Colizey

About Colizey

Colizey operated as a French online marketplace exclusively for sports equipment and apparel, founded in 2018 by Maxime Maffini-Scialom, Arnaud Lanier, and Cyril. The company officially launched in March 2019, born from the founders' observation that finding specialized and technical sports gear was a challenge. Their vision was to create a single platform that would bring together specialized physical stores and reference brands, addressing the fragmented nature of the European sporting goods market.

The business model centered on being a pure marketplace, connecting partner stores—including brands, physical retailers, and e-commerce sites—directly with consumers. This approach provided a new digital revenue stream for physical stores and a specialized, brand-respectful platform for sports brands. Colizey's platform was designed to merge the convenience of e-commerce, such as simple navigation and real-time pricing, with the expert advice and quality assortment found in specialty stores. For consumers, the service offered a centralized place to shop for a wide array of technical products across numerous sports, from running and tennis to yoga and boxing. Features included advanced search filters, detailed technical data sheets, and a community of sports experts for purchasing advice.

Colizey achieved several significant milestones, securing a €2.5 million seed round in May 2020. This was followed by a substantial €8 million Series A in September 2021, led by Cathay Innovation. The funding involved notable historic investors like Aglaé Ventures (the investment firm backed by the Arnault family of LVMH) and attracted high-profile athletes as angel investors, including Tony Parker and Teddy Riner. The capital was intended to expand the product catalog, enhance the consumer support experience, and fuel European expansion. At its peak, the platform served 350,000 customers and partnered with 250 merchants across 10 European countries.

However, after six years of operation, Colizey ceased its activities in early 2025. Co-founder Maxime Scialom cited a shift in the market, where major sports brands began enforcing selective distribution contracts that prohibited their distributors from selling on marketplaces. This change made it exceedingly difficult to onboard new merchants and retain existing partners, ultimately hindering growth and the ability to secure further financing, leading to the company's closure.