Jonathan

What Jonathan does

Jonathan Srl is an Italian privately-held specialty retailer founded in 1990 and headquartered in Fara in Sabina - Passo Corese (province of Rieti), Italy. The company distributes a broad catalog of radio-controlled (RC) modeling products and accessories, including airplanes, cars and motorcycles, boats, drones, and helicopters, alongside the supporting ecosystem of batteries, chargers, motors, radio control systems, servos, ESC speed controllers, electronics, tools, construction materials, and spare parts. The catalog spans entry-level items priced around €60 to competition-grade kits above €2,000, drawing on a roster of international RC brands such as Team Associated, Kyosho, Seagull, E-flite, Futaba, Joysway, SkyRC, Ruddog, HobbyWing, Phoenix Model, and Syma.

The business operates a dual-channel distribution model. Direct-to-consumer sales are conducted through a Magento-based e-commerce storefront at shop.jonathan.it, which supports Italian and English languages, customer accounts, wishlists, product comparison, and multiple payment options including PayPal, Scalapay (3-installment plans), and Soisy (3–24 month financing on orders above €250). A network of physical retail stores in Italy supplements online sales, providing in-person technical assistance and product inspection. The company ships domestically via FedEx, with free shipping triggered at order values above €109. Marketing is conducted primarily through the e-commerce site's organic search presence, an educational blog covering RC modeling topics, email newsletter, and a TikTok account (@jonathan_modellismo).

Jonathan monetizes almost exclusively through hardware sales of third-party RC products; the company does not develop its own proprietary RC models or electronics. Its customer base consists primarily of RC hobbyists and enthusiasts — spanning competition racers, scale modelers, drone pilots, and casual users — with no disclosed enterprise or B2B contracts. No revenue, headcount, funding, or ownership data is publicly disclosed, and no management team is identified in available sources. Jonathan appears to be an independently-owned, founder/family-controlled Italian SME with a stable but data-opaque operating profile.

Name

Jonathan

Legal name

Jonathan Srl

Website

https://shop.jonathan.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Jonathan Srl is an Italian specialty retailer founded in 1990 that sells radio-controlled models — planes, cars, boats, drones, helicopters — plus parts and accessories, via a Magento e-commerce storefront (shop.jonathan.it) and physical stores, serving RC hobbyists and enthusiasts primarily in Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hobby & RC Modeling Retail

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers (4591)

akta.pro primary industry

RC Model Kits & Parts (Cars, Drones, Boats, Planes) (CRALAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drones & UAV Retail (Consumer & Prosumer) (CRACAHAC), Drone Parts, Batteries & Accessories Retail (CRACAHAL)

Keywords

• RC model retail
• Radio-controlled vehicles
• Hobby store supplies
• RC spare parts
• Model aircraft accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Fara In Sabina

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - RC Models and Accessories: Jonathan generates revenue primarily through direct sales of RC models (cars, planes, boats, helicopters, drones), spare parts, batteries, chargers, radio controls, and accessories. Products range from entry-level models (~€60) to high-end competition-grade models (up to €2,000+).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Jonathan sells radio-controlled (RC) models and hobby products through an Italian e-commerce platform and physical retail stores. Its catalog spans RC airplanes, cars and motorcycles, boats, helicopters, drones, plus comprehensive accessories including batteries, chargers, motors, radio controls, servos, ESCs, spare parts, electronics, and tools. The retailer supports both nitro/glow-powered and electric models from multiple international brands and offers installment payments, free shipping over €109, and in-store technical support.

Product overview

Jonathan is an Italian e-commerce retailer specializing in dynamic RC (radio-controlled) modeling. The company operates a multi-category online store offering RC aircraft (aeromodelli), cars and motorcycles (automodelli), boats (barche), drones (droni), helicopters (elicotteri), along with comprehensive accessory categories including batteries, chargers, motors, radio control systems, servos, ESC speed controllers, spare parts, electronics, tools, and construction materials. The product portfolio features both nitro/glow-powered and electric models, with brands including Seagull, E-flite, Phoenix Model, Team Associated, Kyosho, Joysway, Syma, Futaba, SkyRC, Ruddog, HobbyWing, Hyper Go, Kavan, and many others. The store also provides installment payment options through Scalapay and Pagolight, free shipping over €109, and in-house technical support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aeromodelli (RC Airplanes)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ScalapayminorOthersPayment partnership enabling customers to purchase products in 3 installments. Scalapay is offered as a financing option at checkout for eligible purchases.
• SoisyminorOthersInstallment payment partner offering 3-24 month payment plans for orders over €250. Provides flexible financing options for higher-value purchases.
• PayPalminorOthersOnline payment processor integrated into the checkout process, allowing customers to pay securely via PayPal account or credit/debit cards.
• FedExminorOthersShipping and logistics partner used for order delivery. Free shipping available for orders over €109 via FedEx courier.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HobbyKing: Global online RC hobby retailer carrying airplanes, cars, boats, helicopters, drones, batteries, ESCs and accessories. Directly comparable to Jonathan as a multi-category RC e-commerce storefront, though historically Asia-supplied and global in reach.
• Staufenbiel: German RC model retailer (now part of larger hobby groups) with strong airplane and helicopter assortment plus accessories. Directly comparable to Jonathan's plane-and-accessory focus within the European RC market.
• Modellsport Schweighofer: Austrian specialty RC retailer offering a deep multi-brand catalog of planes, helicopters, cars and parts. Closely comparable to Jonathan as a DACH/European specialty RC storefront serving enthusiast hobbyists.
• Robbe Modellsport: Long-established German RC retailer/distributor selling RC aircraft, cars, boats, helicopters and accessories. Directly comparable to Jonathan in catalog breadth and European specialty-retail positioning.
• LRP Electronic: European RC electronics specialist (speed controls, motors, batteries, chargers) with retail and racing presence. Comparable to Jonathan's accessory and electronics-heavy catalog, with stronger IP in motors/ESCs.

Broad incumbents

• Conrad Electronic: Large European broad-line electronics and hobby retailer carrying RC models, drones, batteries and electronics. Comparable as a competitor overlapping Jonathan's catalog, but operates at much wider portfolio scale and is not RC-specialized.
• Reichelt Elektronik: German electronics distributor with a growing hobby, drone and RC components assortment. Comparable to Jonathan in the electronics and battery/charger accessory categories, but broader industrial scope.

Regional players

• Tower Hobbies: Iconic US RC mail-order and online retailer covering planes, helicopters, cars, boats and accessories. Comparable to Jonathan in catalog breadth and enthusiast positioning, but US-centric.
• AMain Hobbies: US-based specialty RC retailer with deep car/truck and plane catalog plus in-house brands. Comparable to Jonathan in product breadth and hobbyist focus, but operates primarily in North America.

Emerging players

• Drone FPV Racer / Helipal: European-leaning FPV drone and racing retailer. Comparable to Jonathan's drone and racing components subcategory, focused tightly on the FPV/quad racing segment Jonathan increasingly lists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@jonathan_modellismo?_t=8mQIYoqPP04&_r=1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jonathan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Jonathan