Acid Running Raises £1.07M, Plans Womenswear Launch

The funding follows a second straight year of 300% growth, according to its co-founder

Acid Running, a men’s U.K.-based performance apparel brand, has raised £1.07 million (around $1.43 million) following a second straight year of 300% growth.

Co-founder Oliver Powe announced the news on LinkedIn, writing that the investment will fuel the luxury activewear company’s growth plans and introduce womenswear, which Powe noted has been a goal of the brand since the start.

“Thank you to our latest group of investors who have joined us on this exciting journey, and to all the runners who have supported us thus far,” Powe wrote.

Acid Running takes a distinctly unvarnished approach to endurance culture, celebrating the discipline and discomfort of running rather than the Instagram-worthy moments.

Powe, who described himself as a “below average runner,” to 17 Days last year, said the brand was born out of frustration with how the running industry markets to its audience.

“We wanted to create a brand that reflects the true story of running – that it is primarily a discipline, not a competitive sport, and it is defined by discomfort and suffering rather than by pleasure and runners’ highs,” Powe told the publication. “Contrary to marketing orthodoxy, this gritty truth elevates running and places runners as authentic heroes in their own story.”

While women’s activewear continues to dominate the market, and surely a key reason Acid Running is launching into the category, joining Rhone, one brand is zeroing in on the men’s segment. Sodo Athletic Lab, a premium activewear brand relaunched with backing from former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Sidney Rice.

Last month, Acid Running asked female runners to fill out a short survey and share their thoughts on what they want from high-performance gear.