CEP

What CEP does

CEP is the sports compression brand of medi GmbH & Co. KG, a German medical compression company headquartered in Bayreuth, Germany, with operations supported by 51-100 employees. Founded in 2007, CEP designs, manufactures, and sells compression sportswear — including socks, sleeves, shirts, shorts, tights, and running shoes — for runners, recovery-focused athletes, hikers, and skiers. Its product portfolio is organized around a premium Pro Run line (featuring the Optaspeed BowTech super trainer, Ultralight apparel, and Reflective socks) and a broader Core Run line (Core Run 5.0, Ultralight, Merino, Cushion, Gradient, and Recovery sub-lines), with adjacent categories in Hiking Merino/Max Cushion and Ski Ultralight/Thermo/Merino/Touring Merino.

All products are built on the company's proprietary 3D COMPRESSION technology, which is designed to improve blood circulation and accelerate lactate metabolism for performance and recovery, with select lines incorporating infrared yarn technology. Footwear uses a BowTech dual-plate propulsion system in the Optaspeed super trainer, and products are produced in German manufacturing facilities under medical-grade quality standards. CEP leverages the medical device and production expertise of parent company medi GmbH as a cross-domain differentiator versus purely sports-focused apparel brands.

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market: a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront at ceprunning.com (offering free shipping on orders $100+, 30-day returns, Shop Pay installments, a 10% first-order signup discount, MVP Rewards loyalty, and a give-$10/get-$10 referral program) combined with a dealer network of independent specialty running and outdoor retailers accessed via a dealer portal (b2b.cepsportsusa.com) and a dealer locator. International customers are served through a Glopal-powered global storefront with localized pricing and shipping. Pricing is unit-based, ranging from roughly $18-$22 for entry compression socks to $70-$80 for premium apparel and $225 for the Optaspeed BowTech running shoe, positioning CEP in the premium segment of the sports compression wear market.

Name

CEP

Legal name

CEP (brand of medi GmbH & Co. KG)

Website

https://cepcompression.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CEP, the sports brand of medi GmbH & Co. KG, designs and sells premium compression socks, apparel, and running shoes for runners, hikers, and skiers, distributed direct-to-consumer and through specialty retailers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Compression Sportswear

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Running & Endurance Wear (CRAAAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performance Running Specialty Retail (CRAMACAA), Athletic / Performance & Activewear Brands (CRAAAAAD), Compression, Base Layers & Thermals (CRAAAEAH)

Keywords

• Compression sportswear
• Athletic compression socks
• Running apparel
• Performance footwear
• Sports recovery gear

Headquarters

HQ city

Bayreuth

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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. Direct E-commerce Sales: CEP sells directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform ceprunning.com, offering compression socks, apparel, and running shoes with pricing ranging from $18-$225 per product.
2. Wholesale/Dealer Distribution: CEP distributes through a dealer network including independent retailers and specialty running stores, evidenced by dealer login portal and dealer locator on the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CEP designs, manufactures, and sells medical-grade compression sportswear including running socks, athletic apparel, and performance footwear for runners, hikers, skiers, and recovery-focused athletes. Products are sold primarily direct-to-consumer through ceprunning.com and through a global dealer network, organized into premium (Pro Run) and core (Core Run) lines produced at German facilities.

Product overview

CEP is the sports brand of medi GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Bayreuth, Germany. It is not a single product but a multi-category portfolio of compression sportswear and performance footwear. The product range is organized into two overarching lines — the premium Pro Run Line (featuring the Pro Run Optaspeed BowTech shoe, Pro Run Ultralight socks, Pro Run Reflective socks, and Pro Run apparel including tank tops and tech shirts) and the broader Core Run Line (encompassing the Core Run 5.0, Core Run Ultralight, Core Run Merino, Core Run Cushion, Core Recovery, Core Run Gradient, Core Run Vertical, Core Run Half & Half, Core Run Claw, and Core All Day sub-lines). Beyond running, CEP extends into hiking (Hiking Merino and Hiking Max Cushion), skiing (Ski Ultralight, Ski Thermo, Ski Merino, Ski Touring Merino), and injury/recovery categories (Achilles Support, Calf Sleeves, Arm Sleeves, Forearm Sleeves, Ortho supports). All products leverage 3D compression technology to improve blood circulation and speed up lactate metabolism, with German production facilities guaranteeing quality. Products are sold direct-to-consumer online and through a dealer network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pro Run: Premium compression running apparel line featuring advanced compression technology for performance athletes
• Core Run
• Core Recovery
• Core All Day
• Core Flight
• Hiking

