What Appletree Surfboards does

Appletree Surfboards B.V. is a premium manufacturer of high-end kite surf, wing foil, downwind foil, prone foil, and parawing boards, founded in 2006 by brothers Wieger and Jorrit Buurma in the Netherlands and now headquartered in Hillegom with manufacturing at a 3,500 sqm solar-powered factory in Silveira, Portugal. The company designs and builds every board in-house using proprietary technologies including a 50K closed-cell foam core (capable of withstanding 50,000 kg/m² while remaining waterproof and flexible), a vacuum infusion process developed in 2014, in-house CNC shaping machines, and a new Coat 25 finish material introduced in 2026 that replaces traditional epoxy hot coats. Boards are constructed with 100% carbon fiber laminations, 40% bio-based resin, and feature CNC-cut FUTURES Oneshot foil boxes embedded in PET honeycomb sandwich panels, plus built-in NFC tags serving as digital product passports under the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation.

Appletree sells through a hybrid go-to-market combining direct e-commerce (appletreesurfboards.com) with a 70+ international dealer network spanning 25+ countries, supplemented by a global demo tour circuit at events such as Boot Düsseldorf, Foil Festival Germany, Kitemana Testival Netherlands, AWSI Hood River Oregon, and Moledo Festival Portugal. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; boards are offered as stock items (immediate shipment) or custom configurations (~8 week lead time), with accessories such as the €150 Foil Drive Titanium Mast Plate Split Bolt. The company voluntarily aligns with EU CSRD/ESRS reporting frameworks, holds Sustainable Surf Ecoboard certification, and claims 95% of materials are sourced from Europe.

The organization is privately held by its founders with no external funding, operating with a ~35-person workforce spanning the Portugal factory and Netherlands offices. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time board and accessory sales rather than recurring contracts. Customer segments span experienced kitesurfers, wing foilers, prone and downwind foilers, wake and dock-start foilers, plus a smaller B2B layer serving surf and kiteboard retailers worldwide; the company has begun offering OEM contract manufacturing for brands seeking sustainability-aligned production. Strategic priorities evident from recent activity include deepening the Foil Drive motorized foil ecosystem, expanding the parawing category via the Midlength V2, and formalizing the global B2B sales function through a dedicated Sales Manager hire planned for Spring 2026.

Name

Appletree Surfboards

Legal name

Appletree Surfboards B.V.

Website

https://appletreesurfboards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Appletree Surfboards is a privately held Dutch-Portuguese manufacturer of premium kite surf, wing foil, downwind foil, prone foil, and parawing boards, built in-house using proprietary 50K closed-cell foam and vacuum infusion carbon construction, sold globally through 70+ dealers and direct e-commerce to experienced foiling and kitesurfing enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hillegom

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Board Sales: Appletree designs and manufactures high-end kite surf, wing foil, downwind foil, and parawing boards sold as finished products. Boards are available in stock (off-the-shelf) or custom configurations. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Accessories Sales: Appletree sells complementary accessories including board bags and Foil Drive Titanium Mast Plate Split Bolts. Accessories generate additional per-transaction revenue alongside board sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Appletree designs and manufactures high-performance boards for kite surfing, wing foiling, prone foiling, downwind foiling, and parawing. All boards are built in-house at the company's 3,500 sqm solar-powered factory in Silveira, Portugal, using proprietary 50K closed-cell foam cores and vacuum-infused carbon/glass fiber construction. Products are sold as stock boards for immediate shipment or as custom orders (~8-week lead time), distributed direct-to-consumer and through a global dealer network.

