ask and use-of-funds outline. The deck includes a specific fundraising target of approximately $1.25 million and outlines high‑level uses of proceeds (design, test, manufacture, market a hiking line), giving investors clarity on the scope and purpose of the raise.
• Documented early traction and partnerships in basketball. External coverage highlights early commercial traction, including product availability through retailers and partnerships like Slamball, demonstrating some market acceptance of the technology prior to the proposed hiking expansion.

What could have been stronger

• Sparse quantitative traction data. The deck appears to provide limited hard traction metrics (e.g., annual revenue, units sold, repeat purchase rates), making it difficult for investors to quantify market validation beyond anecdotal retail placements and partnerships mentioned elsewhere about the brand.
• Lack of prospective injury-outcome evidence. Although the technology is supported by lab studies at the Hospital for Special Surgery showing increased inversion support, the deck does not present prospective, sports-participation injury-rate data demonstrating an actual reduction in ankle sprains, a concern echoed by clinicians in independent coverage.
• Limited validation of the hiking-market pivot. The pivot from basketball into hiking targets a new $400 million U.S. hiking segment, but the deck lacks detailed competitive landscape analysis or consumer insight data specific to hiking, leaving uncertainty about whether ankle-sprain prevention is a strong enough purchase driver in that category.
• Limited financial and unit-economics visibility. The deck focuses on the amount to be raised and high-level uses of funds (design, test, manufacture, market a hiking line) but does not clearly lay out a granular financial plan or projected economics (margins, payback periods, or capital efficiency) for the new product line.

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

• Patented internal strap and ankle-support technology with some level of clinical lab validation from the Hospital for Special Surgery, differentiating Ektio from standard athletic footwear.
• Founder and leadership team with medical and sports backgrounds, including CEO and founder Dr. Barry Katz and involvement of former professional players as investors or endorsers.
• Evidence of early market adoption in basketball—online retail through channels like Dick’s Sporting Goods and partnerships such as with Slamball—demonstrating some commercial validation of the technology prior to the hiking pivot.
• The proposed expansion into a defined U.S. hiking market segment (described in the deck as a $400 million opportunity), which offers a new use case while leveraging the same core technology.

Risks that stand out

• Clinical experts cited in independent reporting note that, despite promising lab data, there is insufficient prospective evidence that Ektio shoes actually reduce ankle-sprain rates in real‑world sports competition, which may limit medical and consumer acceptance.
• The company operates in a highly competitive footwear market dominated by large brands with greater marketing budgets, distribution, and R&D capabilities, raising questions about Ektio’s ability to achieve meaningful market share.
• The strategic pivot from basketball into hiking introduces execution risk, as the company must address a new customer segment and distribution channels without clear evidence that ankle‑sprain prevention is a primary purchase driver for hikers.
• Limited public information about sizable institutional funding rounds suggests potential constraints on capital access, which may affect inventory, marketing reach, and long‑term survival.

Questions this deck invites

• What are Ektio’s historical financials (revenue, gross margin, cash burn) and unit sales by year across existing basketball product lines prior to the 2016 hiking initiative?
• What are the detailed results and protocols of the Hospital for Special Surgery and other lab studies on Ektio shoes, and is there any follow‑up or ongoing research measuring actual ankle-sprain incidence in real‑world sports use?
• How much of the $1.25 million raise outlined in the May 2016 deck was ultimately secured, on what terms, and from which investors, and how was the capital deployed between product development, inventory, and marketing?
• What is the competitive landscape in both basketball and hiking footwear for ankle-support or injury‑prevention shoes, and how defensible are Ektio’s patents relative to larger footwear brands?
• How has customer feedback (returns, reviews, athlete testimonials) evolved for both basketball and any hiking products, particularly regarding comfort, performance, and perceived injury reduction?

What founders can take from the Ektio deck

• Having a clear, doctor‑invented, patented technology that directly addresses a common injury—ankle sprains—provides a strong problem–solution narrative that anchors the entire deck.
• Third‑party validation, such as lab testing conducted at the Hospital for Special Surgery, can significantly strengthen a hardware or health‑tech product’s credibility, even if full clinical outcome data are still pending.
• A strategic pivot (from basketball to hiking) is more compelling when quantified with a specific market size figure—here, a stated $400 million U.S. hiking opportunity—and anchored in the same core technology platform.
• Including a clear funding ask and high‑level use of proceeds (e.g., $1.25 million to design, test, manufacture, and market a hiking line) helps investors quickly understand what the raise is for and how capital will be deployed.
• Partnerships and distribution achievements (such as retail partnerships and league or sport endorsements mentioned in external coverage) can meaningfully reinforce a pitch by showing that established organizations trust and adopt the product.
• Relying mainly on lab-based validation without presenting prospective, real‑world outcome data (like actual reductions in ankle sprains) can leave a key proof point missing in a health‑related pitch, potentially raising investor questions about efficacy claims.

