The company was founded by former Swiss Ironman champion Olivier Bernhard with David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti.

[6] CloudTec began with Bernhard experimenting with a garden hose, exploring how that shape could offer a brand new type of cushioning.

The "clouds" underneath all On shoes offer cushioning as the foot lands on the floor, before locking together to create a solid foundation for pushing off on the next step.

The shoe is also promoted for its reduced environmental impact through minimized waste and potential for on-demand manufacturing.

[11] On also founded and sponsors the professional running group, On Athletics Club, coached by Dathan Ritzenhein with a roster that contains multiple Olympic finalists.