Geneva-based private equity firm The New Frontiers (TNF) led the 5 million Swiss francs funding round for Equip, a self-service rental app founded in 2021 that promises to fundamentally change the way sports are played at the local level. Equip was born in Switzerland in 2021 out of a desire to facilitate access to sports and recreational activities in an environmentally sustainable way.
Equip is connected to autonomous stations and allows users to rent sports equipment for a wide variety of sports, right where they need it. For Equip’s founders, Henry Nidecker (CEO Nidecker Group) and Thierry Kunz (Brand Lead at Nidecker and Flow), the emphasis on sharing rather than owning is part of the global responsibility we bear in the face of socioeconomic inequality and environmental protection.
The Equip stations are also autonomous, thanks to their solar panels, and can be installed and controlled remotely without restrictions. Whether SUP, soccer or even basketball, Equip offers a wide range of sports and owes its success to the rapid growth of its installations, its global presence and the diversity of its offerings. Since mid-July, Decathlon Switzerland has been committed to working alongside Equip to deliver high-quality sports and leisure equipment directly to sports venues. Today, this start-up is in full expansion in the U.S., Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland, where the company aims to accelerate its diffusion at the community level.
