V
Vaola
Online Sportshop for running, outdoor, lifestyle and other sporting goods
About Vaola
Vaola was an e-commerce entity specializing in sporting goods and outdoor products. The company was established in 2010 by its founder, Erik Pfannmöller, and was based in Berlin, Germany. Vaola operated as an online platform, offering a wide array of sports apparel and accessories from more than 450 brands. Its product categories catered to various activities, including running, climbing, hiking, soccer, and biking.
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The business model centered on direct-to-consumer online retail. The platform emerged in 2014 from the integration of the Mysportworld online shop and a shopping club named Mysportsbrands, which had been launched in 2010. This consolidation provided customers with a selection of over 100,000 products through a multi-language website. The company secured significant financial backing, raising $16.6 million in a Series B funding round on July 17, 2012, from a consortium of investors including Cipio Partners, Grazia Equity, Siparex, and Nauta Capital.
In a strategic move, Vaola was acquired by 21sportsgroup in a deal announced in January 2016, which involved a share swap with the former shareholders of Mysportgroup, Vaola's parent company. Despite the acquisition, Vaola was intended to continue operating as an independent brand. Subsequently, Vaola was acquired by Planet Sports on December 1, 2016. Keywords: Vaola, online sports retailer, sporting goods, outdoor products, e-commerce, Erik Pfannmöller, Mysportgroup, 21sportsgroup, Planet Sports, sportswear, online retail, sports apparel, outdoor gear, running equipment, climbing gear, hiking apparel, soccer equipment, biking accessories
At a glance
- Status
- Acquired
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Berlin, Germany
- Employees
- 1
- Open positions
- None listed
- Dealroom signal
- 53.4/100
- Industry
- Fashion, Sports
- Sub-industry
- Sporting Equipment
- Sector
- eCommerce & Marketplaces, Lifestyle, Running, Outdoor
- Business model
- Marketplace & ecommerce
- Client focus
- b2c
Latest news
Press, funding announcements and product moves mentioning Vaola.
Funding history
Company financing events and reported valuations.
| Deal type | Date | Amount | Valuation | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACQUISITION✓Exit | Jan 2016 | $0 | — | Undisclosed | — |
| SERIES B✓Equity / VC | Jul 2012 | $15M | $59M | Grazia Equity · Cipio Partners · Nauta Capital | — |
Financials
Revenue, earnings and other financial measures where available. Years marked “E” are estimates.
Growth signals
Latest recorded traffic for Vaola is 70 monthly website visits, down 58.8% over the last three months. Vaola's team grew 0% over the past year.
Similar companies
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Investors
From Dealroom's funding and investor records, grouped by the round each investor first entered.
Series A4 investors entered at this stage
Grazia Equity
Christian Vollmann
Cipio Partners
Nauta Capital
Other known investors1 additional known investor
Venture Stars
Source: Dealroom Talent Intelligence.
Global footprint
Market sentiment
An AI-synthesised read of the highest-engagement posts about Vaola on X, ranked by likes and reposts, corporate channels excluded.
Reading the room on X — pulling top posts and synthesizing themes…
Source: X recent search ranked by engagement (likes + retweets) · Synthesis by Claude · Cached for 1 hour
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