Koio Collective
If you think sneakers are only for basketball courts and kids, check out Koio Collective’s line of high-end leather kicks for men and women, sold in a Brooklyn showroom and online. German natives Johannes Quodt WG15 and Chris Wichert WG15 built a business plan in their classes at Wharton and found Italian artisans who could deliver the handmade designer styles they envisioned. Since launching last year and earning $1.3 million in seed funding, the company has recruited Warby Parker co-founder Neil Blumenthal WG10 as an adviser, and its Primo Luna was ranked among the best sneakers of 2015 by Esquire.
