SP80
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersRenens, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
SP80 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SP80
- Legal name
- SP80 Sàrl
- Website
- https://sp80.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SP80 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- High-Performance Sailing Engineering
- NAICS
- Boat Building (336612)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)
Keywords
Where SP80 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Renens
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
SP80 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Sponsorship and Partnership Revenue: SP80 operates as a research and record-chasing project funded primarily through sponsorships, partnerships, and supporter contributions. The project does not sell products or services commercially but generates revenue through brand partnerships, technical collaborations, and supporter relationships.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
SP80 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SP80 designs, builds, and operates a single kite-powered sailing vessel engineered to break the world sailing speed record by reaching 80 knots (150 km/h) using only wind power. The project develops and tests proprietary technologies—interchangeable kite propulsion, superventilating hydrofoils, a patent-pending mechanical actuation system, and Carbon TPT construction—and conducts public record campaigns at high-profile speed sailing venues. Revenue is generated through sponsorships and partnerships rather than commercial product sales.
Product overview
SP80 is a Swiss research project developing a single revolutionary kiteboat to break the World Sailing Speed Record. The company is not a traditional product seller but an engineering team pursuing record-breaking speeds of 80 knots (150 km/h). Their sole product is the SP80 Kiteboat, a unique vessel propelled by custom-designed inflatable kites (25m² to 55m²) and stabilized by superventilating hydrofoils. The boat features a dual-pilot cockpit and is constructed entirely from Carbon TPT material. First record attempts were planned for 2025 with a target record venue in Walvis Bay, Namibia starting September 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SP80 Kiteboat A unique kiteboat designed to reach 80 knots (150 km/h) solely powered by wind. The 10 m long, 7 m wide, one-ton vessel features a custom interchangeable kite propulsion system, superventilating hydrofoils for cavitation-free operation at extreme speeds, a dual-pilot cockpit built for 50G loads, and 100% Carbon TPT construction. As of May 2025, the boat reached a 58.261-knot (108 km/h) top speed, making it the second fastest sailboat ever recorded.
- Custom Inflatable Kites (25 m², 40 m², 55 m²) Custom-designed inflatable kites engineered to tow the one-ton SP80 boat at record-breaking speeds. The fleet spans a 25 m² kite for heavy conditions, a versatile 40 m² kite, and a 55 m² kite for light-wind training, with hybrid kite prototypes (10 m²) also in development. Co-developed with Gin Kiteboarding as official supplier.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reached 58.261 knots (108 km/h) top speed, second fastest sailboat ever recorded
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SP80
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SP80 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
SP80 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)corePrimary academic partner providing research facilities, student involvement, and technical expertise. Collaborates with SP80 through multiple laboratories including LPAC, cavitation tunnels, and SKIL fablab. Contributes to training a new generation of engineers.
- Persico MarinecoreItalian shipyard responsible for building the record-breaking boat using TPT carbon materials and infusion/prepreg techniques. Brings expertise from Vendée Globe, America's Cup, and Volvo Ocean Race projects.
- North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT)coreSwiss company supplying ultra-thin TPT Carbon prepreg material (15g/m2) for boat construction. Same material used in Richard Mille watch cases. Co-founder Xavier Lepercq works as R&D engineer at NTPT.
- Gin KiteboardingcoreOfficial supplier developing custom inflatable kites for the world record. Collaboration on kite design to meet specific boat towing requirements at 150km/h speeds.
- P&TS SAcoreSwiss intellectual property consulting firm providing legal framework, trademark protection, patent applications, and sponsorship contract negotiation support. First partner to believe in the SP80 project.
- Dassault SystèmescoreProvides 3DExperience cloud platform for mechanical design, simulation, and assembly of complex systems. Enables remote collaboration and includes Human Design application for cockpit ergonomics optimization.
- CADFEMmajorSimulation consulting partner advising SP80 hydrodynamics team on ANSYS Fluent CFD software. Provided valuable guidance on turbulence modeling (k-omega SST) and multiphase flow (Volume of Fluid) simulations.
- Neural ConceptcoreEPFL startup providing AI neural network technology to optimize hydrofoil designs. Enabled prediction of foil performance from CFD results and exploration of thousands of design variations.
- Orca3D and SimericsmajorMarine CFD software partnership providing hull simulation capabilities. Enables faster and easier CFD computation for Velocity Prediction Program data generation and parameter studies.
- 3D Precision SAcoreSwiss metal 3D printing partner producing optimized titanium mechanical parts including rudder bearing housings. Parts validated at EPFL to withstand 91.6kN (9T) force vs required 72kN.
- Synergia Racing GroupcoreSpanish partner manufacturing 14 carbon molds for boat construction. Expertise in composite processing critical for achieving proper geometry and surface quality.
- Collier AerospacemajorStructural engineering partner providing analysis and optimization of boat structure to withstand extreme loads at 150km/h. Computation work exceeded 1,500 hours.
- Gsea DesignminorEngineering partner contributing to structural design and analysis work for boat construction.
- METAS (Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology)majorGranted access to 142m towing tank for validating superventilating foil behavior and foil-water surface interactions not reproducible in cavitation tunnel.
