Loading organizations...
Key people at ON.Lab.
ON.Lab, the Open Networking Lab, builds and promotes open-source software-defined networking (SDN) solutions, driving innovation in network infrastructure. Its core contributions include the Open Network Operating System (ONOS), a carrier-grade SDN OS, alongside projects like OVX for network virtualization, Mininet for instant virtual networks, and XOS for network functions as a service. These platforms empower network operators and service providers to adopt white box networks and implement programmable, flexible network architectures.
The organization was co-founded by leading networking visionaries Nick McKeown and Guru Parulkar, both affiliated with Stanford University. Their insight, emerging around 2012, was to create a non-profit entity dedicated to fostering an open ecosystem for SDN. Their work aimed to accelerate the development and adoption of open networking technologies, fundamentally changing how networks are designed, built, and managed.
ON.Lab's offerings primarily serve telecommunications service providers, large enterprises, and the academic community seeking to leverage open networking principles. The organization’s overarching vision is to transform networking for the public good by providing robust, open-source alternatives to proprietary solutions. This approach enables greater agility, efficiency, and innovation within network infrastructures globally.
ON.Lab is the innovation laboratory of On Running, a Swiss performance sportswear company specializing in running shoes and apparel. It serves athletes worldwide by developing trailblazing technologies, such as advanced cushioning systems, to revolutionize the running experience with cushioned landings and powerful take-offs.[2] The lab addresses the problem of suboptimal running sensations by engineering high-performance footwear through continual experimentation, enabling over 7 million athletes in 50+ countries to "run on clouds."[2]
On Running, powered by ON.Lab's Zurich-based team of scientists and technicians, focuses on technological innovation, fossil-free materials, and circular systems, driving growth from humble prototypes to global acclaim, including the 2010 ISPO BrandNew Award.[2]
ON.Lab emerged from On Running's founding in the Swiss Alps around 2010. Retired athlete Olivier Bernhard initiated the idea by experimenting with garden hose pieces glued to shoe outsoles for a new running feel, aiming to create the most high-performance shoe ever.[2] In 2010, Caspar Coppetti and David Allemann joined, refining prototypes that won the ISPO BrandNew Award in March 2010, marking early traction and the birth of the "running on clouds" experience.[2] This grassroots innovation evolved into ON.Lab, On's dedicated R&D hub in Zurich, where a world-class team continues prototyping breakthroughs.[2]
ON.Lab stands out through:
ON.Lab rides the wave of performance sportswear innovation, where biomechanics, materials science, and sustainability intersect amid rising demand for eco-conscious athletic gear. Timing aligns with post-pandemic fitness booms and athlete-driven trends toward personalized, high-tech movement—On's growth to 50+ countries exemplifies this.[2] Market forces like consumer shifts to premium, innovative brands (e.g., direct-to-consumer models) favor ON.Lab, while its Swiss engineering precision influences the ecosystem by pushing rivals toward advanced R&D and circular economy practices in apparel.[2]
ON.Lab's trajectory points to expanded next-gen tech, including AI-driven design, fully circular products, and broader sportswear lines beyond running. Trends like fossil-free innovation and community-powered development will shape its path, potentially amplifying On's market share amid global wellness surges. Its influence may evolve from niche disruptor to industry standard-setter, continually igniting the human spirit through movement.[2]
Key people at ON.Lab.
