Volare Sports Management

What Volare Sports Management does

Volare Sports Management is a Netherlands-based athlete management agency founded in 2005 by Gerard van de Veen, with the business subsequently operated by his daughters Hannah Biwott-van de Veen and Marieke van de Veen as co-owners. The firm represents over 100 elite distance runners, primarily sourced from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda, and operates from bases in Voorthuizen (Netherlands) plus field operations in each of the three East African talent hubs. The agency delivers an end-to-end service stack covering career development, sponsorship arrangement, financial supervision, medical and mental health support, training camp coordination, and competition logistics including travel and visa handling.

The business operates as a low-headcount professional services firm (approximately seven employees) with no proprietary technology platform; athlete performance monitoring relies on third-party consumer applications such as Garmin and Adidas Running. Revenue is generated through two streams: athlete management fees and commissions on sponsorship contracts arranged between athletes and brand partners. The firm holds World Athletics Authorized Athletes' Representative status, which is a credentialed license required for formal representation of elite competitors in sanctioned events.

Volare's commercial position is anchored by a Day One partnership with adidas for footwear, apparel, and endorsement deals, supplemented by multi-year commercial agreements with nutrition and supplement brands (Maurten, Vitals Voedingssupplementen, Virtuoos) and media partnerships (GirlPower Radio). The van de Veen family also operates the Sisters For Sisters charitable foundation, established in January 2022, which provides social support to women and children in Kenya and Ethiopia. The agency is privately held with no external institutional investors, no parent company, and no public listing.

Name

Volare Sports Management

Legal name

Volare Sports

Website

https://volaresports.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Volare Sports Management is a Netherlands-based athlete management agency founded in 2005, representing over 100 elite distance runners primarily from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda. The family-owned firm delivers career management, sponsorship facilitation, and competition logistics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Athlete Management Services

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Agents & Player Contract Negotiation Specialists (MPAKAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Triathlon & Multisport Events (Triathlon, Duathlon, Aquathlon) (MPAKAIAB), Trail Running & Ultra-Endurance Events (Trail Races, Ultras) (MPAKAIAD)

Keywords

• Athlete management services
• Professional running management
• Sports marketing agency
• Marathon event coordination
• Sponsorship facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Voorthuizen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Travel and Logistics, Others

Revenue model

1. Athlete Management Services: Full-service athlete management including career development, competition scheduling, financial guidance, sponsorship arrangement, and logistical support. Revenue derived from management fees and commission on sponsorship deals.
2. Sponsorship Facilitation: Connecting sponsors with athletes for brand activation, creative campaigns, and athlete endorsements. Revenue generated through sponsorship partnerships and marketing arrangements.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Volare Sports is a professional athlete management agency that represents national and international runners, primarily distance and marathon specialists from East Africa. Services span full career representation including competition scheduling, sponsorship arrangement, financial supervision, training camp coordination, medical support, and travel/visa logistics. The agency also connects corporate sponsors with athletes for endorsement deals and brand activation campaigns.

Product overview

Volare Sports Management is an athlete management agency founded in 2005, offering a comprehensive suite of services for professional runners and athletes. The core offering consists of athlete management services that provide 24/7 personal attention and a family-like support system. The company operates through interconnected service modules: athlete management and representation forms the foundation, supported by sponsorship and marketing services for brand partnerships, running events management for competition participation, physical supervision including training camps and medical support, personal support encompassing financial and mental health services, and competition management handling logistics. The company also operates the Sisters For Sisters charitable foundation supporting women and children in East Africa. Volare Sports represents over 100 athletes globally with operations in the Netherlands, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sisters For Sisters: A charitable foundation established by the van de Veen sisters to provide urgent assistance to women and children in Kenya and Ethiopia, supporting with groceries, school fees, and medical help.

Products and services

• Athlete Management Services

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vitals VoedingssupplementencoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2023Multi-year partnership supporting Ethiopian athletes with nutritional supplements. Vitals provides blood level testing and optimal nutrient dosing. Products are NZVT certified for doping safety.
• adidascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner from Day One. Provides athletes with footwear, apparel, and equipment. Long-standing relationship enabling adidas to sponsor top athletes and next-generation talent. Collaborates on creative campaigns and athlete development initiatives.
• MaurtencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnergy and nutrition products partner. Maurten provides scientific fuel strategies for athletes. Focus on natural products and research in partnership with universities.
• VirtuoosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports supplements partner providing products to support athlete performance. Focus on innovation and helping athletes achieve their best.
• GirlPower RadiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partnership amplifying powerful women's voices and increasing visibility of female athletes and artists. Joint initiatives combining sports and media.
• Athletics Federation (Atletiekunie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch athletics federation partnership for athlete development and competition support.
• WIN (Women in Nutrition)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting women's nutrition and athletic development initiatives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IMG (Endeavor): Global sports and entertainment agency representing athletes across many sports including running. While not distance-running focused, IMG competes for elite athlete representation contracts and offers broader media rights, content production, and licensing capabilities Volare cannot match.
• CAA (Creative Artists Agency): Major global talent and sports agency representing elite athletes across disciplines. While primarily known for entertainment, CAA's sports division competes in athlete representation and offers integrated endorsement, media, and brand capabilities beyond Volare's boutique scope.
• Octagon: Global sports marketing agency representing athletes across multiple disciplines including Olympic sports. Broader incumbent player with capabilities in sponsorship, events, and brand consulting that overlap with Volare's offerings but at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• On Athletics Club: Running brand-owned athlete collective representing elite distance runners with integrated sponsorship and content. Represents an emerging model of sponsor-integrated management that could compete with Volare for athlete signings and brand partnerships.
• NN Running Team: Elite marathon training group and athlete collective sponsored by NN Group. Competes with Volare for top marathon talent through a hybrid training team/management structure, representing a more institutionalized model of athlete development and sponsorship.

Direct peers

• Total Sports Management: Athlete management agency offering representation services for professional runners and track-and-field athletes. Comparable business model with sponsorship facilitation, competition scheduling, and career management analogous to Volare's full-service offering.
• Global Sports Communication: Netherlands-based athlete management agency specializing in elite distance running, directly competing with Volare for Kenyan, Ethiopian, and Ugandan talent. Operates as a direct peer with overlapping client base (top marathoners), similar revenue model, and comparable World Athletics authorization.
• PACE Sports Management: UK-based sports management agency focused on endurance and middle-distance athletes. Directly comparable business model managing elite runners with sponsorship facilitation and career management services, competing for the same athlete and sponsor relationships as Volare.
• Mass Sports Management: Sports management firm specializing in track and field athletes with similar athlete representation, sponsorship arrangement, and competition management services to Volare. Overlaps in target market of elite distance runners and marathon specialists.
• Rosa & Associati: Italy-based athletics management agency founded by former marathoner Gianni Rosa. Directly comparable to Volare as a boutique agency representing elite European and African distance runners with similar full-service management and sponsorship brokering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volare-sports-management

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Volare Sports Management