Ektio pitch deck: common questions

What is Ektio and what problem does it address?

Ektio is a New York–based athletic footwear company, founded in March 2009 by orthopedic radiologist Dr. Barry Katz, that designs shoes with integrated ankle-support technology intended to reduce ankle sprains, initially targeting basketball players.

How does Ektio’s technology work?

Ektio’s shoes incorporate a patented internal strap system and built‑in brace structure designed to limit excessive inversion and provide greater ankle stability than conventional basketball shoes, supported by lab testing at institutions such as the Hospital for Special Surgery.

What was Ektio raising money for in the May 2016 pitch deck?

The May 2016 pitch deck was used to raise funding—stated on the deck as approximately $1.25 million—to design, test, manufacture, and market a new hiking shoe line that adapts Ektio’s ankle-sprain-prevention technology from basketball into the U.S. hiking market.

Is Ektio’s ankle-sprain-prevention technology clinically validated?

Laboratory research commissioned by Ektio and conducted at the Hospital for Special Surgery reported roughly 20% greater inversion support in Ektio shoes compared with alternatives, though clinicians noted that on‑court injury reduction had not yet been demonstrated in prospective sports-participation studies.

What traction or market presence has Ektio had so far?

After launching its first basketball shoes around 2010 and securing retail and partnership distribution—including online sales through Dick’s Sporting Goods and use by Slamball players—Ektio continued iterating new models and later explored a pivot into hiking footwear, as reflected in the 2016 deck, though public records do not show large institutional financing rounds.

Sources

Funding and outcome facts on this page were researched on 2026-08-22 from the pages below.

• Ektio pitch deck may 2016
• Ektio Pitch Deck May 2016
• Ektio Shoes Aim to Make Ankle Sprains an Afterthought - Complex
• About Us - Ektio Basketball Shoes
• Basketball Shoes May Reduce Ankle Injuries
• Ektio Sells Alexio Sneaker Online Through DICK’S
• Ektio shoes assist high-flying Slamball players with ankle sprain prevention | Lower Extremity Review Magazine
• John Starks And Rick Barry Believe And Invest In Basketball Shoes With Ankle Support Technology

Ektio pitch deck slides

What each slide of the Ektio pitch deck says

Slide 2

i - py 1 Ankle Sprains: J i 25,000 Sprains y | of DAILY ANS #1 orthopedic Injury in world : \ \ \ 4 t #1 Lower Extremity Injury in: : + Basketball : + Tennis ! iy 1 million/yr. to ER's : | A MN 9 million/yr. total in U.S. =e ar : \ : A)

Slide 3

Ankle Braces/ Tape - Sprain rate high O Not Attached to Shoe O Loosens After 15 Min O Restrictive O Restrictive QO Expensive QO Time Consuming

Slide 4

EKTIO HIGHPOINT Key Features and ideas: - Recycled rubber outsole ores - Eco Friendly Materials (not on entire shoe) - Duel Density foam midsole (comfort) (Dr (47) p 6 4 4 * PENS SEP TL a ANI G8 Tn TL wan ND i GA FHF =O DT xs ex TH

Slide 5

Part 1 ) J y EKTIO TECHNOLOGY: y i Internal Strap Technology ENN HANA Ankle AA hte @ 2 Straps, Built Into Wall of Shoe. Ligaments Support Ligaments Outside of \ Ankle | @® Bring Foot and Shoe Together as One | 8 | Unit- Minimizes Movement i IL ® Ultimate “Lockdown” of Foot into Shoe

Slide 6

Part 2 EKTIO TECHNOLOGY: Lateral Support Outriggers @ Fe ~~ Fo a _ ra So p fot @® | ateral Outriggers Built Onto Outsole of Shoe @® Provide Stability and Enhanced Balance ® Stop Shoe from Rolling Over

Slide text above is read directly from the Ektio deck PDF embedded on this page.

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