Held
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersBurgberg, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Held firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Held
- Legal name
- Held GmbH
- Website
- https://held.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Held industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Motorcycle Apparel and Protective Equipment
- NAICS
- Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Parts Manufacturing (336991), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Motorcycle Riding Gear & Apparel Retail (CRAMANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Riding Jackets, Pants & Suits Retail (Leather/Textile) (CRAMANAF), Riding Gloves & Hand Protection Retail (CRAMANAE), Protective Armor & Impact Protection Retail (Body/Back/Chest) (CRAMANAC), Occupant Restraint Systems Manufacturing (Airbags/Seatbelts/Pretensioners/Load Limiters) (IMACAMAA)
Keywords
Where Held is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burgberg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Held business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Motorcycle Apparel Sales: Held generates revenue through the sale of motorcycle clothing, gloves, boots, and accessories through their online shop and dealer network. Product categories include Sport, Touring, Adventure, and Urban collections.
- Airbag System Products: Sale of electronic airbag vests (eVest, eVest 2, eVest Pro, eVest Clip-in) and associated services including cleaning, cartridge replacement, and In&Box subscriptions.
- In&Box Subscription: Subscription service for In&motion airbag technology through their technology partner In&Motion, providing continuous crash detection functionality.
- Service and Warranty: Warranty and repair services, eVest cleaning service, and custom-made clothing services.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Held product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Held designs, manufactures, and sells motorcycle apparel, protective gear, and rider equipment including jackets, pants, gloves, boots, protectors, and luggage systems. The company's flagship offering is the eVest line of electronic airbag vest systems powered by In&Motion technology for crash detection and deployment. Held serves motorcyclists across Sport, Touring, Adventure, and Urban riding categories.
Product overview
Held is a German manufacturer of motorcycle apparel and safety equipment founded in 1946, now celebrating 80 years in business. The company produces a comprehensive portfolio of motorcycle clothing and protective gear including jackets, pants, gloves, boots, and protectors across Sport, Touring, Adventure, and Urban categories. Held's premium product line centers on electronic airbag vest systems (eVest 2, eVest Pro, eVest Clip-in) powered by In&Motion technology, along with mechanical Air Vest options. The company also offers accessories such as luggage systems (Flexmount, Click, magnetic tank bag systems) and the Held App for mobile access. Held provides a 5-year warranty on eVest products, clothing, GORE-TEX boots, and gloves, plus professional cleaning services for electronic airbag vests. The product ecosystem integrates with In&Motion for airbag technology and RideLink for connected motorcycling features.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- eVest: Electronic airbag vest system for motorcycle safety, including eVest, eVest 2, and eVest Pro models
- eVest Pro
- Held MotoFescht
Products and services
- eVest 2 Airbag System Electronic airbag vest system powered by In&Motion technology, designed for touring riders, commuters, and those returning to riding. Features crash detection and automatic airbag deployment.
- eVest Pro Airbag System Professional-grade electronic airbag vest system for motorcyclists featuring advanced crash detection and In&Motion-powered protection technology.
- eVest Clip-in Airbag System Electronic airbag vest designed to clip into compatible Held motorcycle jackets and leather suits (e.g., Slade II), featuring the In&Box electronic system for automatic crash detection.
- eVest Cleaning Service Professional cleaning and maintenance service for electronic airbag vests, including cleaning, function testing, and care package due to built-in electronics and airbag hose.
- Motorcycle Clothing Full range of motorcycle apparel including jackets, pants, suits, and outerwear across Sport, Touring, Adventure, and Urban categories for individual motorcyclists.
- Motorcycle Gloves Motorcycle gloves in various styles for different riding conditions, featuring technologies such as 2in1 for versatile use. Held began as a glove manufacturer in 1946.
- Motorcycle Boots Motorcycle boots designed for riding protection and comfort, including GORE-TEX waterproof options and Vibram soles.
- Protectors Protective gear including back protectors, chest protectors, and knee guards compatible with D3O and SAS-TEC safety technologies.
- Motorcycle Accessories and Luggage Motorcycle accessories including tank bags, saddlebags, Flexmount luggage systems, drink bags, and other riding gear with proprietary mounting systems.