Products and services

• Pro Run Optaspeed BowTech Running Shoes Premium running shoe featuring a BowTech dual-plate propulsion system for explosive energy return and centered force distribution, with guided stability and responsive cushioning, available in men's and women's variants.
• Core Recovery Tall Compression Socks Tall compression recovery socks engineered to improve blood circulation and speed up lactate metabolism for faster post-exercise recovery, available in men and women variants.
• Pro Run Ultralight Tank Top Featherlight performance tank top with precision ventilation and fast-drying performance designed to keep athletes cool, dry, and moving freely in heat, available in men's and women's variants.
• Pro Run Ultralight Short Sleeve Tech Shirt Ultralight moisture-wicking short sleeve athletic shirt with fast-drying and ventilation performance for men and women.
• Paris Vibes Mid Cut Compression Socks Mid-cut compression running socks with stylish colorway, combining targeted compression with moisture-wicking and breathable fabric for everyday and performance use, available in men's and women's variants.
• Pro Run Reflective Tall Compression Socks Tall compression running socks with reflective elements for enhanced visibility and safety in low-light conditions, combining medical-grade compression with high-visibility design.
• Core Run Calf Compression Sleeves Calf-only compression sleeves providing targeted compression and support without full sock coverage, available in ultralight and 5.0 variants for men and women.
• Core Run Compression Arm Sleeves Compression arm sleeves for targeted arm and forearm support during running and athletic activities, providing compression and muscle stabilization.
• Achilles Support Short Socks Short compression socks with integrated Achilles tendon support and protection, designed for injury prevention and recovery.
• Compression Forearm Sleeves Compression forearm sleeves providing targeted support and muscle stabilization for athletic performance and recovery.
• Core Run Line Foundational compression running apparel line offering a broad range of compression socks, sleeves, and athletic wear across multiple cushioning levels (Ultralight, Merino, Cushion, 5.0) and styles, serving everyday athletes.
• Pro Run Line Premium performance compression line positioned above Core, offering medical-grade compression technology for elite and serious athletes, including running shoes, socks, and apparel.
• Hiking Merino Compression Socks Compression hiking socks with merino wool blend for temperature regulation and moisture management on trails, available in tall and mid-cut styles for men and women.
• Hiking Max Cushion Compression Socks Maximum cushioning compression hiking socks designed for rugged terrain and long-distance hikes, providing enhanced shock absorption and comfort.
• Ski Ultralight Compression Socks Ultralight compression ski socks engineered for downhill skiing with targeted compression, moisture management, and a slim fit compatible with ski boots.
• Ski Thermo Compression Socks Thermal compression ski socks designed for cold-weather skiing with insulation zones and moisture-wicking properties.
• Ski Merino Compression Socks Merino wool blended compression ski socks combining natural temperature regulation and odor resistance with compression technology.
• Ski Touring Merino Compression Socks Compression socks designed for ski touring with merino wool blend, combining light weight, breathability, and compression for uphill travel.
• Core All Day Compression Apparel Compression apparel designed for all-day wear and everyday activities, offering comfort and circulation benefits beyond athletic performance, including travel (Core Flight) use cases.
• Core Run Limited Edition Collections Special design and colorway compression sock releases including designs such as Vertical, Half & Half, Claw, and Paris Vibes, offered in limited quantities.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nike: Dominant athletic apparel and running footwear brand that competes with CEP across running apparel, socks and especially the super-trainer category where the Pro Run Optaspeed BowTech is positioned.
• Under Armour: Global sports apparel giant with a dedicated compression/performance apparel line for runners and athletes; competes broadly with CEP's apparel and footwear rather than solely in compression socks.

Direct peers

• 2XU: Compression-focused sports apparel brand whose graduated compression tights, socks and recovery gear overlap heavily with CEP's compression product positioning for runners and endurance athletes.
• Darn Tough Vermont: Premium guaranteed-for-life athletic sock brand sold through outdoor and running channels at similar price points to CEP; competes for share-of-wallet in performance running and hiking socks.
• Feetures: Performance sock brand offering graduated compression socks across running, recovery and sport categories with similar price points and DTC + dealer distribution to CEP.
• Swiftwick: US-based performance sock specialist selling compression and running socks alongside CEP at specialty run retailers and online, frequently compared head-to-head in buyer's guides like iRunFar's best running socks.
• Balega: Premium running sock brand with a strong presence in specialty run shops and online; competes with CEP for the same running-athlete customer in the performance sock category.
• SKINS Compression: Pure-play sports compression apparel brand (tights, tops, socks) targeting runners, cyclists and triathletes — overlapping end-user and use case with CEP's runner and endurance-focused product lines.
• Drymax: Athletic performance socks with anti-blister/moisture management technology, sold across running, hiking and outdoor channels — directly contesting CEP's core compression sock proposition.

Others

• medi GmbH & Co. KG: Parent company of CEP and German medical compression specialist whose medical-grade compression technology and German manufacturing platform are extended into the CEP sports brand; enables rather than competes with CEP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cep.medi
• Instagraminstagram.com/cepsports
• Xx.com/cepcompression
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cep-compression

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 CEP