What Zelos does

Zelos is a privately held Belgian sports management and marketing company, registered as Zelos SA (VAT BE0695.625.206) and headquartered in Bouge-Namur, Belgium. The firm's core business is motorsport talent identification, development, and racing team management, anchored by the Zelos Black Knights — a national Belgian team of professional motorcycle racing talent that includes Marc-Reiner Schmidt (4-time World Supermoto S1GP champion, 2021-2024) and Barry Baltus (3rd place in the 2025 Moto2 World Championship with Fantic Racing). Zelos operates a portfolio of motorsport properties including the annual Superbiker event at Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet, the Belgian Motorcycle Academy for youth riders aged 7-17, the Belgian Motorcycle Fund (hosted at the King Baudouin Foundation), and the GP Inside motorsport news platform.

The company's business model is event-driven and combines multiple revenue streams: organization of and sponsorship inventory around flagship events (Superbiker, Mettet XP, Gravel Mettet XP powered by NRJ), management and representation fees for riders placed with professional teams such as Fantic Racing and RW Racing GP, corporate incentive programs at Circuit Mettet, and CSR-linked partnership fees through the Target Victory and Cap sur l'Or initiatives, which collectively channel corporate funding toward Belgian paralympic athletes (Target Victory raised over 285,000 euros in 2023). Founded by Freddy Tacheny, who continues to serve as president, Zelos employs 11-50 people and has been operating for 12 years. Its primary customer segments are corporate sponsors and business partners seeking motorsport-associated brand visibility and hospitality experiences, and young racing talents seeking professional development pathways. The firm is differentiated by its vertically integrated stack — from youth academy to world-championship team management, venue operations, media, and charitable programming — though it has no disclosed technology platform, AI capabilities, or external funding.

Name

Zelos

Legal name

Zelos SA

Website

https://zelos.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zelos is a Belgian motorsport management company that develops young racing talent through the Zelos Black Knights team, organizes the Superbiker event at Circuit Mettet, runs a youth academy, and operates the Target Victory corporate-partnership program supporting Belgian paralympic athletes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Motorsport Management and Sports Marketing

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Motorsport Sanctioning Bodies (FIA/FIM/IMSA, etc.) (MPAKAFAH)

Keywords

• Motorsport management
• Racing team management
• Motorsport event organization
• Youth rider development
• Corporate sports sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Bouge

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Organization: Organizing and hosting motorsport events including Superbiker (October 10-11-12, 2025), Mettet XP Precision Drive, and other racing events that attract spectators and corporate sponsors.
2. Team and Rider Sponsorship Management: Managing and representing the Zelos Black Knights racing team and supported riders, attracting corporate sponsorship relationships.
3. Charitable Partnerships (Target Victory): Corporate partnerships supporting Belgian paralympic athletes through the Target Victory initiative, raising over 285,000 euros in 2023 for G-sport athletes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Zelos is a Belgian sports management company that identifies, trains, and supports young motorcycle racing talents through the Zelos Black Knights team, the Belgian Motorcycle Academy (ages 7-17), and the Belgian Motorcycle Fund. The company organizes major motorsport events including Superbiker at Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet, and runs corporate sponsorship and incentive programs including the Target Victory initiative supporting Belgian paralympic athletes.

Product overview

Zelos is a Belgian sports management company focused on motorsports. The core offering is the Zelos Black Knights program—a national team structure that identifies, trains, and supports young motorcycle racing talents. The portfolio includes the Belgian Motorcycle Academy for youth training (ages 7-17), the Belgian Motorcycle Fund for talent development financing, and various event properties including the Superbiker event at Mettet. Zelos also operates charitable initiatives including Target Victory (Paralympic athlete support) and Cap sur l'Or (French-speaking Paralympic support). The company manages professional riders including Barry Baltus (Moto2) and Marc-Reiner Schmidt (Supermoto World Champion).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Knights Club: The national Belgian team of top motorsports talents managed by Zelos
• GP Inside
• Belgian Motorcycle Academy
• Superbiker
• Mettet XP
• Cap sur l'Or
• Target Victory
• Belgian Motorcycle Fund

