Aqipa’s 35-Year Journey: From Tyrolean Garage to European Tech Powerhouse

From Anti-Theft Systems to Some of the Most Exciting Gearand Tech on the Continent

Every epic story has a humble beginning. Ours started in 1990, in a small Tyrolean garage, where our founder, Christian Trapl, had a big idea: to deliver smarter, safer consumer electronics. With the support of his family, he launched Pataco GmbH. Back then, we were all about anti-theft tech and vehicle safety systems, guided by a simple, customer-first mindset and a passion for hands-on service.

Every epic story has a humble beginning. Ours started in 1990, in a small Tyrolean garage, where our founder, Christian Trapl, had a big idea: to deliver smarter, safer consumer electronics. With the support of his family, he launched Pataco GmbH. Back then, we were all about anti-theft and vehicle safety systems, guided by a simple, customer-first mindset and a passion for hands-on service.

To celebrate this milestone, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and look at the pivotal moments, bold moves, and lasting partnerships that got us here.

Humble Beginnings & Steady Growth (1990 – 2009)

Our story officially kicked off in 1990 in Kundl, Tyrol. . Our focus on reliability and top-notch service quickly helped us find our footing. The support of the Trapl family was key from day one, and that sense of family ownership and long-term thinking is still at the heart of our DNA today.

In 1994, we made our first big move, expanding into Germany. By the turn of the millennium, in 2000, we had our very own headquarters and logistics hub in Kundl and even launched our own in-house accessory lines under the names Aquip and Pataco.

In 2009, we decided to get a fresh new look, rebranding the company as Aqipa GmbH, a name inspired by our original brands.

Hypergrowth & International Expansion (2010–2018)

The very next year, in 2010, everything changed. We landed a game-changing distribution deal with Beats by Dr. Dre. The explosive success of Beats across Germany and Austria propelled us into a new era of hypergrowth and cemented our reputation as the go-to launchpad for innovative challenger brands.

In 2013, we founded ATS GmbH to tackle the booming e-commerce market and expanded into a whopping nine new countries! . Through a mix of strategic acquisitions and organic growth, we spread our footprint across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

A special highlight of this period was our evolution from a distributor to a brand owner. In 2016, we acquired Pure International Ltd., transforming it into a leader in stylish, high-quality audio products.

After our time with Beats, we proved our adaptability by taking over the distribution business of Pioneer Onkyo Europe (POE) in 2018, which brought iconic brands like TEAC and Esoteric into the Aqipa family-partners we’re proud to work with today.

Building the Engine & New Horizons (2019–2025)

To handle our rapid growth, we launched our highly automated Autostore warehouse in Kundl in 2019. This was all about building the robust infrastructure to support our ambitious goals. In this same year, we also started distributing the legendary GoPro and launched Milo, a category-defining wearable communicator.

The past couple of years have been about diversification. In 2023, we strengthened our presence in Switzerland by fully acquiring Thali AG and boldly entered the DIY and home innovation space. Now, our portfolio includes everything from Aiper pool robots to Minelab metal detectors.

From Challengers to Champions: The Brands We Grow

Aqipa has a passion for backing challenger brands and helping them break through to the mainstream. Our diverse portfolio includes:

You can explore all our fantastic brands at www.aqipa.com/brands.

Aqipa Today & Looking Ahead

Today, we proudly serve 49 countries with full-service brand support. We’ve blended our scalable e-commerce and automated logistics with the agile, personal heart of a family-owned business.

We’re built to spot what’s next-and strong enough to make it work at a massive scale.

We’re incredibly proud of our journey so far, but we’re even more excited for what’s to come. Whether you’re a brand ready to grow, a retailer seeking fresh ideas, or a passionate individual looking for your next career move-the next chapter of our story just might include you.

Let’s grow together!