Meet The AYCANE Founders

 

AYCANE wasn’t founded by a ragtag group of misfits with a dream. We’re hockey lifers who work hard to make the best gear on the planet. We’ve got industry cred through two brothers who are textile and garment industry supply chain experts. A marketing and branding visionary. A living hockey legend with a knack for wise investments. And a high-powered agent with ties to today’s top hockey talents around the world. We shared values like sustainable practices and only using high-quality materials. We created a tight inner circle and developed a bold brand vision and identity. 

AYCANE is born in the north and at home in the cold. We’re innovators, rebels, and hustlers. We believe in the incredible spirit of hockey and want to see the sport grow. We’re the founders, but we made AYCANE for you. We’re here to change your game. To make products that improve the athlete’s performance. 

You’re surely familiar with one of us already, but take a minute to get to know the AYCANE founding fathers (and mother) below.

Nico Serena - The Mastermind

Co-Founder, CEO & Chief Product Officer

Nico Serena is the captain of the AYCANE ship. His expertise in the textile industry and passion for the game of hockey are the sparks that lit the fuse of this hockey baselayer revolution. He realized hockey undergarments didn’t perform as they should and knew exactly what was needed to make them better.

So he put together his team, got to work, and made the best damn hockey baselayers the sport has ever seen. Then, we made hockey skate socks, training gear, and leisure apparel for good measure. Our belief? That hockey players have unique builds and needs when it comes to performance. Our baselayers and off-ice athleticwear move with your body, fit like a breathable second skin, optimize airflow, regulate your body temperature, and help you look damn good whether you’re on the ice, hitting the gym, or walking around town. 

Nico knows how to make it happen. He brings 20 years of experience in the garment industry, including 18 in management positions, including as CEO of KJUS, a premier brand in ski, golf, and lifestyle apparel.
 

Sven Serena - The Maker

Co-Founder, COO & Chief Supply Officer 

Younger brother Sven is a vital link in the AYCANE chain. Specifically, the supply chain. Sven makes our products come to life by managing the entire AYCANE supply chain. From the raw materials to production to storage to delivery and even returns — Sven oversees it all. AYCANE uses the finest Italian materials and sustainable delivery practices, all thanks to Sven’s expertise. With 15 years of supply chain experience in the garment industry, Sven knows how to optimize the entire process.

With KJUS, he even established a quality control system and managed a research and development facility. Sven has all the connections to gain insider knowledge on cutting-edge technology and fabrics. Once he gets his hands on something new, he puts them straight through quality control. 

This ensures AYCANE products are high-performance, functional, and built to last. We don’t cut any corners or skimp on quality at any step of the process. You deserve the best and we work tirelessly to make it. 

Evelyn Giger - The Creator

Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer

If AYCANE was a monarchy, this is our queen. Evelyn Giger is the visionary marketing mind that created this powerful brand. Bursting with energy, creative ingenuity, and a clear objective: to make hockey players feel an emotional connection with AYCANE.

AYCANE is a brand that speaks your language and has your best interests at heart. Eve created The Circle, our community, to make everyone a part of AYCANE rather than an everyday consumer. You matter to us as we know we’re nothing without you, the hockey community.

Like the Serena brothers, Eve comes to AYCANE from KJUS where she served as Head of Marketing. There, she and the boys formed an incredible bond that brought them together to the hockey scene. Eve also has a background as a major event organizer and ran her own marketing agency in her native Austria. 

Peter Forsberg - The Living Legend

Co-Founder with Archelio Capital AG & Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame

We told you you’d know one of us! Yes… THAT Peter Forsberg. Foppa has won it all during his career as a member of the Triple Gold Club with wins at the World Junior Championships, World Cup, and Olympic Games. Actually, he won them all twice! He also won two Stanley Cups during those juggernaut years with the Colorado Avalanche and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as best rookie in 1994-95 and the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in scoring in 2002-03, a year he also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as NHL MVP. He was recently named one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” in history and was inducted to the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2014.

Pretty good! This man exemplifies the AYCANE athlete. A warrior heart, unfathomable talent, grit, courage, leadership, and an incredible work ethic.  Not only is he a living hockey legend, but also an experienced and successful investor. He’s the link that connects AYCANE to the world’s top hockey players and is valued as a consultant on all levels. If he says a product is good to go, it goes. 

Daniel Giger - The Networker

Co-Founder & CEO of 4sports Hockey

Daniel Giger played forward in over 600 games across 14 seasons in the top-tier Swiss League (NLA), and in 1998 won the championship with EV Zug. 

Post-career, Daniel is CEO and Chairman of the global “4sports Hockey AG” agency. He and his team represent roughly 200 players in many of the world’s top leagues. Daniel assists AYCANE with product development, athlete management, and endorses the AYCANE brand, helping them connect with today’s top hockey talent around the world. Daniel uses his vast network to put our product in professional athlete’s hands. They tested prototypes of our products to find what works and doesn’t, what they liked or didn’t, and provided feedback for how we could improve our gear. Then, we took their feedback and made adjustments. The result is what you see in our store.It’s all thanks to Daniel’s tireless efforts working with players who really know the meaning of high performance. 


So that’s our team! Our Founding Five, if you will. Together we are the brains and brawn that created this bold initiative. Now, it’s time for you to join our team. Grab some product and get in The Circle.