Vertical Blue

Name

Vertical Blue

Legal name

Vertical Blue

Website

https://verticalblue.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarence Town

HQ country

Bahamas

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Freediving Courses: Freediving instruction and courses taught by world record holder William Trubridge at Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Vertical Blue is a freediving school and competition organization that operates at Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island, Bahamas. It provides professional freediving courses (beginner through instructor levels) and hosts the annual AIDA-sanctioned Vertical Blue Freediving Competition, serving freediving enthusiasts and elite competitive athletes worldwide.

Product overview

Vertical Blue is a freediving school and annual competition organization operating as a platform-plus-services model. The core offerings include freediving courses at Dean's Blue Hole (School), elite freediving competitions (Events), online training tools (VB Tools), and archival records of competitions. Founded by 18X world record holder William Trubridge, the company provides education, competition hosting, and training resources for the freediving community. The organization maintains multiple subdomain properties including the main site, school site, events site, annual competition microsites (2013-2023), archive, and individual athlete sites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freediving Courses (Beginner through Instructor Level) Professional freediving instruction offered at Dean's Blue Hole, Bahamas, progressing from beginner to instructor level, with personalized onboarding for each participant. Courses are AIDA-aligned and taught by record-holding instructors.
• Vertical Blue Freediving Competition Annual AIDA-sanctioned elite depth competition held at Dean's Blue Hole, attracting an international field of competitive freedivers competing in depth disciplines, supported by a professional safety team and global brand partners.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GarmincoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023For decades, Garmin has pioneered GPS navigation and wireless devices for active lifestyles. Serves five primary markets including marine. Committed to developing products for adventurers and athletes.
• Double KminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Korea's new diving brand revolutionizing gear for freediving and other watersports. Provides wetsuits, fins, masks, lanyards and noseclips.
• OrcaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023The fastest wetsuits for freediving, designed to be completely adherent to the skin while maintaining full flexibility. Orca suits have been used since 2006 to set countless world records.
• SuuntocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Suunto provides dive computers (D6i) used for all training and record attempts since 2007. The company makes the most accurate and dependable dive computers on the planet, and their equipment is used to homologate depth for AIDA competitions.
• MasimocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Official sponsor of Vertical Blue's safety team, providing the latest and most accurate medical equipment to monitor athletes' state before and after dives.
• X-AdventurerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSuppliers of the most powerful compact dive lights on the planet. Vertical Blue uses X-Adventurer's M5000-WSRU lights for all underwater video recording systems, including underwater drones.
• Depth DevelopmentcoreTechnology or IntegrationWeb programming and graphics service responsible for development of Vertical Blue's websites and annual elite competition sites. Long-term strategic partner.
• AIDA InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Worldwide Federation for breath-hold diving, responsible for officiating competitions and homologating world records. Also the industry leader in freediving education and safety.
• The BahamascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bahamas is comprised of 700 islands and over 2,000 rocks and cays. Home and host of Vertical Blue since 2008. Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island is the world's premiere destination for freediving.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Blue Element Freediving: Freediving school offering instruction and instructor certification programs targeting the same enthusiast customer base as Vertical Blue's school. Comparable as a competing freediving education provider with structured curriculum and certification.
• Apnea Academy: Italian-founded global freediving school and instructor certification network built around champion freediver Umberto Pelizzari. Directly comparable as a premium freediving instruction brand operating instructor courses and curriculum worldwide.
• Performance Freediving International (PFI): One of the largest global freediving education organizations, offering instructor certifications and student courses across multiple regions. PFI is directly comparable to Vertical Blue's school business as a competing freediving instruction and certification provider serving the same enthusiast customer base.
• Molchanovs: Freediving equipment and education brand founded by Alexey Molchanov, the principal competitive rival to William Trubridge. Molchanovs operates a global freediving instructor certification program and organizes depth competitions, making it the closest direct competitor to Vertical Blue in elite freediving instruction and events.

Broad incumbents

• CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques): The world underwater federation governing recreational and competitive underwater activities including freediving. Comparable as a broader incumbent that sanctions freediving education and competitions across the global market.
• SSI (Scuba Schools International): Large international dive certification agency offering freediving programs alongside broader scuba and recreational diving education. Comparable as a broader dive education incumbent whose freediving curriculum overlaps with Vertical Blue's school offerings.
• AIDA International: The worldwide federation for breath-hold diving that officiates competitions and homologates world records, and also leads freediving education and safety standards. AIDA is a Vertical Blue partner but is comparable as the broader governing umbrella under which all elite freediving competitions, including VB, operate.

Emerging players

• DeeperBlue: Online freediving media and community platform covering news, training content, and freediving lifestyle. Comparable as a content-driven ecosystem player serving the same enthusiast and competitive freediving audience that Vertical Blue addresses through courses and events.

Others

• Suunto: Manufacturer of dive computers (including the D6i used at Vertical Blue) and a long-tenured title sponsor of the VB competition. Comparable as a strategic equipment partner rather than a direct competitor, providing homologation-grade dive instruments to the freediving community.

Regional players

• Apnea Bali: Indonesia-based premium freediving school operating courses at well-known dive sites. Comparable as a freediving instruction business targeting international students, though geographically focused on Southeast Asia rather than the Caribbean.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@VBFreediving
• Facebookfacebook.com/verticalblue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vertical-blue

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Vertical Blue