BRABUS and Axopar Win the MEISTERKREIS Award 2026 for Their Collaboration
AwardNews10.11.2026
At the MEISTERKREIS Award ceremony at Haus der Kunst in Munich on November 3, 2026, BRABUS and Axopar were honored for their collaboration, which began in 2017 and has grown into a joint business.
The MEISTERKREIS Award recognizes cooperations that cross industries and national borders and create new economic, technological or cultural impact. Under the 2026 theme “Cooperation Creates the Future”, the nominated collaborations were presented in a curated exhibition at Haus der Kunst in Munich.
The award, in the category “Collaboration for Business Transformation,” was accepted on stage by Constantin Buschmann, CEO and owner of BRABUS, and Kari Kulojärvi, CEO of Axopar, following a laudation by Prof. Dr. Justus Haucap, Director of the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics.
In its decision, the MEISTERKREIS jury highlighted how the partnership with Axopar opened up an entirely new business segment for BRABUS and laid the foundation for further partnerships in the marine industry. The jury recognized a collaboration whose impact extends far beyond its first joint product, contributing to the long-term development and transformation of the BRABUS brand.
From a strategic collaboration to a joint business
The collaboration began in 2017 with the BRABUS Shadow 800, a limited edition built on the Axopar 37 twin-stepped hull, which premiered at boot Düsseldorf in January 2018. Axopar is the longest-standing marine partner and founding partner of BRABUS Marine, and the collaboration has grown into one of its volume drivers.
Since 2018, more than 300 BRABUS Shadow boats have been sold worldwide. Alongside them, around 3,000 Axopar boats have been delivered with the BRABUS Line, the BRABUS trim package available on Axopar’s own models.
The collaboration is built as a joint business model: every product is co-created, BRABUS clients discover boating, and boating customers discover BRABUS. Axopar contributes award-winning boats, engineering, series production and its international dealer network. BRABUS adds its design DNA, craftsmanship in leather, Alcantara and carbon, and a global, affluent client base.
When we premiered the first BRABUS Shadow with Axopar in 2018, it was an experiment. Today, more than 300 BRABUS boats are on the water worldwide, and Axopar is still where BRABUS Marine began. This award recognizes what two strong brands can build together when the collaboration is a joint business, not a sponsorship. — Kari Kulojärvi, CEO of Axopar.
The collaboration continues to evolve. The BRABUS Shadow 1000 XC Cross Cabin was launched during Fall 2026, and the next chapter, the BRABUS Shadow 1000 Sun Top, will premiere at boot Düsseldorf 2027.
