Surfing Life Club

What Surfing Life Club does

Surfing Life Club is a Porto-based surf school founded in 1994, operating from a beachfront facility on Matosinhos Beach in Matosinhos, Portugal. The company teaches surfing across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels and serves a diversified customer base that includes tourists, local residents, school groups, international Erasmus students, corporate teams, and people with disabilities. Across its 30+ years of operation it claims to have taught more than 50,000 individuals and to have reached over 15,000 students through its educational arm. The company is privately held, employs 8 people, and runs year-round at the same beachfront location with a 100m² terrace, freshwater showers, changing rooms, video analysis studio, and classroom space.

The core product portfolio comprises Surf Lessons (group, private, multi-lesson packages, plus SUP and surfskate add-ons), Surfboard Rental and Storage, Surf Educa® (a certified educational surf program for schools), Surf Special (adapted surfing for people with autism and mental disabilities, run with partner therapy organizations), Surf Safari (guided coastal trips), Surf Holiday Camps and Birthday Parties for children, Corporate Retreats, and the Maceda Surf Camp sub-brand. The company earns revenue predominantly through transactional unit pricing — per-lesson, per-day, per-week, or per-person fees — with a modest subscription layer from monthly equipment storage. Bookings are direct-to-consumer via the company website (surfinglifeclub.com), WhatsApp, and Google Forms; there is no formal sales team and no third-party resellers. Marketing relies on organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X), SEO, community word-of-mouth, and referrals through partner schools, NGOs, and Erasmus networks. The company is certified by the Portuguese Surfing Federation, holds the registered Surf Educa® trademark, and has received a Merit Award from the Portuguese Minister of Sports and the BPI Training Prize.

Name

Surfing Life Club

Legal name

Surfinglife Club

Website

https://surfinglifeclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Surfing Life Club is a Porto-based surf school founded in 1994 at Matosinhos Beach, teaching surfing to tourists, locals, schools, Erasmus students, corporate groups, and people with disabilities via direct bookings and partnerships with therapy organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surf Instruction & Beachfront Experience Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surf, Kitesurf & Wind Sports Adventures (THAJABAK), Surf & Beach Sports Retail (Surfboards, Bodyboards, Skimboards) (CRAMAIAE)

Keywords

• Surf school
• Surf lessons
• Surfboard rental
• Adaptive surfing
• Youth surf camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Matosinhos

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Surf Lessons: Individual and group surf instruction for beginners, intermediate and advanced surfers. Includes regular lessons, private lessons, multi-lesson packages, SUP, and surfskate sessions. Revenue is earned per session or per package.
2. Surf & Adventure Experiences: Surf safari guiding trips (half-day and full-day) along the northern Portugal coastline, including transport, guiding, and equipment.
3. Equipment Rental: Hourly and daily rental of surfboards, Hurley wetsuits, and full surf equipment. Also includes student discounts up to 30% and monthly storage options.
4. Equipment Storage: Monthly storage of surfboards and wetsuits at the beachfront facility, including access to freshwater showers, wardrobes, and secure key storage.
5. Surf Camps & Youth Programs: Summer holiday camps for kids and teens (ages 6-17), including full-week packages with daily activities. Also includes birthday party packages for groups of 6-30 participants.
6. Corporate Retreats: Team-building corporate retreats on the Atlantic Coast, combining surf lessons with team activities. Includes venue hire (100m2 beachfront terrace), changing rooms, showers, and optional catering.
7. Surf Educa School Programs: School-focused surf education programs for groups of 12+, with theoretical and practical components. Priced per student based on group size (6-15 or 16+ students) and program duration.
8. Surf Special Disability Programs: Adapted surfing sessions for people with disabilities and autism, run in partnership with therapy organizations.
9. Additional Services: Freshwater bath access (single-use and monthly pass), surfboard and wetsuit repairs, and sales of new and used surf equipment (up to 50% off).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Surfing Life Club operates a beachfront surf school on Matosinhos Beach in Porto, Portugal, offering professional surf instruction for all levels (beginners through intermediate), surfboard and wetsuit rentals, monthly equipment storage, guided surf safaris along the northern Portuguese coast, and a portfolio of specialized programs including Surf Educa for schools, Surf Special for people with disabilities, youth holiday camps, kids' birthday parties, bachelor parties, Erasmus student experiences, and corporate team-building retreats.

Product overview

Surfing Life Club is a surf school and experience provider based in Porto, Portugal, founded in 1994. The company operates a multi-service platform offering surf lessons and programs (including regular, private, and multi-lesson packages), equipment rentals and storage, youth camps and school programs, adaptive surfing (Surf Educa® for schools and Surf Special for disabilities), surf guiding experiences (Surf Safari), corporate retreats, and event celebrations. The core offering centers on professional surf instruction at Matosinhos Beach, supplemented by equipment rental services and specialized programs like the award-winning Surf Educa® educational curriculum. The company also manages the Maceda Surf Camp as a sub-brand location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Surf Educa®: Educational surf program combining surfing with ocean safety education for schools and youth groups
• Surf Special
• Maceda Surf Camp