Product overview

Appletree Surfboards is a premium performance board brand manufacturing high-end kite surf, wing foil, downwind foil, prone foil, and parawing boards. All boards are designed and built in-house in Portugal using proprietary 50K closed cell foam and vacuum infusion carbon/glass fiber construction. The product lineup centers on wing foil boards (Appleslice V4, Midlength V2), foil boards (AppleSlice Prone, Zapple, Zapple S, Apple Skipper series, Mini Foil), with accessories including Foil Drive mounting hardware. The company emphasizes durability through waterproof foam cores and sustainable manufacturing practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Appleslice V4 Versatile wing foil board with narrower outline, refined tail, shifted wide point, increased nose rocker, and new concave deck for improved control and balance. Built with 50K closed cell foam core and 100% carbon fiber vacuum infusion construction. Available in 7 sizes from 50L to 115L for wing foiling riders.
• Midlength V2 Specialized efficiency tool optimized for Parawing and light-wind Wing conditions, with narrower and longer outline for reduced drag, continuous rocker for balanced speed, and advanced volume distribution for stable launches. Available in 8 sizes from 37L to 107L.
• AppleSlice Prone Advanced prone foil board with V nose for paddle stability, performance rail line, beveled rails for aggressive turns, and balanced lift distribution. Designed for ambitious intermediate to seasoned pro prone foil riders. Available in 5 sizes from 17L to 38L.
• Zapple Foil Drive compatible board with recessed trench design that keeps battery weight close to the feet and minimizes water turbulence. Features a signal optimization window for uninterrupted Foil Drive remote connectivity and easy battery replacement via barrel bolts. Available in 4 sizes from 38L to 62L.
• Zapple S Compact, ultra-responsive Foil Drive trench board with ultra-thin profile, pulled-in rails, flat central rocker, and specialized signal window for advanced riders and wave-focused foilers. Available in 3 sizes from 29.6L to 33.3L.
• Apple Skipper Down Wind V2 Refined downwind foil board with dual rocker configuration combining curved rail rocker for foil angle control and straighter centerline for improved planing and lift. Features hardened rails, better release, and reinforced pump zone. Available in stock and custom sizes.
• Apple Skipper Prone Foil Board High performance prone foil board with the Skipper concept hull featuring a unique bulge that displaces water on touchdown. Thinner, stiffer construction with narrower outline for tight turns in the pocket.
• Apple Skipper Short Smallest foil board in the Skipper concept range, designed for kite foil, wake foil, tow-in foiling, and dock start. Features minimal length and narrow outline for high-performance foiling with exceptional responsiveness.
• Mini Foil Kiteboard Small and ultra-light full carbon kite foil board for light wind days. Features honeycomb plate foil tracks for even load distribution and comfortable EVA deck pad with adjustable inserts.
• Foil Drive Titanium Mast Plate Split Bolt Titanium mounting hardware for Foil Drive systems in trench boards. Features effortless alignment, T-nut and thread that stay together, and enables faster battery swaps without full system removal. Listed at €150.00 per unit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50K foam withstands 50,000 kg per square metre while remaining very flexible
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Foil DrivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2025Appletree and Foil Drive co-designed the Zapple board specifically to work seamlessly with Foil Drive systems. The partnership involved joint engineering from layup to foil box positioning. The Zapple features a recessed battery layout to minimize water turbulence and a 'signal window' nose design to optimize antenna signal for the remote control, eliminating interruptions even in demanding conditions. The partnership was formally introduced in January 2025.
• Sustainable SurfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppletree is officially approved by Sustainable Surf as an Ecoboard certified manufacturer. This partnership validates Appletree's sustainability claims and allows the company to label boards with the Eco Board logo. The certification requires meeting performance and environmental impact standards.
• OEM PartnersminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAppletree is working with several OEM partners who have chosen to have boards produced by Appletree instead of factories that do not prioritize sustainability. These other brands are making a conscious decision to partner with a factory that values sustainability in production.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Firewire Surfboards: Premium surfboard brand known for advanced composite construction techniques (epoxy, timber, vacuum-bagged). Comparable in premium composite surfboard construction philosophy and advanced materials approach, though broader in surf styles and not focused on the kite/foil niche.
• Duotone: Major German kiteboarding and wing foiling brand owned by Boards & More GmbH, producing a full line of boards, kites, wings, and foils. Comparable in wing foil boards but much broader portfolio and global scale as a broad incumbent in the kite/wing foiling space.
• North Kiteboarding: German/Hawaiian premium kiteboarding and wing foiling hardware brand. Comparable in premium board offerings for kite foiling and wing foiling, with broader product portfolio and incumbent market position in the broader kiteboarding industry.

Direct peers

• F-One: French company producing kites, wings, boards, and foils for kiteboarding and wing foiling. Comparable as a premium European-based manufacturer of wing foil and kite foil boards serving similar dealers and customer segments as Appletree.
• Go Foil: Hawaii-based pioneer in foil board and hydrofoil systems for surf foiling and prone foiling. Direct competitor in the prone foil and surf foil board category with similar advanced/expert rider focus and premium construction philosophy.
• Lift Foils: Florida/Hawaii-based manufacturer of e-foils and surf foils with carbon fiber construction. Comparable in premium positioning, composite construction technology, and target customer base of advanced foilers, though Lift is differentiated by its e-foil focus.
• Naish: Hawaii-based manufacturer of kiteboarding, wing foiling, and surfing equipment with global distribution. Comparable in wing foil boards, prone foil boards, and dealer network structure, with a broader product portfolio than Appletree.
• Slingshot Sports: Oregon-based kiteboarding and foiling brand producing kite foil boards, wing foil boards, and hydrofoils. Direct competitor in the kite foil and wing foil board segments with similar global dealer approach and Oregon manufacturing base near Big Winds.
• Armstrong Foils: Hawaii-based manufacturer of high-performance foil boards, foils, and components for surf foiling, kite foiling, and prone foiling. Direct competitor in the premium foil board segment with similar target customers (advanced foilers) and product overlap with Appletree's Zapple, Appleslice, and Skipper lines.
• Cabrinha: Global kiteboarding and wing foiling hardware brand producing boards, kites, wings, and foils. Comparable in wing foil board offering and dealer network scale, though much larger in product portfolio scope and brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubem.youtube.com/channel/UC9VQjKzlY3LdiOKFiUK7Cbw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ATSboards
• Instagraminstagram.com/appletreesurfboards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/appletree-surfboards

Compliance1 record

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 Appletree Surfboards