Certor

What Certor does

Certor Sports, LLC is the U.S. parent company of a portfolio of protective sports equipment brands — VICIS, Schutt, and Tucci — that design, manufacture, and market helmets and protective gear primarily for football athletes, with growing reach into non-helmeted sports. The company operates a state-of-the-art headquarters and production facility in Plainfield, Indiana, and a dedicated Research, Design, and Innovation (RDI) office in Seattle, Washington, where advanced product concepts are designed, developed, and tested. Notable product platforms include the VICIS ZERO2 TRENCH, a position-specific football helmet designed for offensive and defensive linemen and a Fast Company Innovation by Design finalist, and the LOOP Multi-Sport Headgear (co-developed with Guardian Sports), a Virginia Tech 5-STAR-rated product for non-helmeted sports.

The company makes money primarily through direct hardware sales of helmets and protective equipment via its brand-specific websites and through B2B channels serving athletic programs, schools, and professional sports organizations. Its go-to-market relies on a multi-brand portfolio structure, earned media coverage in sports publications (ESPN, CBS Sports, Fast Company), and institutional partnerships — most notably its February 2026 appointment as the Official Corporate Champion of the NFHS, and a June 2026 co-branded helmet donation initiative with the Green Bay Packers and Ticketmaster. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. In October 2025, Harrison Co. advised Certor on a recapitalization with MidCap Financial to fund strategic growth and innovation across the portfolio. The company is privately held, employs 251–500 people, and is actively hiring.

Name

Certor

Legal name

Certor Sports, LLC

Website

https://certorsports.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Certor is a U.S. holding company for protective sports equipment brands (VICIS, Schutt, Tucci) that designs and manufactures football helmets and protective gear for athletes ranging from youth to professional levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Protective Sports Equipment

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (339920), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Protective Armor & Impact Protection Retail (Body/Back/Chest) (CRAMANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team Sports Protective Gear & Sports Medicine Retail (CRAMAEAJ), American Football Equipment Retail (CRAMAEAD)

Keywords

• Protective sports equipment
• Football helmets
• Athlete safety gear
• Sports headgear
• Athletic protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Plainfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Protective Sports Equipment Sales: Sale of helmets and protective sports equipment under brand portfolio including VICIS, Schutt, and Tucci

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Certor designs, develops, and manufactures protective sports equipment — primarily football helmets and multi-sport headgear — through its family of brands (VICIS, Schutt, TUCCI). Products are engineered at its Seattle-based Research, Design, and Innovation center and produced at its Plainfield, Indiana headquarters, serving athletes from youth competitors to professional players.

Product overview

Certor is a holding company for a family of sports equipment brands focused on protective gear and athletic performance. The portfolio includes VICIS (advanced helmets including the ZERO2 TRENCH position-specific helmet), Schutt (protective equipment including the LOOP multi-sport headgear), and Tucci. Certor consolidates technology, innovation, design, and sport expertise across these brands to develop protective sports equipment from professional to youth levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VICIS: Protective football helmets and sports equipment manufacturer known for advanced helmet technology.
• Schutt
• TUCCI

Products and services

• VICIS ZERO2 TRENCH Helmet Position-specific football helmet designed to provide enhanced protection for offensive and defensive linemen, the first helmet engineered specifically for that playing position. Targeted at professional and competitive football programs.
• LOOP Multi-Sport Headgear Multi-sport headgear designed for non-helmeted sports, offering enhanced protection, comfort, and style. Carries a Virginia Tech 5-STAR safety rating. Developed through a partnership between Schutt (a Certor brand) and Guardian Sports.

Quantifiable outcome

• Virginia Tech 5-STAR rating for LOOP Multi-Sport Headgear
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Green Bay PackersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 June 2026Certor Sports partnered with the Green Bay Packers and Ticketmaster to fund the Packers Helmet Give Back Program, donating $7,500 worth of helmets to 10 Wisconsin high school football programs.
• TicketmasterminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 June 2026Partnered with Green Bay Packers and Certor Sports to fund the Packers Helmet Give Back Program helmet donation initiative.
• NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2026Certor Sports was named the Official Corporate Champion of the NFHS, reflecting its commitment to athlete safety and innovation in protective sports equipment. The partnership involves collaboration on safety initiatives for high school athletes across the United States.
• Guardian SportscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2025Guardian Sports and Schutt (Certor brand) teamed up to launch the next generation of the LOOP multi-sport headgear, featuring enhanced protection, comfort, and style. The product received a Virginia Tech 5-STAR rating.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Riddell: Riddell is the incumbent leader in football helmets and protective equipment, supplying NFL, NCAA, and the majority of U.S. high school programs. Direct head-to-head competitor to Certor's VICIS and Schutt brands across football helmet categories.
• Xenith: Xenith is a football helmet manufacturer that built its brand on adaptive impact protection technology and competes directly with VICIS in the premium football helmet segment. Comparable in target market (youth to collegiate football programs) and Virginia Tech safety rating positioning.
• Battle Sports Science: Battle Sports Science manufactures protective mouthguards and football accessories used at the collegiate and high school level. Comparable as a football-protective-gear specialist selling into the same athletic program channels as Certor.

Emerging players

• SG Helmets: SG Helmets (formerly Under Armour / GForm–adjacent) is an emerging football helmet manufacturer focused on protective headgear for scholastic and youth markets. Competes in the same Virginia Tech-rated football helmet category as Certor's brands.
• Markwort Sporting Goods: Markwort manufactures baseball, softball, and team-sports protective equipment with a heritage dealer network. Comparable as a smaller protective sports equipment maker selling into scholastic channels that overlap with Certor's high school customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Bauer Hockey: Bauer is the dominant manufacturer of protective hockey equipment (helmets, shoulder pads, gloves) at competitive levels. Comparable as a category-leading protective sports equipment manufacturer with similar manufacturing model, dealer network, and team-sport go-to-market motion.
• Rawlings Sporting Goods: Rawlings is an established manufacturer of baseball, softball, and team-sports protective equipment including batting helmets. Comparable as a long-standing protective sports equipment maker serving scholastic and competitive baseball/softball channels that overlap with Certor's football school channels.
• Wilson Sporting Goods: Wilson is a major team-sports equipment manufacturer (footballs, basketballs, volleyballs) and owns the EvoShield protective brand, competing in football protective gear. Comparable as a broader sports equipment incumbent expanding into the protective segment Certor leads.
• BRG Sports: BRG Sports is the holding company that owns multiple sports equipment and helmet brands (EvoShield, Giro, Bell). Directly comparable as a multi-brand holding company for protective sports equipment with overlapping customer base in team and action sports.
• Easton (Easton-Bell Sports): Easton is a multi-sport equipment manufacturer with historic strength in baseball, softball, and hockey protective gear. Comparable as an established sports equipment brand that has competed in football protective categories and shares Certor's team-sport dealer channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CertorSports
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certorsports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Certor