What Wild East does

Wild East is a German sporting goods retailer and water/winter sports specialist headquartered in Dresden, Saxony. Founded in 1993 by Jan Diestel as a sole proprietorship (eingetragener Kaufmann), the company operates across three physical and digital channels: a 500 m² brick-and-mortar retail store in Dresden, an online shop, and a seasonal Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP) station at Talsperre Malter. The business employs 11–50 staff and serves individual consumers, schools, and corporate customers across multiple sporting categories.

The product portfolio spans two broad verticals: water sports — including SUP, wing foil, kite, surf, kayak, and canoe — and winter sports — including alpine skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing. Distribution combines direct retail sales of branded sporting goods with equipment rentals at the seasonal SUP station. Beyond product sales, Wild East runs a services layer that includes GSUPA-certified instruction, guided tours, multi-day camps, and technical workshops, generating multiple revenue streams from a single customer base. Owner Jan Diestel is a German SUP champion and GSUPA-certified instructor, which anchors the company's credibility in the SUP category.

The business model is owner-financed — there is no external funding — and combines transactional retail, seasonal rental income, service fees (lessons, tours, camps), and channel revenue across physical retail, e-commerce, and on-site operations. Go-to-market is primarily regional, with brand reputation built over three decades through local market presence, owner-led expertise, and GSUPA certification. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company operates as a privately held sole proprietorship, limiting financial visibility.

Name

Wild East

Legal name

Wild East, Inh. Jan Diestel

Website

https://wildeast.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wild East is a Dresden-based German sporting goods retailer and water/winter sports specialist, founded in 1993 by Jan Diestel, selling equipment across retail, online, and a seasonal SUP station while offering certified instruction, tours, camps, and workshops to consumers, schools, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sporting Goods Retail (Water and Winter Sports Equipment)

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Paddle Sports Retail (Kayak, Canoe, SUP, Paddles) (CRAMAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ski & Snowboard Equipment Retail (Skis, Boards, Boots, Bindings, Poles) (CRAMAJAA), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF), Winter Equipment Rental, Demo & Repair (Skis/Boards/Boots, Tuning) (THAAAJAH), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Water sports equipment
• Winter sports retail
• Sup and surf shop
• Board sports apparel
• Outdoor gear rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Dresden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Retail and online sales of water sports equipment (SUP, Windsurf, Kitesurf, Wakeboard, etc.) and winter sports gear (Ski, Snowboard, clothing). New and used products available.
2. Equipment Rental: SUP boards, wings, and related equipment rented by hour, half-day, full-day, or multi-day. Also offers rental packages including boards and accessories.
3. Courses and Instruction: SUP courses ranging from 1-hour beginner sessions to 2-hour comprehensive training. Private lessons available. GSUPA certified instructors.
4. Camps and Tours: Organized SUP camps, Kite camps, Windsurf camps, Backcountry camps, and day tours (Elbe, Spreewald, Leipzig). Multi-day adventures with accommodation.
5. Service and Repairs: Ski and snowboard service workshop, professional repairs, and maintenance services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wild East is a Dresden-based retailer selling water sports equipment (SUP, windsurf, kitesurf, wing foil, wakeboard), winter sports equipment (snowboard, ski, langlauf), skate/longboard gear, neoprene apparel, and lifestyle fashion via a 500m² store and online shop. The company complements retail with an integrated Talsperre Malter SUP Station providing rentals, certified SUP courses, multi-day camps, and on-site board/wetsuit repair services. Offerings target individual enthusiasts alongside smaller institutional clients such as schools, clubs, and corporate groups.

