kybun
kybun is a Swiss health-footwear and standing-mat company that sells direct-to-consumer premium shoes ($449-$509) and mats ($119-$169) built on proprietary air-cushion technology, serving consumers across 18 countries seeking back-pain relief and healthier walking.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersRoggwil, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What kybun does
kybun Switzerland is a private Swiss health-footwear and wellness company founded in 1996 by inventor Karl Müller and operating under the kybun Joya Group holding structure. The company designs and sells footwear and active standing mats built around a proprietary air-cushion sole technology, which encloses millions of air bubbles to provide elastic, springy cushioning and an impulse-active compression zone that rebounds like a trampoline. The core product portfolio includes women's and men's footwear collections spanning sneakers, casual, business, work, boots, sandals, slippers, and outdoor shoes, priced between $449 and $509 per pair, plus active standing mats ranging from $119 to $169.
kybun generates revenue primarily through direct-to-consumer hardware sales via its localized e-commerce platform (kybun.swiss) serving 18 countries with USD, CHF, EUR, and GBP currency support, supplemented by physical retail including a flagship store in Munich and partner locations. The company targets five distinct customer segments: workplace/office professionals, general leisure consumers, sports and fitness enthusiasts, seniors, and medical/health-conscious consumers seeking back-pain relief and posture improvement. AGR (Aktion Gesunder Rücken) certification provides third-party validation for back-health claims, and a Medical Advisor covering 40+ health indications plus risk-free trial programs support customer education and adoption.
The business model is straightforward transactional hardware sales with high unit economics but modest scale, evidenced by a headcount of 11-50 employees and no disclosed external funding rounds. Geographic expansion is concentrated in Europe and the United States, with recent offensive moves including the Munich flagship store opening and the rollout of risk-free trial programs for both shoes and standing mats to reduce purchase friction in the premium-priced category.
kybun firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- kybun
- Legal name
- kybun Switzerland
- Website
- https://kybun.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- kybun is a Swiss health-footwear and standing-mat company that sells direct-to-consumer premium shoes ($449-$509) and mats ($119-$169) built on proprietary air-cushion technology, serving consumers across 18 countries seeking back-pain relief and healthier walking.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
kybun industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Health Footwear
- NAICS
- Footwear Manufacturing (3162), Shoe Retailers (45821)
- SIC
- Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Casual & Lifestyle Footwear (CRAAACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Yoga, Pilates & Mind-Body Accessories Retail (Mats, Blocks, Reformers, Rings) (CRAMADAE), Performance Socks, Underlayers & Active Essentials (CRAAAEAJ)
Keywords
Where kybun is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Roggwil
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
kybun business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Footwear Sales: One-time purchase of health shoes with air cushion technology. Products include sneakers, casual shoes, business shoes, boots, sandals, outdoor shoes, and slippers for men and women. Premium Swiss-made pricing with 30 years of heritage.
- Standing Mats Sales: Active standing mats with fabric or rubber covers sold as one-time purchases. The mats provide dynamic standing feeling with impulse-active compression zones for office, home, or workplace use.
- Accessories Sales: Complementary products including seat cushions, socks, shoe care products, ergonomic workplace items, gift vouchers, and insoles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Health Shoes - Women's Collection |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Health Shoes - Men's Collection |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Active Standing Mats |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Risk-Free Trial Products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
kybun product offering
Product offeringCore offering
kybun manufactures and sells Swiss-made health footwear and active standing mats built around a proprietary air cushion sole technology that encloses millions of air bubbles for elastic, springy cushioning. The product line includes women's and men's shoes (sneakers, casual, work, business, boots, sandals, outdoor, slippers), active standing mats with fabric or rubber covers, and complementary accessories such as seat cushions, insoles, socks, and shoe care products.
Product overview
kybun is a Swiss health footwear and wellness company with 30 years of expertise. The company offers a unified product portfolio centered on its proprietary air cushion technology, which features millions of elastic, springy air bubbles providing cushioning and breathability. Core products include kybun Health Shoes (with dedicated Women's and Men's collections spanning sandals, slippers, work shoes, sneakers, casual shoes, boots, outdoor shoes, and business shoes) and Active Standing Mats (available in fabric and rubber covers). The portfolio extends to accessories (seat cushions, insoles, shoe care products, socks) and services (Medical Advisor with pain relief exercises, Pain Free TV educational content, and risk-free trial programs). All products share the common thread of promoting movement, reducing back pain, and supporting healthy standing and walking.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- kybun Joya: Health footwear brand featuring air cushion technology for healthy walking and standing
- SwissOrigin
Products and services
- kybun Health Shoes - Women's Collection Women's footwear featuring the kybun air cushion sole with millions of elastic, springy air bubbles for cushioning and breathable foot climate. Available in multiple styles including sandals, slippers, work shoes, sneakers, casual shoes, boots, outdoor shoes, and business shoes, designed for healthy walking and standing.
