ROKA

What ROKA does

ROKA, operating as ROKA Sports, Inc., is a privately held Austin, Texas-based performance eyewear company founded in 2011 by Rob Canales and Kurt Spenser. The company designs and sells sunglasses, prescription sunglasses, eyeglasses, readers, blue light blocking glasses, and snow goggles for active and wellness-oriented consumers. Its product portfolio is anchored by three proprietary technology platforms: FloatFit™ (fit/comfort), GEKO™ (patented non-slip temple retention), and C3™ Optics (color, contrast, and clarity lens technology), with ultralight titanium frames in the 13–17g range forming a premium Rimwire sub-brand.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer model primarily through its own Shopify storefront (roka.com), supplemented by wholesale, group/corporate, government, and Industry Pro channels. Pricing is one-time transactional, ranging from approximately $135 at the outlet floor to $285 for premium titanium and prescription configurations, with the Wind Down line (co-developed with neuroscientist Andrew Huberman) priced at $125–$300. The Home Tryout program, Klaviyo email automation, Meta and Google paid acquisition, and a Strava-based athlete community support the GTM motion, while the company holds registered trademarks across its core technology brands and lists a dedicated patents page on its site.

Name

ROKA

Legal name

ROKA Sports, Inc.

Website

https://roka.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ROKA is an Austin-based direct-to-consumer performance eyewear brand selling sunglasses, prescription eyewear, snow goggles, and blue-light products built on proprietary FloatFit, GEKO, and C3 Optics technologies for athletes and wellness consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performance Eyewear

NAICS

Optical Goods Retailers (456130)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Sport & Performance Eyewear (CRAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Eye Protection & Goggles Retail (CRAMANAJ)

Keywords

• Performance eyewear
• Sports sunglasses
• Prescription eyewear
• Blue light glasses
• Titanium frames

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: ROKA generates revenue primarily through direct-to-consumer sales of performance sunglasses, eyeglasses, prescription eyewear, and accessories through their e-commerce platform. Products include titanium frame collections, polarized lenses, and specialty lines like Wind Down blue light blocking glasses.
2. Prescription Eyewear: ROKA offers prescription sunglasses and eyeglasses with their proprietary lens technology, allowing customers to order custom prescription eyewear for an additional premium.
3. Accessories and Replacement Parts: Revenue from replacement lenses, cases, nose and temple pads, and accessory lenses for existing customers.
4. Wholesale and B2B: ROKA sells through wholesale channels including Group & Corporate Sales, Government Sales, and Industry Pro Program for professional athletes and organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

ROKA designs, manufactures, and sells performance sunglasses, prescription sunglasses, eyeglasses, readers, blue light blocking glasses, and snow goggles under proprietary technologies (FloatFit™, GEKO™, C3™ Optics). The portfolio spans ultralight titanium frames (13-17g) to mixed-material constructions, sold primarily through a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront and complemented by wholesale, corporate, government, and professional-athlete channels.

Product overview

ROKA is a performance eyewear company based in Austin, Texas, offering a comprehensive portfolio of active lifestyle products. The core offering centers on Performance Sunglasses and Prescription Sunglasses featuring proprietary FloatFit, GEKO, and C3 Optics technologies, with frames ranging from ultralight titanium (13-17g) to mixed-material constructions. The portfolio extends to Eyeglasses, Readers, and Blue Light solutions (Wind Down and Amber collections), Snow Goggles (R1 Goggle), and Accessories. ROKA offers Custom Sunglasses built to order through an online customizer, complemented by sub-brands including the Titanium Collection (Rimwire), APEX Shield Frames, Protective Collection, and LTD Limited Edition drops. The company markets through a direct-to-consumer Shopify platform with services including Home Tryout virtual try-on.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wind Down: Blue light blocking glasses developed in partnership with neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, designed to improve sleep and reduce stress. Priced at $125-$300 depending on prescription needs.

