Surf & Sup

What Surf & Sup does

Surf & SUP Danmark is the Danish national sports federation for surfing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), operating as a non-profit "special federation" under DIF (the Danish Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation). It is headquartered in Brøndby, Denmark, and serves approximately 4,000+ individual members across roughly 70 registered clubs nationwide, with an addressable market of around 120,000 active participants. The federation is responsible for governing competition formats, certifying instructors and clubs, representing Denmark at the International Surfing Association (ISA) and European Surfing Federation (ESF), and developing the sport at the grassroots level.

The federation's product surface spans grassroots participation, instructor education, event sanctioning, and public-health-adjacent programming. Recent additions include the Danish Surf Academy (formal education/certification, launched March 2026), the BLUE HEALTH school and public-health initiative funded by a DKK 7.88M Nordea-fonden grant over 2026–2029, and a wave park feasibility study initiated in March 2026. Core technology consists of a membership and member-engagement platform built with Oak Digital and launched in December 2023, which underpins member sign-up, dues collection, and club administration. Underlying technical components are conventional federation-grade digital tooling rather than proprietary IP.

The business model is a diversified non-profit revenue stack: tiered annual membership dues (individuals DKK 150, clubs DKK 1,500–3,500, schools DKK 1,000), event and course fees, merchandise, DIF subsidies, and restricted grants from foundations such as Nordea-fonden. Go-to-market is anchored by the 70-club distribution network and DIF-affiliated institutional channels, with the digital member platform as the central engagement layer. Pricing is low-ticket and high-volume at the individual level, with larger contract values concentrated in grant and institutional funding rather than member dues.

Name

Surf & Sup

Legal name

Surf & SUP Danmark

Website

https://surfsup.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Surf & SUP Danmark is the Danish national federation for surfing and stand-up paddleboarding under DIF, serving 4,000+ members across ~70 clubs via memberships, events, courses, academy training, and foundation-funded public-health programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Sports Federation Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surf, Kitesurf & Wind Sports Adventures (THAJABAK), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• National sports federation
• Water sports membership
• Surfing competitions
• Instructor certification
• Club development

Headquarters

HQ city

Brøndby Strand

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees from individual members (150 DKK/year), clubs (Rookie free, The Search 1,500 DKK/year, The Barrel 3,500 DKK/year), and schools (1,000 DKK/year). Revenue is recurring and auto-renewed annually.
2. Events and Courses: Revenue from organizing and hosting competitive events (Danish Surf Tour, Danish SUP Tour, Longboard Open, Copenhagen SUP HUB) and educational courses (SUP Instructor certification). Member discounts apply.
3. BLUE HEALTH Project Funding: Major project funding from Nordea-fonden: 7.88 million DKK grant for the BLUE HEALTH project (2026-2029) in partnership with VIA University College to integrate water sports into schools.
4. DIF Strategic Agreement: Government funding through Danish Sports Confederation (DIF) including strategic agreement, base subsidy dependent on clubs/members, and activity-based support.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online shop sales of branded merchandise including caps, water bottles, enamel mugs, neck gaiters, lycra, t-shirts, and sustainability products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Surf & SUP Danmark operates as the official Olympic special sports federation for surfing and stand up paddleboarding in Denmark under DIF. It provides tiered memberships for individuals, clubs, and schools/institutions, organizes national competition series (Danish Surf Tour and Danish SUP Tour), delivers instructor certification courses, and runs special initiatives including the BLUE HEALTH youth well-being project and Danish Surf Academy education program.

