The Original Running Brand
Our Founder From an early age, Alexander Elnekaveh was driven by two powerful forces: movement and invention. As a young athlete, he loved basketball, skiing, running, cycling, and Krav Maga. Movement wasn’t just sport — it was freedom, strength, discipline. But equally strong was another passion: building. Designing. Creating. Taking machines apart and putting them back together better than before.
At just 14 years old, he built a working go-kart from garage parts, powered by a 50cc engine that could reach 40 miles per hour. By 18, he had completed his studies in mechanical engineering and HVAC, graduating at the top of his class. Shortly after, he served in the military as a medic, studying human anatomy, biology, and trauma care gaining a deeper understanding of how the body moves, heals, and compensates.
His early career was defined by invention. By 19, he had already developed multiple patented innovations in the HVAC industry. He went on to build one of the largest mechanical engineering firms on the East Coast. Later, he founded Gadget Universe, becoming a force behind groundbreaking consumer innovations featured in SkyMall and Sharper Image. Over the years, he designed hundreds of products from advanced portable music storage devices before the iPod era, to folding scooters, to award-winning mechanical watches under the Steinhuser brand, and Spion brand for Optical instruments, Home Price for kitchen and home gadget,and more.
But the most important innovation of his life was born from something deeply personal. After a traumatic brain injury affected his son’s mobility, Alexander became determined to create footwear that could better support movement and reduce pain associated with walking and daily activity. He saw firsthand how traditional shoes failed to address shock, instability, and biomechanical stress. Around the same time, a close family member battled a severe Achilles condition. These experiences transformed a lifelong inventor into a mission-driven founder.
The result was g.defy® and its patented VersoShock® technology engineered to absorb impact and help reduce pain from walking, running, and prolonged standing.
Today, g.defy® is more than a shoe. It is the product of decades of engineering, relentless innovation, and a personal commitment to helping people move with greater comfort and confidence. Because movement is freedom. And freedom should never be limited by discomfort.