Product overview

Wild East is a regional multi-brand specialty retailer for boardsports and winter sports, operating since 1993 from a 500m² physical store in Dresden with a complementary JTL-powered online shop. The business model centers on selling equipment across multiple sport categories (SUP, Windsurf, Kitesurf, Wing Foil, Wakeboard, Snowboard, Ski/Nordic, Longboard/Skate, Neopren/wetsuits, Fashion/Outerwear) from over 30 branded suppliers, supplemented by rental services, GSUPA-certified instruction, and a seasonal SUP Station at Talsperre Malter. Additional services include professional ski/snowboard workshop repairs and organized camps/courses spanning water sports, backcountry skiing, and cross-country skiing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail Sporting Goods Store (water and winter sports equipment) Multi-brand retail outlet in Dresden carrying boards, apparel, footwear, and accessories for SUP, windsurf, kitesurf, wing foil, wakeboard, snowboard, alpine/cross-country ski, longboard/skate, neoprene, and lifestyle fashion; serves individual enthusiasts shopping in person.
• Online Shop (e-commerce store) Wild East's e-commerce channel offering the same surf/snow/skate/apparel assortment to remote customers online.
• SUP Station at Talsperre Malter (rentals and paddling access) Water-access facility at Talsperre Malter where customers can rent SUP boards and paddle on the reservoir, used by individuals and groups as a destination experience.
• SUP Courses (certified instruction) Certified stand-up paddleboarding instruction for beginners through advanced paddlers, led by a GSUPA certified trainer; aimed at individual learners and group bookings.
• SUP Camps (multi-day programs) Multi-day SUP camp experiences that bundle instruction, accommodation-style scheduling, and rental access at Talsperre Malter for enthusiasts seeking immersive skill development.
• Workshop / Repair Service On-site workshop providing repair and maintenance services for boards, bindings, and neoprene equipment, supporting customers after purchase.
• Group and Corporate Events (schools, clubs, companies) Tailored SUP team-building and class events for schools, clubs, and corporate groups combining equipment, instruction, and venue access at Talsperre Malter.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GSUPA (German Stand Up Paddle Association)coreOthersWild East is a GSUPA certified SUP training provider. Owner Jan Diestel is GSUPA certified since 2017. GSUPA is part of SUP Germany alongside DKV and DWV. The certification ensures quality instruction standards for SUP courses.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Tomato: Austrian-headquartered action sports specialist retailer with snowboard, surf, skate, and ski assortment plus online-first distribution. Highly comparable to Wild East on boardsports category mix and premium-brand curation, though Blue Tomato operates pan-European rather than purely local.
• Planet Sports: German online action sports retailer specializing in snowboard, skate, surf, and streetwear. Comparable as a German-language boardsports e-commerce competitor overlapping on Snowboard, Skate, and Fashion/Outerwear categories that Wild East carries.
• Surfhouse Germany: German specialty retailer focused on surfing, kitesurfing, and watersports apparel and equipment. Comparable as a German specialty watersports competitor carrying overlapping brand assortments (e.g., ION, O'Neill, North Kiteboarding) and similar boardsports customer base.
• Kite-World Online Shop: German specialty retailer focused on kitesurfing and kite-related watersports equipment. Comparable as a German specialty competitor directly overlapping on the Kitesurf, Windsurf, and board/rig categories that Wild East stocks.

Broad incumbents

• Intersport: German-headquartered sporting goods retail cooperative with hundreds of member stores. Comparable as a sporting goods retailer operating in Germany, though Intersport members are generalists rather than boardsports/winter specialists like Wild East.
• Sport 2000: International sporting goods retail network with significant German affiliate base focused on ski, outdoor, and team sports. Comparable as a multi-store sporting goods retailer in Germany, with overlap on ski, snowboard rental/service, and Nordic categories.
• SportScheck: Major German multi-category sporting goods retailer with both physical stores and strong online presence. Comparable as a broad-line sporting goods competitor in Germany overlapping on ski, snowboard, and outdoor categories.
• Decathlon: Global sporting goods mass retailer with strong German footprint and own-brand boardsports equipment. Comparable as a multi-category sporting goods retailer targeting entry-to-mid consumers, but with much broader assortment and lower price points than Wild East's premium specialist positioning.

Others

• Stand Up Paddling Magazin / SUP retailers Germany: Specialized German SUP information portal and ecosystem that maps the German SUP retail and instruction market. Comparable as a competitor/peer ecosystem channel for Wild East's SUP training and equipment business.

Regional players

• Globe-Sport: Independent German specialty boardsports and outdoor retailer. Comparable as a regional German specialty competitor operating in the same boardsports niche as Wild East, with similar curated multi-brand approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wildeastshop
• Facebookfacebook.com/wildeastshop
• Instagraminstagram.com/wild.east.dresden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wild-east

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Wild East