What Deejo does

Deejo is a French lifestyle cutlery brand that designs, customises, and distributes ultra-light pocket knives, tableware, and kitchen knives to lifestyle, gift-giving, and collector consumers globally. The company was spun out in 2014 from Baladéo (founded 1995 by Stéphane Lebeau and Luc Foin) and operates as part of the Coriolis group, with product design and finishing handled at its Bagnolet workshop and a retail/showroom presence in Paris. Manufacturing is conducted in Asia, allowing Deejo to arbitrage labour costs while preserving a premium, design-led positioning rooted in Parisian craftsmanship.

The product platform centres on ultra-light pocket knives (27g, 37g, and 390g variants) and an online customisation engine at my.deejo.com that supports more than 20,000 configuration combinations — including engraving, blade finish, handle material, and licensed motifs (e.g., DC Comics, Le Mans). The company holds a 2010 Industry Award from the Friedrichshafen trade show, and the customisation engine, alongside licensed IP drops, functions as both a merchandising and CRM layer.

Deejo's go-to-market is a hybrid DTC + specialty wholesale model: direct online sales via the brand site are complemented by 180+ US retail doors and a Paris showroom, with reported sales in more than 30 countries. Reported momentum includes a "model sold every 20 seconds" cadence and 20–30% annual growth (2016 reference point), with active category extension into tableware/kitchen knives and a 2026 Collector's Event programme aimed at retaining repeat purchasers and collectors.

Name

Deejo

Legal name

Coriolis

Website

https://deejo.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Deejo is a French lifestyle brand that designs, customises, and distributes ultra-light, engraved pocket knives and cutlery directly and through 180+ retailers to lifestyle, gift, and collector consumers across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bagnolet

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Knife Sales: Deejo generates revenue primarily through the direct sale of customizable pocket knives, table knives, and kitchen knives. The company offers products at various price points from standard models to special editions including Damascus steel and 390g models.
2. Accessories: Sale of accessories including sharpeners, sheaths, caps, and handles for the knives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Deejo designs, manufactures, and sells ultra-lightweight customizable pocket knives (37g standard, 27g compact, 390g special edition) along with table knives and kitchen cutlery. The company offers over 20,000 personalization combinations through its online customization tool, including choice of blade, handle material (juniper, olive, ebony, coral wood), laser engraving, and finish. The knives are manufactured in Asia and assembled, sharpened, and quality-controlled at the Bagnolet workshop in France, with US assembly as well.

Product overview

Deejo is a French lifestyle design brand offering the world's most customizable pocket knives, with over 20,000 personalization options through their online 'Create my Deejo' platform. The core product line consists of ultra-lightweight pocket knives available in three sizes (37g standard, 27g compact, 390g heavy special edition), featuring interchangeable handles in various woods (juniper, olive, ebony, coral wood), multiple blade finishes (titanium gray, titanium black, mirror polished), and laser engraving for personal messages or tattoos. The product ecosystem expands into tableware (steak knives, waiter's knives, table knives in Prestige and Restaurant tiers), kitchen knives (chef knives, pairing knives, Damascus and Sankai lines), and accessories (sharpeners, sheaths, caps, engraving kits). The brand positions itself at the intersection of everyday carry culture and personalized gifting, with special editions including Damascus steel, Duo Sets, and licensed collaborations such as DC Comics. Deejo knives are designed in Paris and assembled in the USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Deejo 37g Pocket Knives (Standard) Ultra-lightweight customizable pocket knives weighing 37 grams, featuring interchangeable handles in woods such as juniper, olive, ebony, and coral wood, multiple blade finishes (titanium gray, titanium black, mirror polished), and 35-character laser engraving for personal messages, names, or coordinates. Sold to lifestyle consumers, gift buyers, and outdoor enthusiasts through Deejo's e-commerce site and 180+ US retail stores.
• Deejo 27g Pocket Knives Compact, ultra-light pocket knives weighing 27 grams — a smaller variant of the 37g standard, designed for minimalist everyday carry. Supports the same customization options (blade, handle, engraving, finish). Targeted at lifestyle consumers who prefer an even lighter carry.
• Deejo 390g Special Edition Pocket Knives Heavier special edition pocket knives at 390 grams, offering premium materials and distinctive designs aimed at collectors and enthusiasts seeking a more substantial, premium-tier pocket knife within the Deejo range.
• Deejo Duo Set Matched pair of Deejo pocket knives sold as a set, intended for couples, anniversaries, and gifting occasions where two personalized knives are purchased together.
• Deejo Damas (Damascus Steel) Premium pocket knives featuring Damascus steel blades with distinctive layered pattern forging, targeted at collectors and enthusiasts who value premium steel craftsmanship.
• DC Comics x Deejo Limited Edition Knives Limited edition collaboration knives featuring DC Comics characters Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Catwoman, sold as collectible items targeted at collectors and comic/IP enthusiasts.
• Deejo 24H Le Mans Limited Edition Limited edition collaboration celebrating the legendary 1966 Le Mans race, part of Deejo's special collaborative editions aimed at collectors.
• Deejo Steak Knives Table steak knives with decorative tattoo designs on the blade and premium handle materials including wood and titanium, sold to dining enthusiasts seeking personalized table settings.
• Deejo Waiter's Knives Compact folding knives designed for waiters and sommeliers, featuring corkscrew functionality, intended for hospitality professionals and dining enthusiasts.
• Deejo Table Prestige Collection Premium table knives featuring titanium or chrome finishes with high-quality wood handles (olive, ebony, coral wood, walnut). Prestige line 6-piece sets range from approximately 194.90 EUR to 254.90 EUR.
• Deejo Kitchen Knives Kitchen knives including chef knives, pairing knives, and Damascus steel kitchen knives with various handle options, targeted at home cooking enthusiasts.
• Deejo Knife Accessories Accessories supporting the pocket knife line, including knife sharpeners, sheaths, caps, and the DIY engraving kit for at-home custom personalization.

