Why I founded Roadrunnerfoot Engineering s.r.l.

1993: My car smashed against the guard rail due to the steering block, and my leg did as well. Undesired fate: a leg amputated below the knee. At the hospital, Niguarda in Milan, Battista Galliani, the water ski champion amputee came to visit me. Galliani began to jump in front of me, on his healthy leg and in the same way on his artificial limb. At that moment I realized I wanted to start running.

1994: I went to INAIL, the Italian Institute for medical assistance against accidents at work, to get my first prosthesis. I received my first artificial limb.

1996: Tony Volpentest at Atlanta Paralympic Games was another turning point in my life: he ran 100m in 11.38 seconds. Such a record!! I realized technology could help me running again. I strongly decided I could run to the Paralympics Games. I started training and running as a sportsman.

1997: I met the Polisportiva Milanese, and some months later Engineer Verni and the orthopedic technician Sermasi realized the first running prosthesis.
1998: I began my athletic career. I won many races: from Italian to European Championship (4th in 200m and long jump, 2003-Assen), to Global championship and Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004 (6th in the long jump). Paralympic Games changed my life both as an athlete and as a man: I met people from all over the world able to live their lives, everyone facing with their disabilities in different ways but every time winners.
 It was now time to change my life again: I left my work and starting the Ph.D. by Mechanical department of Politecnico of Milan to develop a running prosthesis foot. That’s why I established Roadrunnerfoot Engineering s.r.l., in 2007, after the second year of my doctorate in order to allow the diffusion of high technology for all users.

Daniele Bonacini