Bañuls Design
Bañuls Design is a French naval architecture firm founded in 2009 by Renaud Bañuls, specializing in high-performance multihulls — foiling trimarans, semi-custom catamarans (BAÑULS 60/78), and an eco-friendly paddleboard — for racing teams, luxury yacht owners, and maritime clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLarmor-baden, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bañuls Design does
Bañuls Design (trading as bañulsdesign) is a French naval architecture and maritime engineering firm founded in 2009 by Renaud Bañuls and headquartered at 15 route d'Auray, Larmor-Baden, France. The firm designs high-performance sailing vessels — primarily multihulls including racing trimarans and semi-custom catamarans — serving professional racing teams (Sodebo for Thomas Coville, BMW Oracle), luxury yacht owners, and increasingly commercial maritime clients researching maritime decarbonization. The founder combines hands-on professional racing experience (foredeck on Michel Desjoyeaux's ORMA60 Géant, trimmer on Groupama with Frank Cammas, involvement in the 33rd America's Cup winner BMW Oracle) with an academic position as teacher-researcher at the Higher National School of Architecture in Nantes and Montpellier, a profile that underpins client trust in the racing and superyacht communities.
The portfolio spans the BAÑULS 53 (Finn ñ53 trimaran built by McConaghy), BAÑULS 60 and BAÑULS 78 semi-custom high-performance catamarans, the Sodebo Ultim 3 foiling trimaran, and the SUP Brown Sugar 12'6″ eco-friendly stand-up paddleboard developed with S3 BOARDS and KAIROS. Underlying technical work is built around advanced numerical optimization procedures for sailing performance, Velocity Prediction Programs for vessel performance prediction, and foiling technology design. In September 2024 the firm entered the MATritime joint laboratory with École Polytechnique, Inria, and CNRS, funded by the French National Research Agency, to develop computational tools addressing maritime propulsion uncertainties and supporting sustainable ship design.
Revenue mechanics are project-based and operate through three streams: (1) professional services for custom naval architecture and racing multihull design; (2) one-time licensing for semi-custom catamarans, where production and sales are handled by builder partners (MC² Catamarans for BAÑULS 60/78, McConaghy for Finn ñ53); and (3) co-developed consumer products such as the eco-SUP. Go-to-market is sales-led and reputation-driven, executed through industry conferences (Maritime Transport Efficiency Conference Geneva 2021, Foiling Week 2019), international boat shows (Multihull Boat Show), and referrals within the sailing, superyacht, and racing communities. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
Bañuls Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bañuls Design
- Legal name
- bañulsdesign
- Website
- https://banulsdesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Bañuls Design is a French naval architecture firm founded in 2009 by Renaud Bañuls, specializing in high-performance multihulls — foiling trimarans, semi-custom catamarans (BAÑULS 60/78), and an eco-friendly paddleboard — for racing teams, luxury yacht owners, and maritime clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bañuls Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Naval Architecture & Yacht Design Services
- NAICS
- Ship and Boat Building (3366), Boat Building (336612)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Catamaran & Multihull Leisure Craft Manufacturing (IMAJAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Yacht Prototype, One-Off & Concept Build Programs (IMAJAMAL), Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAA)
Keywords
Where Bañuls Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Larmor-baden
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bañuls Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Naval Architecture & Design Services: Custom naval architecture and maritime engineering design services for racing and luxury vessels
- Semi-Custom Catamaran Sales: Sale of BAÑULS 60 and BAÑULS 78 semi-custom high-performance catamaran designs
- Racing Multihull Design: Design services for racing multihulls including trimarans and custom racing vessels
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Bañuls Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bañuls Design is a naval architecture and maritime engineering firm that designs high-performance multihull sailing vessels, including semi-custom catamarans (BAÑULS 60 and BAÑULS 78), racing trimarans (Finn ñ53, Sodebo Ultim 3), and eco-design products such as the SUP Brown Sugar paddleboard. The company also provides consulting and numerical optimization services for maritime energy transition, decarbonization, and eco-design in the naval industry.
Product overview
Bañuls Design is a naval architecture and maritime engineering company founded by Renaud Bañuls in 2009, offering a portfolio of semi-custom high-performance catamarans (BAÑULS 53, BAÑULS 60, BAÑULS 78) and custom racing multihull designs (Sodebo Ultim 3, Finn ñ53 Trimaran). The company specializes in sailing performance, digitalization, and decarbonization for the naval and maritime industry. Their product range includes foiling ocean racing trimarans, cruising trimarans, and eco-friendly stand-up paddleboards, supported by expertise in numerical optimization and sustainable ship design.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BAÑULS 60 Catamaran
Quantifiable outcome
- Sodebo Ultim 3 successfully completed first flight tests after lockdown
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Bañuls Design
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Bañuls Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Bañuls Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- École Polytechnique, Inria, CNRScoreLaunch of MATritime joint laboratory, funded by the French National Research Agency, to develop computational tools for sustainable sea ship design and operation. The project aims to improve model accuracy by addressing uncertainties in maritime propulsion and navigation, supporting decarbonization and automation efforts.