- kybun Health Shoes - Men's Collection Men's footwear featuring the kybun air cushion sole with millions of elastic, springy air bubbles for cushioning and breathable foot climate. Available in multiple styles including sandals, slippers, work shoes, sneakers, casual shoes, boots, outdoor shoes, and business shoes, designed for healthy walking and standing.
- Active Standing Mats
Companies that use kybun
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
kybun technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
kybun partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- kybun Joya Groupcorekybun Switzerland is a brand of the kybun Joya Group, which represents the parent company structure. The group encompasses kybun's health footwear and standing mat business with 30 years of Swiss expertise.
- SwissOrigincoreSwissOrigin is referenced as the shoe manufacturer partner for kybun products, representing the Swiss manufacturing heritage and quality craftsmanship of kybun footwear.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
kybun competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Aetrex: Aetrex sells orthotic-friendly comfort footwear and foot-scanning technology for foot-health-focused consumers. Like kybun, it combines medically-positioned footwear with digital/retail foot-health tools.
- Kizik: Kizik is a DTC comfort footwear brand selling hands-free, easy-entry casual shoes targeting older adults and people with mobility limitations — a directly overlapping use case with kybun's seniors and workplace segments.
Direct peers
- Orthofeet: Orthofeet sells orthopedic and diabetic-friendly comfort footwear with emphasis on pain relief, arch support, and therapeutic benefits — a direct functional peer to kybun's medically-positioned health shoes, including similar DTC e-commerce distribution.
- Birkenstock: Birkenstock is a global comfort/ergonomic footwear leader whose contoured-footbed positioning targets the same back-pain and posture-conscious consumer as kybun. Both brands occupy premium comfort footwear with health/wellness messaging.
- Joya Schuhe: Joya is a sister brand under the same kybun Joya Group parent company, marketing soft, cushioned comfort footwear using similar soft-sole technology. It is the closest in-house peer and shares distribution, manufacturing, and brand infrastructure with kybun.
- MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology): MBT pioneered the curved, spring-sole "anti-shoe" concept and competes in the same health/ergonomic footwear niche as kybun. Both brands market air/spring-based cushioning as a therapeutic solution for back and joint pain, targeting overlapping wellness-conscious consumer segments.
- Hoka One One (Deckers Brands): Hoka is a leading maximalist-cushion athletic and lifestyle footwear brand whose core value proposition (cushioning, joint protection, all-day comfort) directly overlaps with kybun's air-cushion health-shoe positioning. Both serve the same end-consumer looking for cushioned, joint-friendly footwear.
- Vionic: Vionic markets podiatrist-designed comfort footwear with orthotic support for foot, knee, and back pain, overlapping directly with kybun's health/ergonomic claims. Both brands target older consumers and medical-channel recommendations.
Broad incumbents
- On Holding: On is a premium athletic/lifestyle footwear brand (CloudTec cushioning) increasingly extending into all-day casual and walking use. Its premium positioning, technology-led marketing, and DTC-heavy distribution mirror kybun's go-to-market model.
- Skechers GO Walk: Skechers' GO Walk line is a mass-market cushioned comfort walking shoe sold globally through wholesale retail. While broader and lower-priced than kybun, it competes for the same casual-walking comfort consumer with cushioning technology.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
kybun social profiles
Digital presencekybun compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
kybun financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
kybun leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
kybun funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
kybun M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about kybun
What does kybun do?
kybun manufactures and sells Swiss-made health footwear and active standing mats built around a proprietary air cushion sole technology that encloses millions of air bubbles for elastic, springy cushioning. The product line includes women's and men's shoes (sneakers, casual, work, business, boots, sandals, outdoor, slippers), active standing mats with fabric or rubber covers, and complementary accessories such as seat cushions, insoles, socks, and shoe care products.
Is kybun a public or private company?
kybun is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was kybun founded?
kybun was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is kybun based?
kybun is headquartered in Roggwil, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does kybun make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Footwear Sales are the primary driver. The others are standing Mats Sales and accessories Sales.
Who are kybun's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Aetrex and Kizik. Direct peers are Orthofeet, Birkenstock, Joya Schuhe, MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology), Hoka One One (Deckers Brands) and Vionic. Broad incumbents are On Holding and Skechers GO Walk.
Does kybun have an API?
No public API is recorded for kybun.
What industry is kybun in?
kybun's product category is Health Footwear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAACAB, Casual & Lifestyle Footwear, with a secondary code of CRAMADAE, Yoga, Pilates & Mind-Body Accessories Retail (Mats, Blocks, Reformers, Rings). Its NAICS code is 3162 and its SIC code is 3140.