“This started as a very personal problem.”

For most people, buying shoes is routine. For Maeve Wang, it was a recurring frustration that eventually became the foundation for IAMBIC. “I really struggled to find shoes that fit”, she says. As she and co-founder Raza Hassan began discussing the problem, they realized it extended far beyond their own experiences.

The numbers supported what they were hearing. According to IAMBIC’s research, traditional footwear sizing works exceptionally well for only a portion of the population. “Today, shoes are only designed to fit about 33% of people super well,” Maeve explains. “The remaining 67% are what we call the silent majority.”

For that silent majority, the options are limited. Standardized sizing is built around mass production, while traditional custom footwear can cost thousands of dollars and require multiple in-person fittings.

Rather than accepting those limitations, the founders set out to rethink fit from a more complete, three-dimensional perspective. What followed was years of research and development supported by the National Science Foundation and the Center for Biotechnology. The goal was ambitious: create a way to deliver custom-fit footwear without requiring customers to visit a specialist or spend a small fortune.

“We wanted to provide the same level of precision with the same level of luxury.”

While most shoes are built around length and width measurements, IAMBIC takes a very different approach. Using three smartphone photos and a comfort assessment, the company’s AI Fit Engine analyzes over twenty biometric measurements of the foot.

“We landed on three pictures of your foot because that captures the whole foot shape and geometry,” Raza explains. But measurements alone are not enough. “Fit is very nuanced,” Maeve adds. “It’s also subjective.”

Two people with similar foot dimensions may want completely different experiences. One may prefer a snug fit, while another prioritizes flexibility or breathability. IAMBIC incorporates those preferences into the design process, combining biometric data with personal comfort preferences to guide the production of each pair.

The technology was originally intended to help other footwear brands improve fit. However, as the team dug deeper into the industry, they encountered challenges around design, quality control, and manufacturing consistency that convinced them to build their own brand instead. The result is a made-to-order footwear model that combines advanced technology with premium materials and manufacturing. Each pair uses Italian full-grain leather and a multi-layer sole system designed to balance traction, flexibility, support, and comfort.

The approach has attracted attention well beyond the footwear industry. In 2023, the company launched its first limited release, which sold out within two weeks. The following year, its smartphone-based platform earned recognition as one of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions. “One of the reasons why this was so important to us was because it was organic,” Maeve says. “Time Magazine reached out to us through our online web form. We didn’t apply for anything.”

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“For us, it’s all about continuing to satisfy more and more clients.”

Today, IAMBIC sits at the intersection of manufacturing, artificial intelligence, biomechanics, and design. While the technology is sophisticated, the founders remain focused on a simple outcome: helping people feel better in their shoes. “From a technical standpoint, we are really proud of how we have made custom fit possible for everyone.” Raza says.

The company continues to refine its products through constant feedback and iteration. Because every pair is made to order, new insights are continuously incorporated into future designs. “Every pair continues to improve based on feedback, based on learnings,” Maeve explains.

Looking ahead, the founders see opportunities well beyond their own brand and through partnerships that could allow other footwear companies to benefit from the data, technology, and manufacturing insights they have developed. “We want to begin to open that up more and more beyond our own brand,” Maeve says.

IAMBIC’s mission remains rooted in the people who inspired the company in the first place: those who have spent years compromising on fit because they thought discomfort was simply part of wearing shoes. “There’s a lot of people who are excluded from standard sizing and frustrated by that problem,” Maeve says. IAMBIC was built to give them another option.