Products and services

• Surf Lessons Professional surf instruction for all skill levels including beginners, weekend warriors, and intermediate surfers, delivered as regular group lessons, private lessons, and multi-lesson packages.
• Surfboard Rentals & Storage Hourly and daily rental of high-quality surfboards and Hurley wetsuits, plus monthly surfboard and wetsuit storage with access to freshwater showers, wardrobes, and secure key storage at the beachfront facility.
• Surf Educa Certified educational surf program combining surfing with ocean safety, water rescue techniques, wave reading, and ecological responsibility through theory and practice sessions for school groups of 12+ students.
• Surf Special Adapted surfing program for people with autism and mental disabilities, delivered in partnership with therapy organizations, progressing from pool sessions to ocean sessions with trained instructors and therapy assistants.
• Surf Safari Guided surf safari experiences along Portugal's northern coastline including half-day (4 hours) and full-day (8 hours) trips with transport, equipment, and insurance included.
• Surf Holiday Camp Full-week summer surf camp for children and teens (ages 6-17) with daily surf lessons, bodyboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, skateboarding, yoga, and team games at the Matosinhos facility.
• Kids Birthday Parties Surf-themed birthday party experiences for children with professional instructors, all equipment, beach games, and three customizable program tiers (Surf only, Surf + Games, Surf + Games + Skate); birthday child surfs free.
• Corporate Retreats Team-building surf experiences for businesses combining surf lessons with team activities, including use of the 100m² beachfront terrace, changing rooms, showers, and optional catering and add-ons.
• Events & Bachelor Parties Adult birthday and bachelor/stag party experiences with surf sessions, equipment provided, hotel pickup/drop-off, and recommendations for nightlife activities.
• Erasmus Surf Program Surf experiences designed for international Erasmus and study abroad students in Porto, combining surf instruction with community connection and cultural integration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ individuals taught to surf since 1994
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AAJUDEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAJUDE is a nonprofit organization supporting people with disabilities. Surfing Life Club partners with AAJUDE for the Surf Special adapted surfing program, which was awarded the BPI Training Prize. AAJUDE provides therapy assistants who work alongside certified surf coaches to deliver pool-to-ocean surf sessions for people with autism and mental disabilities.
• RUMO À VIDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRUMO À VIDA is a therapy and support organization. The partnership with Surfing Life Club delivers Surf Special sessions for people with autism and mental disabilities, combining therapeutic support with adapted surf instruction.
• APPC (Associação para a Promoção da Criança)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPPC is an association focused on child welfare and development. Partners with Surfing Life Club for the Surf Special adapted surf program, supporting children and adults with disabilities through therapeutic surf experiences.
• APPDA NortecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPPDA Norte focuses on autism support in northern Portugal. Partners with Surfing Life Club for the Surf Special program, providing specialized support and therapy for participants with autism during adapted surf lessons.
• XOXO RestaurantminorOthersXOXO Restaurant is Surfing Life Club's catering partner for surf camps and youth programs, providing balanced meals including vegetarian options for camp participants.
• Maceda Surf CampminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaceda Surf Camp (macedasurfcamp.eu) is referenced as a related surf camp property and surf destination option. Surfing Life Club offers surf safari guiding trips that can extend to Maceda for more playful, emptier waves, suggesting a collaborative relationship for surf travel experiences.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Perfect Wave Surf Travel: Global surf travel and surf camp booking company aggregating multiple surf destinations worldwide. Comparable to Surfing Life Club on surf travel/safari experiences and beginner-to-intermediate lesson offerings, but operates as a multi-destination intermediary rather than a single-school operator.
• World Surf League (WSL): Governing body and commercial operator of professional surfing competitions globally. Adjacent in that it sets the broader surf ecosystem and credibility standards against which a school like Surfing Life Club positions its 30+ year heritage.

Others

• Surfline: Surf forecasting, live camera, and content platform that Surfing Life Club already integrates into its booking flow. Ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor, but its brand is a primary discovery channel for surf tourists.

Regional players

• World Surfaris: Australian surf travel and boat trip operator focused on guided surf experiences. Comparable to Surfing Life Club's surf safari product, but serves a different primary geography and a more intermediate-to-advanced surf trip customer.

Direct peers

• Lapoint Camps: Norwegian-origin surf camp operator with locations across Europe, Morocco, and Indonesia, offering multi-day surf camps and lessons. Direct peer on multi-location camp model, instructor-led instruction, and beginner-to-intermediate progression.
• Ericeira Surf School: Established surf school in Ericeira, Portugal, offering group and private surf lessons, equipment rental, and camps. Competes for the same Portuguese tourist, beginner, and intermediate customer base as Surfing Life Club.
• Surf Simply: Surf coaching school in Nosara, Costa Rica, known for structured surf instruction methodology and small coach-to-guest ratios. Comparable to Surfing Life Club in its premium positioning on instructional quality and video analysis.
• Ocean Spirit Surf School: Long-established surf school on Ireland's west coast offering lessons, equipment rental, and kids' surf programs. Comparable to Surfing Life Club in surf instruction, equipment rental, and youth programming on the Atlantic coast.
• Mojosurf: One of the largest surf school operators globally, headquartered in Australia, running learn-to-surf camps, lessons, and surf tours. Compares to Surfing Life Club on multi-location surf school operations and beginner-focused camp product.
• Maceda Surf Camp: Surf camp operator in Maceda, northern Portugal, listed as a sub-brand/partner of Surfing Life Club. Operates a similar beachfront surf school and camp model targeting similar tourist and beginner segments in the same Portuguese coastline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/surfinglifeclub
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SurfingLifeClub
• Facebookfacebook.com/surfinglifeclub
• Instagraminstagram.com/surfinglifeclub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surfing-life-club

Compliance3 records

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 Surfing Life Club