Nike unveils Project Amplify, the first powered shoe built to help you run faster

This could be running’s next big revolution. Nike has announced a futuristic project that is bound to get people talking: the world’s first powered shoe, designed to help athletes run faster and farther while using less effort. Much like e-bikes have transformed urban transport, Nike wants to make running more accessible. Imagine climbing a hill without feeling the effort. Marathons.com takes a closer look at this new product, which is expected to launch in 2028.

Project Amplify: the powered shoe that helps runners move faster

Nike calls it Project Amplify. In simple terms, it’s a shoe designed to give you a boost with every stride. Behind the futuristic promise is a clever system combining a miniature motor, belt and rechargeable battery, all built into a lightweight exoskeleton that wraps around the ankle and attaches to the shoe. The mechanism uses motion algorithms developed at the Nike Sport Research Lab to support the runner’s natural movement. The early results are striking: extra propulsion, calibrated to amplify calf power and reduce muscular fatigue.

Based on tests involving more than 400 athletes and over 2.4 million analysed steps, the early feedback is promising:

An average pace 15 to 20% faster
Lower perceived effort on climbs
The sensation of running on flat ground, even uphill

The goal isn’t to break world records, but to make running more accessible and enjoyable, especially for recreational runners. During testing, some runners went from an 8:00/km pace to 6:00/km without any additional effort. That’s a significant gain, and one that could help everyday runners stay active for longer. Nike compares the innovation to an e-bike: a gentle assist that helps you go farther, more often, and with a smile.

For now, the project is still in the testing phase. Nike is working with Dephy, a robotics start-up, to improve the system’s reliability and optimise its weight and battery life. There is no official release date yet, but current projections point to a consumer launch around 2028.

Nike unveils Project Amplify, its first powered shoe, and The Mind, a concept based on neuroscience. Two innovations set to rethink running.

An innovation designed for recreational runners and walkers

Nike is clear that Project Amplify is not designed for elite athletes, but for the wider public: “everyday runners who want to go a little farther, a little faster, without wrecking their legs.” This is not about undermining running’s competitive spirit. There is also a clear strategic motive. Nike wants to regain control of a market it helped shape. As emerging brands have gained ground in running in recent years, Nike is looking to reclaim its position as an innovation leader.

We’ve long known the Swoosh for its obsession with performance and its forward-looking vision, but these powered shoes could see Nike change its focus. This time, the driving force is not the pursuit of absolute speed, as with the Vaporfly Next%, the carbon-plated shoe that revolutionised modern running, but a desire to broaden the movement experience. Project Amplify is not aimed at elite runners, but at anyone who simply wants to run more often and for longer with a little technological assistance. No price has been announced yet, but there’s a good chance this piece of technology won’t suit every budget…

Our mission is to dream big while keeping athletes at the heart of everything we do. Project Amplify began with a single question: what if we could find a way to help athletes move faster and farther, using less energy and having a lot more fun? At the heart of Project Amplify is the idea of naturally adding a little more power to every stride. The fun comes from realising that we can do more than we think, whatever “more” means to each person.
Michael Donaghu, Vice President of Create The Future, Emerging Sport and Innovation

The Mind 001 and The Mind 002: a focus on the mind

Less spectacular but just as innovative, the Nike Mind platform explores another dimension: the mind. With The Mind 001 and The Mind 002, the brand is introducing the first shoes based on neuroscience. Each insole contains 22 small, independent foam modules designed to stimulate the foot’s sensory receptors. The aim? To activate areas of the brain linked to concentration, relaxation and mental preparation.

Designed to be worn before or after exercise, these futuristic, ultra-comfortable shoes open up a new product category: not “physical performance”, but “mental preparation”. Nike isn’t trying to make athletes run faster here, but to help them recenter and reconnect with their bodies. It’s an almost meditative approach to sport that broadens the very definition of performance. As mental preparation takes on an increasingly important role in sport, Nike is betting on another kind of performance technology: the mind.

The Mind 001 (€95) and The Mind 002 (€145) will be available in January 2026 from nike.com and selected retailers.

Today, we’re extending our research into the mind. By examining perception, attention and sensory feedback, we’re exploring the mind-body connection in a new way. It’s not just about running faster, but about experiencing greater clarity, focus and resilience. This is the next frontier of performance.
Dr Matthew Nurse, VP, Chief Science Officer, NIKE, Inc.

With Project Amplify and Nike Mind, Nike is exploring new territory in performance and movement. These innovations reflect a growing trend in running: the future of the sport is no longer determined solely by the athlete’s physical capabilities, but also by technology, data and the mind. The projects embody the Swoosh’s new strategy: to regain its pioneering status not by producing the fastest shoe in the world, but by rethinking how we run, think and experience movement. The future is now.

✔ Find all the details on Project Amplify and Nike Mind on Nike’s official website.