- Sodebo Team / Thomas CovillecoreOngoing collaboration for the development of Sodebo Ultim 3 foiling trimaran. Bañuls Design involved from preliminary design to launch, with continued participation in sea trials and development. The partnership represents a multi-year design collaboration for ocean racing vessels.
- McConaghycoreBuilder partnership for the construction of FINN ñ53 trimaran. McConaghy, based in Sydney, Australia (with operations infos), is a leading custom yacht builder that constructed the high-performance trimaran designed by Bañuls Design.
- MC² CatamaranscorePartnership for BAÑULS 60 and BAÑULS 78 semi-custom catamaran range. Hull #1 based in Hong Kong, Hull #2 in Italy. MC² Catamarans handles production and sales for these Bañuls Design catamaran models.
- S3 BOARDSminorCollaboration to introduce the first eco-stand-up paddle of 12'6" named BROWN SUGAR. Bañuls Design provided naval architecture expertise while S3 BOARDS handled the product development and branding.
- VPLP (Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost)minorRenaud Bañuls previously worked with VPLP on the BMW Oracle project for the 33rd America's Cup. VPLP is a renowned naval architecture firm in France.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bañuls Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Rapido Trimarans: French builder of high-performance cruising trimarans with semi-custom product lines (Rapido 60s). Comparable to MC² Catamarans as a builder-partner model for semi-custom multihulls in the same performance segment.
- McConaghy Boats: Australian custom yacht builder that constructed the Finn ñ53 trimaran designed by Bańuls Design. Overlaps as both builder-partner and emerging player in the high-performance multihull space, with growing in-house design capabilities.
Direct peers
- Humphreys Yacht Design: UK-based independent yacht design firm working across racing and cruising sailboats. Comparable in offering bespoke naval architecture services to high-end clients with similar boutique scale and custom design focus.
- CDK Technologies: French-based composite engineering and design firm involved in ocean racing multihulls and IMOCA 60s. Comparable as a peer in the French ocean-racing naval architecture ecosystem with similar multihull focus.
- Multiplast (Groupe Carboman): French composite builder and design collaborator for major ocean racing multihulls including Groupama and Banque Populaire. Comparable to Bańuls Design in the high-performance multihull space and overlapping on flagship racing programs.
- VPLP Design: French naval architecture firm specializing in high-performance multihulls and America's Cup racing. VPLP collaborated with Renaud Bañuls on the BMW Oracle 33rd America's Cup project and is the most direct comparable for high-end racing multihull design services.
- Juan Yacht Design (JYDESIGN): Spanish naval architecture firm led by Marcelino Botín and Juan Kouyoumdjian, focused on racing yachts and America's Cup designs. Highly comparable in product category (high-performance racing sailing yachts) and target client base.
- Botin Partners Naval Architecture: Spanish-based performance yacht design office involved in America's Cup, TP52, and offshore racing designs. Comparable as a boutique, performance-focused naval architecture firm serving elite racing clients globally.
Broad incumbents
- Gunboat (Grand Large Yachting): US-based builder of high-performance luxury cruising catamarans now part of Grand Large Yachting. Directly comparable product (premium performance catamarans) to the BAÑULS 60 and 78, though at a broader scale and with established brand recognition.
- Wally (Ferretti Group): Premium yacht brand under Ferretti Group focused on high-performance sailing and motor yachts. Comparable as a broader luxury/multihull brand with overlapping customer base of wealthy owners seeking high-end sailing yachts.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bañuls Design social profiles
Digital presenceBañuls Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bañuls Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Bañuls Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bañuls Design 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 Bañuls Design
What does Bañuls Design do?
Bañuls Design is a naval architecture and maritime engineering firm that designs high-performance multihull sailing vessels, including semi-custom catamarans (BAÑULS 60 and BAÑULS 78), racing trimarans (Finn ñ53, Sodebo Ultim 3), and eco-design products such as the SUP Brown Sugar paddleboard. The company also provides consulting and numerical optimization services for maritime energy transition, decarbonization, and eco-design in the naval industry.
Is Bañuls Design a public or private company?
Bañuls Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Bañuls Design founded?
Bañuls Design was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bañuls Design based?
Bañuls Design is headquartered in Larmor-baden, France, in the Europe region.
How does Bañuls Design make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Naval Architecture & Design Services are the primary driver. The others are semi-Custom Catamaran Sales and racing Multihull Design.
Who are Bañuls Design's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Rapido Trimarans and McConaghy Boats. Direct peers are Humphreys Yacht Design, CDK Technologies, Multiplast (Groupe Carboman), VPLP Design, Juan Yacht Design (JYDESIGN) and Botin Partners Naval Architecture. Broad incumbents are Gunboat (Grand Large Yachting) and Wally (Ferretti Group).
Does Bañuls Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bañuls Design.
What industry is Bañuls Design in?
Bañuls Design's product category is Naval Architecture & Yacht Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAEAC, Catamaran & Multihull Leisure Craft Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMAJAMAL, Luxury Yacht Prototype, One-Off & Concept Build Programs. Its NAICS code is 3366 and its SIC code is 3730.