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Partnership tiers

Three ways to build with Springbak®

SB-OEM supplies the finished performance component to your factory. SB-CD co-develops a bespoke variant with our engineers. SB-LM licenses the private formulation for in-house manufacture. Choose the tier that matches your capability, volume and IP requirements — every route starts with the same enquiry.

Compare the tiers OEM & licensing overview

SB-OEM

Most Common

OEM Integration

Drop-in midsole replacement engineered to your existing last geometry and tooling. Springbak supplies finished midsole units to your factory floor. No formula transfer, no process documentation, no compound IP disclosed. The private Springbak formulation is never shared under this model — you receive a certified, production-ready unit, not the recipe.

Key terms

Supply Model
Finished unit supply (FOB)
Minimum Order
5,000 pairs / SKU
Lead Time
6–10 weeks from spec approval
Tooling Compatibility
Standard EVA/TPU last geometry
QC Protocol
AQL 2.5, ASTM D2632 rebound test per lot
Formula Disclosure
None — private formula not disclosed

Includes

  • Technical integration brief and CAD reference files
  • Shore A and rebound certification per production lot
  • Dedicated account engineer for spec alignment
  • Quarterly performance audit (optional)
  • No access to compound formulation or processing parameters
Request OEM Proposal

SB-LM

Full IP transfer

Licensed Manufacturing

The only Springbak partnership model that includes full transfer of the private compound formulation and process documentation. Designed for manufacturers with the capability and volume to produce in-house. This is the highest tier of access to Springbak IP — and the most significant commercial commitment. Territorial exclusivity available.

Key terms

License Type
Territorial; exclusive available (premium)
Minimum Volume
50,000 pairs / year
Royalty Structure
Per-unit royalty on net production
Formula Disclosure
Full private formula + process transfer (this tier only)
Training
On-site process training (5 days)
Audit Rights
Annual QC audit by Springbak engineers

Includes

  • Complete compound formulation and processing parameters
  • Tooling design specifications and supplier list
  • On-site technical training for production team
  • Annual QC audit and recertification
  • Access to compound updates under active license
Request Licensing Terms

SB-CD

Custom

Co-Development

Joint R&D program to engineer a bespoke Springbak variant targeting your specific performance parameters. The private base formulation is not disclosed — Springbak's engineers work alongside your team to develop a custom compound to your spec. The underlying base technology remains Springbak IP; co-ownership applies to jointly developed novel variants only.

Key terms

Engagement Type
Milestone-based R&D agreement
Timeline
6–12 months to production-ready compound
Formula Disclosure
Base formula not disclosed; custom variant co-developed
NDA
Mutual NDA executed at project initiation
Team
Dedicated Springbak R&D engineer assigned
Exclusivity
Category exclusivity negotiable

Includes

  • Performance target definition workshop
  • Iterative compound prototyping (up to 6 iterations)
  • Independent lab validation (ASTM / ISO)
  • Production scale-up support
  • Category exclusivity negotiation
Initiate Co-Dev Discussion

Side-by-side

Model comparison

Springbak partnership tiers compared, including private formula disclosure
CriterionSB-OEMSB-LMSB-CD
Supply modelFinished unitsFormula + process transferCustom variant (no formula)
Private formula disclosedNoYes — this tier onlyNo
Min. volume5,000 pairs/SKU50,000 pairs/yrNegotiated
Lead time to market6–10 weeks6–9 months6–12 months
IP ownershipSpringbakSpringbak (licensed)Co-owned
Tooling investmentNoneModerateShared
Exclusivity availableNoTerritorial (premium)Category
RoyaltyNonePer-unitNegotiated

Integration roadmap

From brief to production floor

Typical milestone sequence from first contact to first shipment. Timelines assume prompt spec approval and standard tooling compatibility.

SB-OEM

OEM Integration

  1. Wk 1

    Spec Brief Submitted

    Last geometry, stack height, target Shore A, volume forecast

  2. Wk 1–2

    Engineering Review

    Tooling compatibility check, durometer variant selection, CAD reference issued

  3. Wk 2–3

    Sample Production

    First-article midsole units produced to spec

  4. Wk 3–4

    Lab Validation

    ASTM D2632 rebound, Shore A, compression set — cert issued

  5. Wk 4–5

    Brand Approval

    Samples shipped to brand for wear-test and sign-off

  6. Wk 6–10

    Production Run

    Full lot manufactured, AQL 2.5 QC, FOB shipment

SB-CD

Co-Development

  1. Mo 1

    NDA + Target Workshop

    Mutual NDA executed, performance targets defined (energy return, weight, temp range)

  2. Mo 1–2

    Formulation Design

    Base polymer selection, crosslink density, filler loading — initial compound recipe

  3. Mo 2–4

    Prototype Iterations

    Up to 6 compound iterations; rebound, durometer, and fatigue tested each cycle

  4. Mo 4–6

    Independent Lab Validation

    Third-party ASTM / ISO testing; data package issued to brand

  5. Mo 6–9

    Tooling & Scale-Up

    Production tooling designed, pilot run at scale, process parameters locked

  6. Mo 9–12

    Production-Ready Compound

    Final formula locked, IP agreement executed, manufacturing transfer complete

Next step

Start the conversation

Every partnership begins with the same enquiry form — pick a tier and it arrives pre-selected. Nothing confidential is exchanged before a mutual NDA is signed, and the issued patents are public reading today:

Submit a partnership enquiry Read the technology detail

Springbak’s private formulation is disclosed only under a fully executed SB-LM agreement — never under SB-OEM or SB-CD.

The receipts

Patented. Force plate tested.

See the patents and the studies

Patents

  • 4

    U.S. patents

    Nos. 5,554,694, 5,695,850, 6,120,880, 6,589,630 B1 — performance-enhancing athletic shoe components and methods.

    Read the patent family

Force plates

  • 2×+

    Force to displace

    Force plate testing at the Weber State University Human Performance Laboratory: more than twice the force was needed to push subjects off balance on Springsoles.

    See the force plate data

  • Balance

    & stability study

    Evaluated with Dr. Michael Yessis, Dr. Robert Wiswell and Howard Gray, PhD — stability and functional strength, measured rather than claimed.

    Read the study