Worldwide known sportswear manufacturer adidas was awarded the German Innovation Prize 2018 in the category Large Enterprises for its Speedfactory.

adidas Speedfactory makes it possible to adapt the design, cut and fit of each individual shoe to individual customer requirements with underlying algorithms. The new technology in place in the adidas factory also shortens production cycles.

adidas built its first Speedfactory pilot factory in Ansbach back in 2015 and the first completely automated shoe series from a Speedfactory was released two years later.

Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier congratulated the award winners: "Innovations are the basis of our prosperity and the problem solvers for our social, demographic and ecological challenges. The award underlines the importance of innovations for strengthening Germany as a business location. I thank the organisers for shedding light on these achievements and congratulate the winners for their outstanding innovations".

The German Innovation Award, an initiative launched in 2009 by Accenture, Daimler, EnBW and WirtschaftsWoche is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy. This distinction aims to honor outstanding and forward-looking innovations by German companies.