Nike

Originally known as Blue Ribbon sports, Nike was founded by University of Oregon track athlete Philip Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman in January 1964.

Bowerman was nationally respected and constantly looking for ways to give his athletes a competitive advantage. He experimented with different track surfaces, re-hydration drinks and most importantly - innovations in running shoes. When established shoe makers ignored the ideas he tried to offer them, Bowerman began constructing shoes for his runners himself; starting a small mail order catalogue and then opening the first store in 1964. The brand was re-born as Nike, with a new line and the trademark ‘Swoosh’ debuting in 1972.

The rest, as they say, is history.