Kids Footwear Brand Founded by Industry Vets Closes Seed Round

Posted by SGB Media | Aug 31, 2023 | Footwear, SGB Updates, Update

Jbrds, a new children’s footwear brand anatomically designed to support foot structure and activity requirements at four distinct stages of a child’s physical development, successfully subscribed a modest seed round establishing a $5,000,000 valuation.

The brand is led by Adidas and Mizuno vet Mike Gugat as CEO. Jbrds was co-founded with Mike by podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Jay LeBow, serving as Jbrds chief product officer, and sporting goods merchant David Hirshfeld.

The successfully completed seed funding round comes on the heels of launching its first product line of Stand2Walk shoes in July of 2022. Bringing a first-of-its-kind model to the market, Jbrds offers a kid’s shoe designed for a kid’s foot that seamlessly blends function and style to match parents’ active lifestyles.

The company’s Stand2Walk patent-pending design uniquely supports a child’s lateral column and developing cuboid bone while stabilizing the heel. This combination of support and stability promotes the healthy development of a child’s foot.

“After reviewing hundreds of X-rays and evaluating the current offering of generic kids’ footwear, it was clear there was a need in the footwear industry Jbrds could fill,” said Dr. LeBow. “Now, every child can start on the right foot with shoes designed for their developmental needs and crafted with clinical expertise.”

Jbrds’ created Stand2Walk anatomically designed footwear for children with the following features that make it easier for babies to stand, balance and walk:

“We’re here to finally put an end to outfitting babies and young children with adult shoes shrunk down to fit kids’ feet,” said Gugat. “Our mission is to start kids off on the right foot, and jbrds is leaving the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to children’s footwear behind. We’re meeting kids’ needs from cradle to eight years old to avoid possible problems later in life from wearing ill-fitting, or simply the wrong shoes as a child.”