Product overview

Surf & SUP Danmark is an Olympic special federation under the Danish Sports Confederation (DIF) for surfing, stand up paddle (SUP), prone paddleboarding, and rafting. The organization operates a membership platform with three tiers: Individual Membership (150 DKK/year), Association Membership (Rookie/The Search/The Barrel tiers from free to 3,500 DKK/year), and School/Institution Membership (1,000 DKK/year). The federation organizes the Danish Surf Tour and Danish SUP Tour competition series, offers SUP instructor certification courses, and runs special projects including BLUE HEALTH (youth wellbeing initiative with VIA University College) and Danish Surf Academy (education program). They also operate a merchandise shop. Their NEW WAVE 2021-2028 strategy guides all activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership (Individuelt Medlemskab) Annual individual membership at 150 DKK providing access to guides, training videos, tutorials, event discounts (100 DKK per event, 150 DKK per clinic, up to 350 DKK per education), and 10-25% partner discounts on surf and SUP equipment and clothing. Billed annually on April 1st.
• Association Membership (Foreningsmedlemskab)
• School/Institution Membership (Skole/Institution Medlemskab)
• Danish Surf Tour
• Danish SUP Tour
• SUP Instructor Course (SUP Instruktør Kursus)
• Danish Surf Academy A 10th-grade education program combining online learning with surf experiences across four countries, integrating sports, nature, culture, and global education. Developed in partnership with Danish Nature Academy and De Brede Planker, with up to 25 students enrolled per cohort.
• BLUE HEALTH Project A 7.88 million DKK project (2026-2029) in partnership with VIA University College, funded by Nordea-fonden, to strengthen student well-being, mental health, and communities through surfing, SUP, and windsurfing activities in schools. Targets 2,000+ students and 50 teachers across 10 schools.
• Surf & SUP Danmark Online Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• Surf & SUP Danmark achieved recognition as Special Sports Federation of the Year (Årets Specialforbund) by DIF in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• Danish Nature AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2026Co-developer of Danish Surf Academy - a 10th grade program combining surfing, online education, and international travel across 4 countries. Maximum 25 students per cohort.
• De Brede PlankercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2026Adventure company partner in Danish Surf Academy development. Provides practical surfing instruction and adventure experiences for students.
• Danmarks Idrætsforbund (DIF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Olympic special sports federation under DIF. Receives strategic agreement funding, base subsidies tied to clubs/members, and participates in DIF initiatives like Idræt for Klima. DIF's 2024 two-year internal climate and sustainability program includes Surf & SUP Danmark as one of 8 initial approved federations.
• International Surfing Association (ISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational governing body for surfing recognized by IOC. Board member Jakob Færch serves on ISA Board. Federation follows ISA rules and participates in ISA events including Olympic qualification systems.
• European Surfing Federation (ESF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean continental federation. Director Michael Lindberg serves as Secretary General (elected May 2026). ESF moved headquarters from England to France within EU. EM 2027 provides direct Olympic qualification pathway.
• VIA University CollegeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for BLUE HEALTH project. Provides research-based knowledge, teacher professional development, and co-creation process with schools and clubs. Jesper Dahlgaard serves as research leader.
• FriluftsrådetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutdoor Council collaboration. Listed as federation member organization.
• Capio PrivathospitalminorOthersHealthcare partner continuing collaboration with federation. Provides medical services for athletes and federation activities.
• Local Clubs NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproximately 70 clubs across Denmark serve as primary distribution channel for federation activities. Clubs include LimeLight BoardSport Club, Roklubben Stevns, Havkajak Stevns, SurfHorsens, and Copenhagen Water Sports among others.
• WWF VerdensnaturfondenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 3D-printed reef project in Copenhagen Harbor. WWF contributed marine biology expertise for reef design in partnership with By & Havn.
• By & HavnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity and Harbor authority partnership. Installed 50+ 3D-printed reef modules at Sundkaj in Nordhavn. Surf & SUP Danmark invested in additional reef installation as part of VM SUP 2024 legacy project.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Surfing England: National surfing federation for England overseeing competitions, instructor courses, club development, and elite athlete pathways. Highly comparable operating model and Northern European climate constraints.
• Fédération Française de Surf (FFS): National Olympic surfing federation for France, organizing competitions, instructor certifications, and club support. Closely comparable in mission, structure, and DIF-equivalent (FFS under CNOSF) affiliation, but in a much larger market.
• Surfing Australia: National Olympic surfing federation for Australia running the Australian Surf Tour, instructor certifications, and high-performance programs. Comparable federation structure but at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• World Surf League (WSL): Commercial professional surfing tour organizing global championships, comparable in event-organization capability but operating on a for-profit basis rather than federation model. Useful comparator for the Danish Surf Tour / Danish SUP Tour event operations.

Broad incumbents

• International Surfing Association (ISA): IOC-recognized global governing body for surfing, of which Surf & SUP Danmark is a member. Sets international rules, Olympic qualification pathways (e.g., EM 2027/LA2028), and world championship formats used by national federations.
• European Surfing Federation (ESF): Continental governing body for European surfing coordinating EM events and Olympic pathways; Director Michael Lindberg was elected Secretary General in May 2026. Directly relevant as the regional umbrella over Surf & SUP Danmark.

Others

• Dansk Kano og Kajak Forbund (Danish Canoe and Kayak Federation): Another DIF-affiliated national water-sports federation with overlapping membership, event, and club-support models. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but highly comparable operational footprint in paddle sports.
• Danmarks Idrætsforbund (DIF): Danish national sports confederation and umbrella body providing strategic funding, base subsidies, and political representation to Surf & SUP Danmark and other special federations. Acts as the structural parent for federation funding flows.
• Surfrider Foundation Europe: European environmental advocacy organization protecting oceans and surf coastlines; collaborated with Surf & SUP Danmark on the 3D-printed reef project in Copenhagen Harbor. Comparable surf-aligned mission, particularly on sustainability.

Regional players

• Norwegian Surf Association: National surfing representative body in Norway, sharing Nordic climate limitations and small-market federation dynamics. Comparable scope (membership, competitions, clubs) but in a separate Nordic geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/surfsupdanmark
• Facebookfacebook.com/surfsupdanmark
• Instagraminstagram.com/surfsupdanmark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surf-sup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Surf & Sup