Who founded the Puma sportswear brand?

Who founded the Puma sportswear brand? Rudolf Dassler founded it in 1948.

Rudolf and his younger brother, Adolf “Adi” Dassler, had previously operated the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Their company became known for athletic footwear, including shoes worn by Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

After the brothers’ relationship deteriorated, they divided the business in 1948. Rudolf established a separate company, initially called Ruda—a combination of “Rudolf” and “Dassler.” It was soon renamed Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler. Adolf later founded Adidas, creating one of sportswear’s most famous rivalries.

A common mix-up is choosing Adolf Dassler because he was also a founder of a major sportswear brand. Adolf founded Adidas; Rudolf founded Puma. Puma’s name refers to the large cat, also called a cougar or mountain lion, rather than to a family acronym.