Quantifiable outcome

• A Deejo model sold every 20 seconds
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BETCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017BETC, a leading French advertising and brand agency, helped shape the brand image of Deejo as a beautiful and endearing knife, including a rare television campaign for a product in this category.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Opinel: Heritage French pocket knife brand founded in 1890, also based in France and competing in the same everyday-carry folding-knife category. Directly comparable as a French-made, design-forward knife brand with strong lifestyle identity and global distribution.
• Spyderco: US specialist in compact folding knives with deep enthusiast loyalty and premium pricing. Competes for everyday-carry pocket knife demand in the same enthusiast and gift-giver segments Deejo targets.
• Benchmade: US premium folding-knife manufacturer with strong enthusiast following and direct-to-consumer customization options (configurator, engraving). Closest US analog to Deejo's premium, customizable folding-knife positioning.
• Victorinox: Swiss maker of the Swiss Army knife, the global benchmark for everyday-carry pocket knives. Most directly comparable category leader to Deejo, with overlapping distribution and a similar focus on compact folding knives, though Victorinox operates across far broader product breadth and price tiers.
• Laguiole en Aubrac: Traditional French premium pocket knife maker with deep heritage positioning in French table and pocket cutlery. Comparable to Deejo's premium tier (Damascus, special-edition tableware) and competes in the same concept-store and gifting channels in Europe.
• Buck Knives: American folding and fixed-blade knife maker with deep heritage and broad everyday-carry lineup. Comparable category presence with strong US distribution and gifting/collectible positioning.
• W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery: Heritage American pocket knife maker with broad collectible folding-knife line. Comparable product category, US collectible and gifting use cases, and competing for similar mid-priced everyday-carry customers.
• Leatherman: US multi-tool pioneer with strong lifestyle/EDC identity and broad specialty distribution. Adjacent rather than direct substitute—competes for everyday-carry pocket space but emphasizes multi-tool utility rather than customizable personal expression.

Broad incumbents

• Moleskine: Iconic lifestyle notebook brand cited by Deejo as a positioning reference. Comparable customer segment (creatives, gift-givers), customization/personalization model, and DTC-plus-concept-store distribution playbook across Europe and the US.
• Zippo: Iconic lifestyle lighter brand explicitly cited by Deejo as a positioning peer. Comparable in targeting the "dandy accessory" lifestyle-personalization segment and operating a similar gifting/collectibles channel mix with a deep US base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DeejoKnife
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3NvOmYIE8Z7gbZ7uBPki3w
• Facebookfacebook.com/deejoknife
• Instagraminstagram.com/deejo_knives
• Pinterestpinterest.fr/deejoknife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Deejo