- Lifestyle Collection Casual motorcycle-inspired clothing for everyday wear, combining style with brand identity.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2026 BEST BRAND award - quadruple victory with best result in company history
Companies that use Held
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Held technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature10 records
Held partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- In&MotioncoreIn&Motion provides the electronic airbag technology (In&Box) used in Held's eVest, eVest 2, eVest Pro, and eVest Clip-in airbag vest systems. The partnership enables smart crash detection and automatic airbag deployment for rider protection. RideLink partnership offers free premium app access to Held customers.
- D3OcoreD3O provides impact-absorbing protector technology used in Held motorcycle apparel for enhanced safety against impacts during crashes.
- GORE-TEXcoreGORE-TEX membrane technology is used in Held boots and apparel for waterproof, breathable protection in all weather conditions.
- VibramcoreVibram soles are used in Held boots to provide superior grip, durability, and performance for motorcyclists.
- RideLinkcoreConnected motorcycling partnership. Held customers receive 4 months free premium functions of the RideLink Connect app. Partnership announced for connected motorcycling experience with joint presence at events like MotoFescht.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Held competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RST: UK-based motorcycle clothing, gloves, and boots manufacturer with broad sport and touring coverage. Comparable as a European riding apparel competitor with multi-channel distribution.
- Dainese: Italian premium motorcycle apparel and D-air airbag systems manufacturer. Closest direct competitor to Held in premium jackets, suits, gloves, and rider airbag technology.
- Furygan: French motorcycle apparel and airbag vest manufacturer with strong domestic dealer network and pan-European presence. Direct peer in jackets, gloves, and airbag systems.
- Spidi: Italian motorcycle apparel manufacturer covering sport, touring, and urban segments with proprietary safety technologies. Comparable as a European mid-premium riding gear specialist.
- Alpinestars: Italian-based global leader in motorcycle apparel, footwear, and the Tech-Air electronic airbag system. Directly comparable to Held across riding gear categories and the airbag platform that competes with eVest.
- REV'IT!: Dutch designer and manufacturer of motorcycle clothing with strong European dealer presence across sport, touring, adventure, and urban segments. Direct peer in riding apparel with comparable go-to-market.
Others
- In&Motion: French smart-motion technology company that supplies the In&Box crash-detection platform underpinning Held's eVest line. An enabling partner rather than competitor — but also a strategic concentration risk.
Regional players
- Klim: US-focused technical adventure and snowmobile riding apparel brand. Comparable in premium technical riding gear positioning, primarily serving the North American market that Held has yet to enter.
Broad incumbents
- Schuberth: German helmet manufacturer with broader motorcycle safety systems portfolio. Comparable as a German premium safety equipment brand serving the same European motorcycle customer base.
- Shoei: Japanese premium motorcycle helmet manufacturer with established European distribution. Comparable as a premium safety-credentialed brand competing for the same rider safety spend.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Held social profiles
Digital presenceHeld financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Held leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Held funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Held 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 Held
What does Held do?
Held designs, manufactures, and sells motorcycle apparel, protective gear, and rider equipment including jackets, pants, gloves, boots, protectors, and luggage systems. The company's flagship offering is the eVest line of electronic airbag vest systems powered by In&Motion technology for crash detection and deployment. Held serves motorcyclists across Sport, Touring, Adventure, and Urban riding categories.
Is Held a public or private company?
Held is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Held founded?
Held was founded in 1946. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Held based?
Held is headquartered in Burgberg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Held make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Motorcycle Apparel Sales are the primary driver. The others are airbag System Products, in&Box Subscription and service and Warranty.
Who are Held's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RST, Dainese, Furygan, Spidi, Alpinestars and REV'IT!. In&Motion is listed as an others. Klim is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Schuberth and Shoei.
Does Held have an API?
No public API is recorded for Held.
What industry is Held in?
Held's product category is Motorcycle Apparel and Protective Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMANAA, Motorcycle Riding Gear & Apparel Retail, with a secondary code of CRAMANAF, Riding Jackets, Pants & Suits Retail (Leather/Textile). Its NAICS code is 336991 and its SIC code is 3790.