Advised by Afinum Management GmbH, Afinum Neunte Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG acquired a majority stake in Fishing-King GmbH (“Fishing-King”). Hand in hand with Fishing-King’s founder Hubertus Massong and the existing management team, Afinum plans to help the company grow further by achieving higher penetration of its core markets and by expanding into new markets and adjacent product segments.
Fishing-King (www.fishing-king.de), the biggest angling school in the German-speaking region, developed the first officially recognised online courses for obtaining a fishing licence. The course, which can be completed whenever and wherever one likes, provides thorough preparation for the state fishing exam. Fishing-King also offers specialised online courses for water guards as well as on predator fishing and processing a catch. For many of those interested in angling, the Fishing-King platform represents their first encounter with the world of sport fishing, one that accompanies them from the start of their journey, providing them with everything they need to pursue their sport and offering complementary products. Fishing-King also leverages its strong connections with the angling community – including most regional fishing associations and many influencers on social media – to promote sustainable, nature-oriented fishing.
Fishing-King was founded in 2009 by Hubertus Massong (31), a fishing enthusiast and YouTube influencer, initially as a six-day in-person course to prepare anglers for the exam to obtain a fishing licence. Since the launch of its first online preparatory course in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia in 2015, Fishing-King has helped over 100,000 customers across Germany and Austria obtain a fishing licence. Now, Fishing-King’s YouTube channel has 137,000 subscribers.
According to a study by the Allensbach Institute, more than 7.2 million people across the German speaking region fish either occasionally or regularly. That makes angling one of the most popular leisure-time activities, and one that is constantly gaining new adherents (up 15 percent in the last five years). By comparison, there are 3.1 million golf enthusiasts in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Together with Afinum, the team at Fishing-King has set its sights on increasing penetration in its existing markets, rolling out its core business in new markets, and leveraging its status as the angling community’s leading platform and brand to expand into adjacent business areas.
Hubertus Maßong, founder of Fishing-King commented: “From the very beginning, Afinum has shared both my vision of the strategic development and growth potential of Fishing-King and my values of fishing. Together with Afinum’s support and experience, we can continue our successful course, continuously expand our offering, and take the next step with Fishing-King. I am very much looking forward to the cooperation.”
Carlsquare acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Fishing-King.
