The Heart of ClimbCo Group

Kelly Soohoo, the founder of ClimbCo Group, is no stranger to steep ascents. Whether scaling the icy slopes of Gasherbrum II or building a global climbing brand from a rural Chinese village, Soohoo’s life is a testament to grit, heart, and an unyielding drive to finish what he starts. His journey—from a childhood marked by loss to revolutionizing the indoor climbing industry—reads like a climber’s epic, each chapter etched with perseverance and purpose.

Born in Los Angeles, Soohoo faced tragedy early when his mother passed away when he was just five years old. The loss instilled a profound sense of responsibility, shaping a boy who grew into a man dedicated to protecting others. As a young adult, he fought for affordable housing and voter rights, championing social causes to shield his community from the pressures of urban development. But beneath his activism burned a deeper passion, one kindled by his father, a climber, runner, community organizer, and businessman with roots in Asia. Family trips to the Sierra Nevada and Pacific Northwest planted the seeds of adventure, embedding in Soohoo a love for the mountains and a blueprint for blending service with entrepreneurship.

For 13 years, Soohoo thrived in the high-stakes world of Wall Street, mastering institutional and algorithmic trading. Yet, the corporate summit felt hollow. In 2015, at the peak of his career, he walked away from New York and LA, chasing a life of meaning over money. He became an ultramarathoner and mountaineer, summiting peaks like Aconcagua, Denali, and Mt. Rainier—often alone, relying on his own resolve. Certified as an AMGA instructor and Wilderness EMT, he lived by his father’s mantra: “Finish what you start.” Each grueling climb honed his ability to tackle the impossible, a skill that would soon define his next venture.

In 2016, while pursuing a first ascent in the Eastern Tibetan Alps, Soohoo found himself immersed in China’s burgeoning climbing community. He saw a gap in the market for high-quality climbing holds and flooring, gear that could inspire climbers as much as the mountains did him. With no manufacturing experience and unable to speak the language, he took a leap as bold as any summit bid. In 2020, he founded ClimbCo Group, followed by Lacuna Climbing in 2022, with a mission to craft world-class equipment for the global indoor climbing market.

Starting a factory in a small village near Huizhou, China, was no small feat. Soohoo traded a comfortable life for a spartan room, diving headfirst into the complexities of production. Every day brought new challenges—language barriers, supply chain hurdles, and the steep learning curve of manufacturing. But just as he navigated crevasses on Denali, he tackled each obstacle with relentless determination, learning and adapting one step at a time. The result? ClimbCo Group and Lacuna Climbing are now trusted by gyms worldwide, from grassroots startups to elite facilities, their holds and mats bearing the mark of Soohoo’s uncompromising standards.

Soohoo’s story mirrors the values of ClimbCo Group: relentless quality, unshakable responsibility, and a bold drive to innovate. His journey from a grieving child in LA to a mountaineer-turned-entrepreneur reflects the same tenacity he brought to the Karakorams. Every product ClimbCo creates is infused with his vision—a commitment to craft gear that doesn’t just support climbers but inspires them to push beyond their limits.

This is the heart of ClimbCo: a story of perseverance, purpose, and building something real, on and off the wall. As Soohoo puts it, “Chalk up, clip in, and climb your own mountains.” With gear forged by a man who lives that creed, ClimbCo invites you to join the ascent.