- HEPIA (Geneva School of Engineering)majorProvided hull basin facilities for 3D testing of foils and appendages under guidance of Professor Flavio Noca.
- LPAC Laboratory (EPFL)coreEPFL laboratory providing cavitation tunnel testing capabilities for validating superventilating foil designs at speeds exceeding 50m/s (180km/h).
- SKIL Fablab (EPFL)coreEPFL fabrication laboratory producing prototype parts during COVID-19 pandemic when campus facilities were restricted.
- INARTIS FoundationminorProvided office space near EPFL during COVID-19 pandemic when campus access was restricted.
- Forum EPFLminorEurope's largest recruitment fair supporting student projects and providing visibility for SP80 among EPFL community.
- Club Nautique Morgien (CNM)minorTechnical partner providing Lake Geneva access for prototype testing and launch operations.
- Town of LeucatemajorOfficial sailing venue providing harbor facilities and hosting record attempt operations at Rouet beach, famous spot also hosting annual Mondial du Vent event.
- Agglomeration of Grand NarbonnemajorProvides 'Manufacture de la glisse' facility for SP80 workshop and offices, enabling team operations minutes from the sea.
- Laboratory of Hydraulic Machines (EPFL)coreRenowned facility led by Prof. Mohamed Farhat specializing in cavitation research. Same tunnel used to optimize Hydroptère foils.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SP80 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Neural Concept: EPFL spin-off whose neural network platform optimized SP80's hydrofoil designs and delivered ~20% performance gains. Provides the AI/CAD layer that differentiates SP80's design workflow from conventional CFD-only sailing projects.
- North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT): Swiss supplier of TPT carbon prepreg materials used in SP80's hull and Richard Mille watches. A materials-side peer whose innovations directly enable SP80's lightweight construction.
- Persico Marine: Italian shipyard that built SP80's boat and has built America's Cup, Vendée Globe, and Volvo Ocean Race vessels. Technically a supplier but operates in the same high-end composite sailing manufacturing segment that SP80 could enter.
- Gin Kiteboarding: Producer of SP80's custom inflatable kites (25m², 40m², 55m²) and a leader in high-performance kite design. Operates in the same kite-propulsion engineering space and is a direct technology supplier.
Direct peers
- Sailrocket Holdings (Vestas Sailrocket II): Holder of the outright world sailing speed record (65.45 knots average, 68.33-knot peak) set in 2012. Direct predecessor to SP80 in the engineering-driven pursuit of wind-powered sailing speed records using foils and a single-pilot craft.
- l'Hydroptère: French hydrofoil trimaran project that held sailing speed records in the 2000s and was referenced in SP80's own R&D (EPFL's cavitation tunnel used to optimize Hydroptère foils). Closest architectural analogue to SP80's hydrofoil approach.
- Macquarie Innovation: Holder of the 50.07-knot 500m sailing speed record (designated by WSSRC), a benchmark SP80 is targeting to surpass. Same niche of pure engineering-driven speed sailing with a single record-holding vessel.
Broad incumbents
- American Magic (New York Yacht Club): U.S. America's Cup challenger operating a high-performance AC75 foiling program. Comparable in combining engineering talent, materials innovation, and CFD-driven design to push sailing performance envelopes.
- Emirates Team New Zealand: America's Cup defender and one of the most advanced AC75 foiling monohull programs. Operates at a much larger scale but competes in the same high-performance, hydrofoil-stabilized sailing category where SP80's innovations could be licensed.
- INEOS Team UK: British America's Cup challenger with deep R&D budget and Mercedes F1 engineering partnership. Comparable in its pursuit of high-speed sailing technology boundaries, though at significantly greater scale and capitalization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SP80 social profiles
Digital presenceSP80 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SP80 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
SP80 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SP80 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SP80
What does SP80 do?
SP80 designs, builds, and operates a single kite-powered sailing vessel engineered to break the world sailing speed record by reaching 80 knots (150 km/h) using only wind power. The project develops and tests proprietary technologies—interchangeable kite propulsion, superventilating hydrofoils, a patent-pending mechanical actuation system, and Carbon TPT construction—and conducts public record campaigns at high-profile speed sailing venues. Revenue is generated through sponsorships and partnerships rather than commercial product sales.
Is SP80 a public or private company?
SP80 is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SP80 founded?
SP80 was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SP80 based?
SP80 is headquartered in Renens, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does SP80 make money?
One revenue line is on record: sponsorship and Partnership Revenue.
Who are SP80's main competitors?
Others on record are Neural Concept, North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT), Persico Marine and Gin Kiteboarding. Direct peers are Sailrocket Holdings (Vestas Sailrocket II), l'Hydroptère and Macquarie Innovation. Broad incumbents are American Magic (New York Yacht Club), Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS Team UK.
Does SP80 have an API?
No public API is recorded for SP80.
What industry is SP80 in?
SP80's product category is High-Performance Sailing Engineering. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAEAA, Sailing Yacht Manufacturing, with a secondary code of THAJAJAG, Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails). Its NAICS code is 336612 and its SIC code is 3730.