Products and services

• Zelos Black Knights National Belgian motorsport team managed by Zelos, providing professional structure, coaching, and partner support to top motorcycle racing talents competing internationally.
• Belgian Motorcycle Academy Training school for talented youth aged 7 to 17 pursuing a high-level motorsport career, established in collaboration with the Walloon Motorcyclists Federation and Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet.
• Superbiker Major international motorsport event held at Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet, featuring Supermoto and other racing disciplines; 2025 edition scheduled for October 10-11-12.
• Mettet XP Precision Drive by Michaël Mazuin Precision driving experience event at Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet, offering track-based driving experiences to consumers and corporate clients.
• Mertens Riding School Motorsport riding school and training program operated by Zelos for rider skill development.
• Target Victory B2B top sport program helping Belgian paralympic athletes achieve their sporting dreams through company partnerships, focusing on diversity and inclusion.
• Belgian Motorcycle Fund Fund hosted at the King Baudouin Foundation to stimulate high-level motorsport practice in Belgium and preserve Belgian motorsport heritage.
• Cap sur l'Or Charitable initiative targeting French-speaking Belgian paralympic athletes.
• Black Knights Club Club membership program associated with the Zelos Black Knights racing team, offering fans engagement with the team.
• Junior Black Knights Team Junior development pathway within the Zelos Black Knights program for young motorsport talents progressing toward professional racing.
• GP Inside Motorsport news platform operated by Zelos providing MotoGP news and Grand Prix racing coverage.
• Corporate Incentives at Circuit Mettet Business incentive programs for corporate clients hosted at Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet, combining motorsport experiences with corporate hospitality.

Quantifiable outcome

• Marc-Reiner Schmidt achieved 4 consecutive World Supermoto S1GP titles (2021-2024) and 8 Superbiker victories at Mettet
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• G-sport VlaanderencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerG-sport Vlaanderen (Flemish parasports federation) is a primary beneficiary of Target Victory funding, receiving support for athlete professionalization including physiotherapy, sports nutrition, and high-performance coaching.
• La Ligue Handisport FrancophonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench-speaking Belgian parasports federation benefiting from Target Victory corporate partnerships to support athletes with motor, intellectual, or sensory disabilities.
• Koning BoudewijnstichtingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Belgian Motorcycle Fund is hosted at the King Baudouin Foundation, which manages the fund and its mission to stimulate high-level motorsport practice in Belgium and preserve Belgian motorsport heritage.
• Coca-Cola BelgiëminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoca-Cola Belgium participated in a Target Victory partnership event with Brightfish for the premiere of Joker: Folie à Deux, combining corporate entertainment with paralympic athlete support.
• BrightfishminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEntertainment marketing agency that partnered with Target Victory and Coca-Cola for exclusive film premieres with paralympic athlete appearances.
• Fantic RacingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional Moto2 racing team for which Barry Baltus races. Zelos provides rider management and support while Fantic provides the racing infrastructure and team operations.
• RW Racing GPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoto2 team where Barry Baltus competed from 2021-2024 before moving to Fantic Racing.
• Circuit Jules Tacheny (Mettet)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome circuit for Superbiker events and Belgian Motorcycle Academy. Partnership with Waalse Motorrijdersbond (FMwb) and MIG/Zelos for youth motorsport development.
• Waalse Motorrijdersbond (FMwb)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian motorcyclists federation collaborating on Belgian Motorcycle Academy development for youth riders aged 7-17.
• PowerademinorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Target Victory initiative.
• NRJ BelgiumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBelgian radio and media partner for Target Victory and Gravel Mettet XP powered by NRJ events.
• ServiceplanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing and communication agency partner for Target Victory.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IMG: Legacy global sports and entertainment marketing agency (now part of TKO Group). Comparable in event management, sports rights, and athlete representation across motorsport and other verticals.
• Wasserman: Global sports marketing, athlete representation and event agency. Comparable in athlete management and sponsorship partnership sales at significantly larger scale.
• SPORTFIVE: Global sports marketing agency (formerly Lagardère Sports) with specific expertise in motorsport rights (F1, MotoGP, etc.). Comparable in sponsorship sales for motorcycle racing properties.
• Octagon: Global sports marketing agency with motorsport practice. Comparable business model in sponsorship sales and event services but at materially larger scale and broader sport coverage.

Direct peers

• Pons Racing: Spanish motorcycle racing team operation with active Moto2/MotoE/Moto3 presence. Closely mirrors Zelos's rider representation and team management model across multiple championship tiers.
• VR46 Racing Team: Italian motorcycle racing team founded around Valentino Rossi with a strong rider-development identity and sponsorship focus. Comparable to Zelos Black Knights in team brand equity driven by elite rider talent.
• Leopard Racing: International motorcycle racing team competing in Moto3/Moto2. Comparable to Zelos Black Knights' junior-to-pro pathway and sponsorship-led team management model.
• SRO Motorsports Group: International motorsport event organizer and promoter (GT World Challenge etc.). Comparable to Zelos's Superbiker event organization and circuit-based motorsport event operations.
• Intact GP: German motorcycle racing team in Moto2/Moto3 (formerly Prüstel Racing). Comparable to Zelos as a smaller European motorcycle racing team management operation with sponsor-led economics.
• Marc VDS Racing Team: Belgian motorcycle racing team competing in MotoGP/Moto2/Moto3 with Belgian riders on the roster. Most directly comparable as a Belgian-rooted motorcycle racing team with rider development and sponsorship management focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zelos_sports

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 Zelos