Ski boot maker Apex Sports Group raising cash for European expansion

BOULDER – Local ski boot maker Apex Sports Group LLC is seeking to raise up to $1 million through a CircleUp crowdfunding campaign as the company looks to ramp up sales in Europe.

Apex president and founder Denny Hanson said the company’s CircleUp campaign is seeking at least $500,000 and up to $1 million. The company registered to raise up to $1.5 million with the Securities and Exchange Commission, he said, in case the round is oversubscribed.

CircleUp is a crowdfunding site targeted at accredited investors.

Founded in 2006, Boulder-based Apex began selling its unique alpine ski boots in 2009. The company has previously raised about $4.5 million in capital.

Apex’s products feature an inner boot that can be removed from an outer chassis, making the boots not only easier to walk in but also compatible for snowboarding. The company is selling boots in about 150 retail outlets nationwide, including Christy Sports and REI.

The company has also been doing some business in Switzerland, Hanson said.

“We’d like to expand quite rapidly to the other countries (in Europe),” he said.

Apex, which has its headquarters in Gunbarrel, conducts warehouse and shipping operations locally. Its boots are manufactured in China.

The company doesn’t disclose revenue, but Hanson said it has seven full-time employees and 10 during ski season.

“(Employee count) will grow but not at this location,” Hanson said. “We would expect to have some hires on the European continent” once the new funding rolls in.

on Facebook on LinkedIn