Products and services

• Performance Sunglasses All-day performance sunglasses featuring proprietary FloatFit, GEKO, and C3 Optics technologies. Available in titanium and mixed-material frames with polarized and standard lenses for running, cycling, golf, outdoor, and triathlon use.
• Prescription Sunglasses Prescription-ready performance sunglasses combining custom vision correction with sport-optimized frames and lenses from the ROKA performance portfolio.
• Eyeglasses Non-sun performance eyeglasses including progressives and readers designed for everyday active lifestyles.
• Readers Reading eyeglasses designed for active individuals, with blue light filtering options available.
• Wind Down Blue Light Glasses Red-tinted glasses that block blue and green light to improve sleep, lower stress, and improve mood. Co-developed with neuroscientist Andrew Huberman and available in prescription and non-prescription options.
• Amber Collection Blue light filtering eyeglasses with amber-tinted lenses for daytime screen use and digital eye strain relief.
• Snow Goggles (R1 Goggle) High-performance snow goggles designed for skiing and snowboarding, with advanced lens technology for winter conditions.
• Titanium Collection (Rimwire) Premium sunglass and eyeglass line featuring ultralight titanium wire frames, including the Lyno (17g), Alto (16g), and Vapor (13g) models, priced at $220-$285.
• APEX Shield Frames Performance frames with enhanced protection features designed for active and tactical use cases.
• Protective Collection Durable eyewear designed for work environments and high-impact activities.
• LTD (Limited Edition) Limited-edition colorways and designs released as exclusive drops within the ROKA performance eyewear portfolio.
• Accessories & Apparel Supporting accessories and apparel including replacement lenses, cases, clip-ons, replacement nose and temple pads, and logo gear.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products sold out within three days of Wind Down launch
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and flagship.

• SPRECOminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026SPRECO serves as the recycling partner for ROKA's dry waste collection drive events in Chennai, India. This environmental initiative demonstrates corporate social responsibility and community engagement in sustainability.
• Andrew HubermanflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman partnered with ROKA to develop the Wind Down lens, a red-tinted glass designed to block blue and green light for improved sleep, lower stress, and better mood. The partnership resulted in a co-branded product line priced at $125-$300, which sold out within three days of launch, indicating strong consumer demand and successful product-market fit.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Oakley: Owned by EssilorLuxottica, Oakley is the dominant performance eyewear brand for sports including cycling, running, and snow. Comparable as a premium athletic sunglasses competitor with broader retail distribution and category leadership.
• Smith Optics: Owned by Safilo, Smith produces performance sunglasses and snow goggles (including the R1-style categories where ROKA competes). Comparable in product portfolio breadth across sports and goggles, with broader retail distribution.
• Bollé: Performance eyewear and goggle brand with European heritage. Comparable as a competitor in cycling, running, and snow sports eyewear with established wholesale channels.
• Costa Del Mar: EssilorLuxottica-owned performance sunglasses brand focused on fishing and outdoor sports. Comparable as a premium polarized performance eyewear brand with similar lens-technology marketing approach.

Direct peers

• Goodr: DTC performance sunglasses brand targeting runners and active consumers. Comparable as a direct competitor in the no-slip athletic sunglasses category, though positioned at a lower price point ($25–$40) than ROKA.
• Pit Viper: Performance sunglasses brand with irreverent branding, strong social media presence, and direct-to-consumer distribution. Comparable as a DTC peer competing for the same active-lifestyle consumer with a similar community-led growth approach.
• Sunski: DTC sunglasses brand offering affordable performance and lifestyle sunglasses. Comparable as a digital-native peer using direct-to-consumer model to compete in the everyday and active eyewear segment.
• Knockaround: Affordable DTC sunglasses brand with sport and lifestyle lines. Comparable as a digitally-native competitor in the affordable performance and lifestyle sunglasses segment.

Emerging players

• District Vision: Athletic eyewear and apparel brand with strong wellness/performance positioning, including running-specific frames. Comparable as a niche player at the intersection of performance eyewear, wellness, and community-led marketing.
• Vuarnet: French heritage eyewear brand with polarized mineral glass lens technology. Comparable as a premium performance eyewear brand emphasizing proprietary lens technology and craftsmanship.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ROKA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roka-sports
• Instagraminstagram.com/roka
• TikToktiktok.com/@roka
• Xx.com/rokasports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ROKA