The Business Side of Sailing

Incredibly, a year has already passed since an emotional Oliver Heer stood on the deck of his IMOCA in Les Sables d’Olonne, surrounded by almost 300,000 cheering fans. It was the start of the Vendée Globe 2024, the toughest solo, non-stop, round-the-world sailing race on the planet.

It was a day of nerves and excitement, and the day Ollie made history as the first Swiss-German skipper to take on this epic challenge. For three years – getting to the start line was the team's only objective, and it was far from easy.

“People see the celebration, the spectacle, the adventure,” he says. “But they rarely see the hard work, the years of preparation, the sleepless nights, and the personal risk it takes to even reach the start line of the Vendée Globe race. It’s a bigger challenge than the race itself.”

The Business Side of Ambition

Being a professional sailor is, to a large extent, about being a business entrepreneur. With no prize-money, pursuing a career as a professional sailor requires a level of personal commitment not found in other sports. It’s not only about sailing expertise, you must also understand business management, finance and sponsorship.

“After finishing the Vendée Globe, I thought things would get easier,” Oliver admits. “But in reality, no one is waiting for you. You must prove yourself all over again — this time off the water.”

During the 9 months since his heroic arrival in Les Sables D’Olonne, Oliver and his small but determined team have been working hard to finalise the next chapter: A campaign consisting of three years of racing, combining solo racing with double-handed and fully crewed, in a mix of ocean races, culminating in the Vendée Globe 2028.

The vision is simple — bigger, better, faster, stronger.

The next boat will be a modern foiling-design IMOCA, capable of flying above the water and competing with the very best in the world. A base in the UK has been earmarked, a trusted network of technical, sailing and business experts are being assembled, and we are almost ready to push the go button.

“I believe in progress. Doing the same thing twice, even at a high level, would be stagnation. I want to go further, faster, bigger and stronger — and to represent Swiss-German excellence on the global stage. The next campaign is a transition from Adventure to Performance”

Faster Boat, Bigger Budget

As the level of performance increases, so does the cost. Even a second-hand foiling IMOCA will cost anywhere between 3 and 4 million Euros, then there needs to be a healthy annual budget for operating costs, upgrades, repairs and maintenance, of approx. 2.5 million, plus the costs of race entry, insurance and running a team.

The team’s focus is split between developing the campaign strategy and securing funding. Two new Swiss sponsors will come aboard in January 2026, joining some long-standing partners who supported Oliver through his first circumnavigation.

Currently, the campaign sits just short of the target minimum budget needed to launch officially in early 2026.

A new and innovative partnership strategy

Recognising the challenges of big-budget sponsorship in today’s economy, the team has worked with sponsorship professionals to define a more flexible model.

Instead of one title sponsor, the new campaign offers several partnership tiers, allowing a broader range of Swiss and international companies to join the project while retaining clear commercial value and visibility.

“We’re building a professional, commercially viable project,” Oliver says. “Our goal is to create genuine value for our partners - not through donations, but through collaboration, innovation and storytelling that inspires.”

It’s an innovative and transparent approach that mirrors Ollie’s own journey - entrepreneurial, honest and determined.

Join the Journey

As the new campaign gathers momentum, opportunities remain for forward-thinking partners who share our team values of resilience, innovation, performance and adventure.

To learn more about partnership opportunities, our Business Club for SMEs or simply to follow the story as it unfolds, visit https://www.oliverheer.com/support-us or find us on facebook, instagram and LinkedIn.

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