Featured ZINOpreneur of the Week: David Sypniewski of Skora Athletics, LLC

David Sypniewski

Our ZINO Society featured ZINOpreneur Member this week is David Sypniewski, Founder and CEO of Skora Athletics, LLC. David presented his company at the ZINO Society Roundtable Investment Meetings in February, 2011. We asked him to share the answers to a few questions about his company.

• What is your one-sentence elevator pitch? . . . Skora is striving to become the leader of lightweight performance footwear that helps promote injury-free running.
• How did you come up with the idea for your company? . . . The seed for Skora footwear was planted when the company founder suffered a year-long injury due to running in over-cushioned shoes.
• The word that best describes your company culture is . . . Free-thinking.
• How are you different from your competition? . . . We don't cling to doctrine new or old, or hold ideology over practicality.
• What is the biggest challenge you face? . . . The lightweight running footwear segment is red hot and Skora must enter the market as a Spring 2012 product offering.
• How much money have you raised to date? . . . $115,000
• If someone gave your company $3 million tomorrow, how would you use the money? . . . Introduce a women's running footwear line at launch; scale up marketing and enter key overseas markets.
• Why will your company be successful? . . . Company founder has been barefoot running since 2002.
  
  We have an authentic story, a strong team and retailers waiting for product. Our footwear approaches design and performance from a rational, honest and realistic understanding of a runner's real needs.