Castore

Brothers Tom Beahon and Phil Beahon are the co-founders of Castore, a UK-founded premium sportswear brand with global ambitions. The pair, hailing from Merseyside, initially pursued athletic and corporate careers—Tom as a youth footballer with Tranmere Rovers and later in banking, and Phil as a semi-professional cricketer and consultant.

Frustrated by a perceived lack of high-quality men’s sportswear and inspired to make a difference, they launched Castore in 2015-16 from their kitchen table with minimal resources and family support. Their founding vision was to build a British competitor to the global giants by obsessing over “marginal gains” in materials and design, and by focusing on teams and athletes often overlooked by the biggest brands.

Former tennis ace Andy Murray was an early backer of their Manchester-based sportswear label and before long, their kit was being worn by England cricketers, top rugby clubs and the Oracle Red Bull Formula One team. A fundraising in late 2023 valued the business at just shy of £1bn. Sales have continued to grow since then, along with the hushed whispers of an IPO.