A media release received from Global Sports Communications announces the change of the title sponsor for the professional running team that has been known as NN Running Team
Media release
Global Sports Communication is proud to announce dsm-firmenich as the new title partner of the world’s leading professional running team, formerly known as the NN Running Team. The Dutch-Swiss organization is a global leader in nutrition, health and beauty. As of 1 January 2026, the team will officially compete under its new name: dsm-firmenich Running Team.
A New Era Begins
This launch marks an exciting new chapter for the sport and for the team – previously known as NN Running Team. Through science, nutrition, and data, dsm-firmenich Running Team and its new title partner will combine their knowledge and capabilities to take elite running to the next level. Driven by a shared commitment to pushing human potential, this partnership sets the stage for advancing science-based nutrition, health and wellness solutions, that empower athletes to fuel performance and achieve their ambitions.
With over 20 years of experience in sports nutrition, dsm-firmenich will bring innovative solutions to the team that improve focus, endurance, resilience, and recovery. The dsm-firmenich Running Team features some of the sport’s most iconic athletes: Eliud Kipchoge, Joshua Cheptegei, Letesenbet Gidey, Nienke Brinkman, Abdi Nageeye and others.
Dimitri de Vreeze, CEO dsm-firmenich, commented: “With a shared passion for running, we are thrilled to become the title partner of the world’s leading professional running team. Building on our experience in professional cycling, we will support the team through our innovations and science. Elite running is the ultimate environment where every detail matters, making it the perfect place to test our latest solutions. This collaboration embodies our shared vision to push the limits of human performance and innovation in health and nutrition.”
Marleen Vink-Rennings, Marketing Director Global Sports Communication, added, “We are beyond pleased to welcome dsm-firmenich as our new partner, as we continue to build towards an incredible future with the team. Running truly is a team sport, not just for athletes but for the entire organization at large. To have the support and knowledge of such a great organization behind us will make a tremendous impact, and we are excited to continue to push the sport forward through extensive athlete support, innovation and engaging storytelling.”
Huawei joins as technology partner
dsm-firmenich Running Team is excited to welcome Huawei on board as our new technology partner. Over its 12 years in the fitness and health domain, Huawei has won the trust of global consumers by pursuing groundbreaking technologies, while also unveiling a wide range of products and an open and flourishing ecosystem. Huawei will be the official team partner of smart watches. Gathering performance data is a crucial element to our athletes and staff to streamline the best performances. We will work together to implement product innovations to continually improve smart watches for runners of every level, no matter if you are a beginner or elite runner. Between Huawei’s vast technological knowledge and our experience in sports, we aim to create impactful innovations that elevate the experience for a wide global audience.
Alex Huang, CMO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, commented: “We are delighted to join the dsm-firmenich Running Team as Technology Partner and to support the world’s greatest runners with our advanced innovative technologies. By combining Huawei’s expertise in smart wearable technology with the team’s deep performance knowledge, we aim to deliver meaningful insights that benefit not only elite athletes, but runners of all levels around the world.”
Valentijn Trouw, Performance Director Global Sports Communication, stated: “The use of performance data has become an integral part of our daily operations to ensure our athletes can perform at their very best, not just on race day but truly 365 days a year. We are excited to welcome Huawei as our Technology Partner and look forward to combining their technical know-how with our performance-driven expertise, with the goal to develop products that will not just benefit our athletes but truly the worldwide running community. This plays a key part in our motivation and drive as we start our new partnership together.”
NN Group Continues Support as Founding Partner
Former title partner NN Group will remain closely connected to the project as a founding partner, continuing its long-term support and commitment to the sport and its athletes. NN Group played a pivotal role in helping build the world’s first professional running team, elevating the sport through innovation, athlete support and storytelling, resulting in extraordinary achievements. Over the past nine years, this partnership has produced world records, Olympic and World Championship medals, countless marathon victories, and historic moments such as the NN Mission Marathon and NN Valencia World Record Day. Together, NN Group and Global Sports Communication redefined what is possible in distance running, both on and off the roads.
NIKE Remains Main Partner and Team Supplier
NIKE has been an instrumental partner since the launch of the team. Together, we continue to push performance and athlete support like we have done since 2017. Throughout our partnership, we have achieved so many incredible successes, and we are excited to continue this journey with many more exciting moments to come.
