Darren Handley Designs (aka DHD) are the sleds of choice for some of Australia’s most notable surfing talents. Between Mick Fanning and Steph Gilmore, DHD lays claim to being under the feet of nine successful world title campaigns – maybe soon to be ten. Matt Wilkinson and Jack Freestone are also on the DHD roster. But, as is the case with most businesses, DHD’s goal is to continue to expand and to do that the company recently launched a major push to attract investors through Equitise, a crowdfunding site.
“DHD is raising capital to increase inventory, invest in product innovation and marketing,” explains the company’s fundraising page. “Alongside and in addition to these plans, the company also has major growth opportunities in the EPS and soft surfboard market as well as accessories and fashion.”
In the video above, Handley himself underscores key market trends behind the decision to launch this campaign.
“It’s great to finally see surfing in the Olympics,” he says. “I can only imagine how it’s going to ignite the sport in countries across the world. We can already see real growth in places like Asia.
Clearly, DHD wants a slice of that pie.
Not to mention developing artificial wave technology that means, according to Handley, “you have to design boards a little bit different.”
Critics of the Olympics have bemoaned how popular surfing will become post-2020 and how crowded it will make already overcrowded surf breaks. These same critics are often the ones who deride foam surfboards and shapers who have moved manufacturing operations overseas.
For the profit-motivated corporation, even a surfboard company, those criticisms don’t seem to be any deterrent.
So-called “retail investors” (those who make less than $250,000 per year) can invest up to $10,000 in DHD, while “sophisticated investors” (those who make $250,000+) can invest an unlimited amount.
