For the past few years, Nike’s business struggles have been well documented. But if there’s anything the sportswear giant has learned from the elite athletes it outfits, it’s this: fail fast, learn faster, and play to win.

Since the longtime Nike veteran Elliott Hill  came out of retirement to replace John Donahoe as CEO in October of last year, the American sportswear giant has quickly delivered a string of buzzy marketing moments: the So Win campaign during the Super Bowl, this summer’s Breaking4 event in Paris — centered on Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon’s historic attempt to break the four-minute mile — and, more recently, the blockbuster NikeSKIMS partnership with Kim Kardashian.

Now, as part of its comeback plan — what Hill calls the “Nike Sport Offense” strategy — the company is betting on new tech-infused products to drive its next phase of growth. Many have been fast-tracked from research to accelerate rollout, which starts in January of 2026.

Earlier this month, Nike invited select journalists from around the world to its World Headquarters — now re-christened as The Philip H. Knight Campus — in Beaverton, Oregon, for a preview. At the core of it all is a renewed focus on who Nike is really building for. “We put the athlete at the center of everything we do, and it’s the insights we gain from them that help us unlock human potential — to go further, faster, quicker, and higher,”  said Hill. “We exist to serve the athlete.” 

Most new product innovation at Nike begins inside the NSRL — the Nike Sports Research Lab — housed in the sleek, cantilevered, 700,000-square-foot LeBron James Innovation Center designed by Olson Kundig. The facility, protected by tight security, is equipped with the world’s largest motion-capture system: 400 cameras connected to screens that track every nuance of an athlete’s movement in real time. There are also massive chambers that simulate every playing condition imaginable — from heat and humidity to altitude and wind — of most sports. Together, the tech at NSRL gives Nike a unique, data-driven perspective on the physical demands athletes face. Once the research is gathered, Nike’s teams, which include neuroscientists, engineers, and designers — get to work, translating learnings into real-world products that help them perform at their most optimal level. 

“Data is the silent voice of the athletes,” said Matthew Nurse, Nike’s Chief Science Officer. “What we learn from them is really important.” 

Over the next few months and years, Nike is poised to introduce a pipeline of innovations that signal the brand’s future direction. It’s a bold, tech-driven vision for what performance could look like. But no matter how advanced the gear or how compelling the story, Nike’s real test won’t happen in the lab — it’ll happen on the street. The final judge, as always, is the person lacing up their shoes or zipping up their jacket.

Here’s what to expect.