Royi Metser - Smart Shoes That Coach: Avelo's Biomechanical Revolution

·50 min·4 clips

Why has the running injury rate stayed the same for 50 years despite better science and equipment?

This episode features host Eric Malzone interviewing Royi Metser, founder and CEO of Avelo, about his new venture into smart running shoes. Metser previously worked at InsideTracker, a company focused on health data from blood biomarkers. He transitioned to running technology after a personal health scare during the COVID-19 pandemic motivated him to train for a marathon. Metser cites research showing between 50% and 79% of runners sustain injuries annually, a rate unchanged since the 1970s running boom. He argues that despite better equipment and science, the lack of accessible coaching and biomechanical data keeps injury rates high. Avelo's solution is a fully integrated smart shoe containing sensors embedded in the midsole foam. The shoes measure metrics like cadence, ground reaction force, contact time, and asymmetries between left and right feet. A key software innovation is an "impact score" designed to quantify biomechanical load, similar to how heart rate tracks physiological stress. The system creates a personalized "running signature" for each user, analyzing factors like foot strike pattern. Metser explains that a forefoot striker, for instance, distributes more force to the calf and Achilles tendon. He states the technology can infer injury risks by combining form data with user-provided information like injury history and age. The company chose a vertically integrated hardware and software model, comparing it to Apple's approach, to ensure a frictionless user experience. Co-founder Peter, a veteran of Nike and Under Armour footwear, joined to lead the shoe design, resulting in a product called the Avelo Super Trainer. Metser notes the ongoing debate in running between minimalist and maximalist shoe design but says research hasn't conclusively favored one for injury prevention. He describes the user experience as simple pairing over Bluetooth, followed by an onboarding process where the app learns about the runner over several weeks. The tone is conversational and educational, blending personal anecdote with industry analysis and product explanation. Listeners interested in running science, wearable technology, or fitness entrepreneurship will find this episode compelling. Those seeking entertainment or narrative drama might find the detailed technical discussion less engaging.

As heard by us

A practical smart-shoe story about friction, product design, and making the tech disappear.

This episode focuses on what it takes to turn smart-shoe biomechanics into something people will actually wear. The strongest thread is product judgment: why the team kept running into friction, why a simple insert felt too compromised, and why putting the tech inside the shoe…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a wearable that feels like part of the shoe, not another thing to manage?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Future of Fitness