From school benches to global markets: how RocketGrip hockey stick grips conquered the world of sports

The customisable RocketGrip hockey stick grips created by company Rocket are now used by both professional hockey players and enthusiasts in more than 60 countries around the world, with approximately 95% of production being exported. However, the story of this now internationally recognised brand began quite modestly – as a student training company founded about eight years ago by two 11th grade high school students. It all started with a simple but important question: “Is there really no better alternative to hockey stick tape?” 

“Hockey was my everyday life back then: training, games, ice, stick in hand,” recalls company co-founder Aksels Zingulis. “When you train every day, you start to notice details and think about what could be better. One of those details was hockey stick tape – reapplying it took a lot of time and quickly damaged the gloves. High-quality hockey gloves can cost up to 200 euros, and if they must be replaced every season, it becomes a significant expense.” 

This is how the idea came about to create a new type of hockey stick grip that, when applied over traditional adhesive tape, makes the grip more comfortable and significantly extends the life of the equipment. With this solution, it is no longer necessary to change the tape regularly, and the gloves last much longer. “I tested the effectiveness of the product myself: with this cover, my gloves lasted four years. The cover is a small investment that pays off very quickly for hockey players,” says Aksels Zingulis. 

Using ingenuity to develop the idea 

After coming up with the initial idea for the cover, Aksels and his childhood friend Reinis Nikuļcevs began experimenting and researching they sought answers to questions about what the ideal material should be, what the product should look like, and what properties it should have to truly meet the needs of athletes. 

“It was clear what kind of product we wanted to create, but the big question was what material would be most suitable and where to find the right manufacturer,” Aksels Zingulis recalls. “We were completely inexperienced, just students, and we knew that it was unlikely that anyone would take us seriously. So, we decided to use a little trick – we approached manufacturers pretending to be a large company. We said, ‘Maybe we’ll order a thousand meters of material right away, but we need samples.’ And it worked!” 

Step by step, the first RocketGrip product was created. Today, the company has its own production facility in Āne, Jelgava County, where the product is personalised, packaged, and shipped to customers around the world. The raw materials are supplied from various countries: Poland, the Czech Republic, China, and India, but the final processing and added value are created in Latvia. 

Growing along with their ambition 

Over time, the company has expanded its range of equipment to include tennis, baseball, lacrosse, and other sports. “A successful business is not just a cool idea. It’s about how well you understand your customers, and each sport has its own nuances. In hockey, I knew what was needed. But in other sports, learning from our initial mistakes, we now collaborate with professionals in those sports during the design process. We listen, test, and adapt,” he says.  

The company works on a print-on-demand basis: personalized orders are prepared on request and shipped to the customer within two days. With the help of hot air or water, the cover shrinks and adapts perfectly to the specific sports equipment. The material is a homogeneous plastic-rubber alloy, fiber-free and highly durable. 

“About 70-80% of sales are made through e-commerce,” Aksels says. “We have our own online store where you can choose from more than 80 different designs and personalise them with a name, number, and even a logo. Every player can be a little bit unique,” says Aksels. 

RocketGrip products are currently available in around 150 stores in Europe, but the main markets are North America –the United States and Canada – where hockey is very popular. Last year, RocketGrip’s turnover, together with other new product projects, approached the million-euro mark.  

Support that helped get a start and grow 

Aksels acknowledges that the support of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) has been one of the key factors in the company’s growth. “We started as a student training company. When we reached the first serious steps, the LIAA pre-incubation and incubation program at the LIAA representative office in Jelgava helped us understand how to structure the business,” he says. 

The training available at the incubator allowed them to learn how to manage Meta platforms effectively, master and understand digital marketing channels and analytics, while the funding enabled them to purchase equipment and experiment with advertising, which gave a strong boost to exports. With the support of LIAA, the company has also participated in major sports exhibitions – ISPO in Munich, exhibitions in Finland and the United States – where they have demonstrated their products to sports industry professionals. “Exhibitions are not just about stands and brochures,” Aksels emphasises. “They are conversations with people: distributors, athletes, partners. Sometimes a single meeting can spark an idea for a new product or collaboration. It is a long-term investment that pays off in contacts and experience,” he says. 

Information material prepared with the support of the European Regional Development Fund