Xistarca

Name

Xistarca

Legal name

Xistarca, Promoções e Publicações Desportivas Lda

Website

https://xistarca.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Event Management Services

NAICS

Other Spectator Sports (711219), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKADAD

Mass Participation Race Organizers (Runs, Triathlons, Cycling)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Event & Tournament Organizers (Tours, Championships, Meets)

Keywords

• Sports event management
• Running race organization
• Athletics event services
• Race timing systems
• Event registration platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Organization Services: Xistarca organizes running and athletics events, providing technical organization, timing services, results management, and event logistics for municipal governments, sports federations, and corporate sponsors.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from participant registration fees for races and events, with pricing varying by event type and distance. Additional fees for late registration and day-of-event pickup.
3. Sponsorship and Partnership Agreements: Partnership arrangements with sponsors (Bimbo, Decathlon, BNP Paribas, Generali, Betclic) who fund events in exchange for brand visibility and association with sports events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Xistarca organizes and manages running and athletics events across Portugal, providing end-to-end services including participant registration, electronic chip-based race timing, results processing and certification, and full event logistics. The company serves individual recreational and competitive runners, municipal governments, and corporate sponsors through flagship events such as the Bimbo Global Race, Meia Maratona dos Descobrimentos, and Corrida Noturna Costa da Caparica.

Product overview

Xistarca is a sports events company that offers a comprehensive portfolio of services centered around organizing, managing, and promoting athletic running events in Portugal. The company's core offering consists of event organization services, an online registration platform for participant management, and a results publishing system. Their event portfolio includes signature races such as the Bimbo Global Race, Corrida Noturna Costa da Caparica, Meia Maratona dos Descobrimentos, and the BETCLIC Challenge Up inclination series. The company also provides a weekly newsletter subscription service. Xistarca operates primarily in Portugal but serves participants internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Xistarca Event Organization Services Comprehensive event organization service for running races and athletics competitions, including planning, registration management, electronic chip timing, results processing, participant insurance, and on-site logistics. Sold to municipal governments, sports federations, and corporate sponsors.
• Bimbo Global Race Annual international running event organized by Xistarca in Lisbon, part of the global Bimbo race series, featuring multiple distances including Kids Race (200m-800m), 5km, and 10km. Open to individual runners of all ages.
• Corrida Noturna Costa da Caparica Night running event held at Costa da Caparica beach featuring 5km, 10km, and Kids Race distances, scheduled for 5 September 2026.
• Generali Tranquilidade Meia Maratona dos Descobrimentos Half marathon event held in Lisbon, 5-star rated by the European Athletics Association, featuring Kids Race, 4km walking, 10km, and 21km distances.
• BETCLIC Challenge Up Inclination challenge race series held at various Lisbon locations, featuring intense short inclines of approximately 260 meters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,200 athletes in single race event (Corrida das Lezírias record)
• +1 more outcomes

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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Câmara Municipal de BarreirocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner for Barra Night Run Barreiro event, with the 10th edition scheduled for 2026. Xistarca provides technical organization services for municipal sporting events.
• Câmara Municipal de AlmadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner for Meia Maratona de Almada, an emblematic sporting event in the local sporting calendar, held April 6, 2025.
• Junta de Freguesia de BelémcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Corrida de Belém (11th edition), with Xistarca providing technical support for the event passing through Lisbon's historic monuments.
• Grupo BimboflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of Bimbo Global Race, a major international running event now in its 11th edition (September 27, 2026) at Praça do Império, Belém, Lisboa. Part of Bimbo's global initiative promoting healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
• Generali TranquilidadeflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerNaming sponsor of Generali Tranquilidade Meia Maratona dos Descobrimentos, a 5-star rated event by the European Athletics Association, held November 30, 2025.
• BNP ParibascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of BNP Paribas Corrida Jorge Pina para a Inclusão, a 9th edition event promoting inclusion, active citizenship, and wellbeing.
• Decathlon PortugalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor (Decathlon São Silvestre Montijo) and kit pickup location partner (Decathlon Amadora for Bimbo Global Race), providing retail infrastructure for event logistics.
• BetcliccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of BETCLIC Challenge Up, a vertical running competition series with multiple locations including Estádio do Restelo and Portas do Sol, featuring 260-meter intense inclines.
• Clube Futebol os BelenensesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for BETCLIC Challenge Up events at Estádio do Restelo, utilizing the stadium area for vertical running competitions.
• Junta de Freguesia de Santa Maria MaiorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for BETCLIC Challenge Up – Portas do Sol event, with route from Largo do Chafariz near Museu do Fado to Portas do Sol in Alfama.
• El Corte InglésminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for São Silvestre El Corte Inglés event (4th edition, December 14), with training sessions held near the store and registration through bol.pt.
• CEFADminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport partner listed in Xistarca's supporter section, contributing to event organization.
• EPCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport partner listed in Xistarca's supporter section, contributing to event organization.
• Revista AtletismominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport partner listed in Xistarca's supporter section, contributing to event coverage and promotion.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Spartan Race: Global obstacle course and endurance event organizer with events in dozens of countries. Comparable event-driven, sponsorship-heavy business model targeting health-conscious consumers, though focused on a different race format.
• Ironman Group: World's largest mass participation endurance event organizer, producing triathlons, marathons, and other races globally. Comparable in event-organizer business model and corporate sponsor activation playbook, though operating at vastly greater scale and broader sport coverage.
• Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series: International marathon and running event series operated by the Competitor Group, hosting dozens of city-based mass participation races globally. Comparable in mass participation running focus but operates at a much larger scale across multiple countries.
• World Marathon Majors: Alliance of the world's six largest city marathons (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York). Comparable only at the elite end of mass participation road running; represents the upper bound of scale and prestige in the category Xistarca's flagship event aspires to.

Direct peers

• Global Sports Communication: Netherlands-based race timing and event management company serving mass participation running events across Europe. Comparable in timing technology, race results services, and event-organizer client profile.
• HMS Sports International: Portuguese sports event management company organizing cycling, running, and other endurance events across Portugal. Closely comparable in business model, customer mix (municipal + corporate sponsors), and event-organizer positioning.
• Maratona Clube de Portugal: Portuguese running club and event organizer behind the Lisbon Marathon and related road races. Direct competitor in the same geography, organizing similar mass participation running events with comparable sponsor and municipal partnership models.
• Lap2Go: Iberian timing and sports event technology provider offering chip-based race timing, registration, and results platforms. Comparable to Xistarca's timing/registration tech stack and serving the same Iberian event-organizer customer base.

Emerging players

• Tough Mudder: Endurance and obstacle event company with international event portfolio and corporate partnerships. Comparable in event-driven sponsorship model, though focused on a different endurance format and a younger demographic than Xistarca's road races.
• Organização Carlos Costa (Runedia): Iberian (Portuguese/Spanish) running event directory and event management platform. Comparable to Xistarca's registration and results platform ambitions, with overlapping participant audiences in the Iberian running community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xistarca

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Xistarca