Not true about the optimist builders: at least 4 more European builders: SRB (Hungary), Devoti (also Finn and D20), Faccenda (Italy, also 420 builders) and Dutch builder Van Wettum. All building small numbers. Van Wettums' boats are very popular here, selling 20 - 30 boats each year, in a limited market of 50 - 60 new boats/year. Which is about 1/2 the amount of annually sold oppi's here. So, there are more flavours to choose from. Smaller companies cán exist without support. That has probably to do with the fact that oppi's were intentionally designed as a DIY boat. The RDYA even sells building plans for DIY optimists and is will to measure them for a fixed fee, In return, one gets a World Sailing plaque; no matter if it's wood or polyester.
Same goes for equipment: daggerboard, rudders, masts and sails. All you need to do is comply with the class rules. Most 'aftermarket' manufacturers have their products built in the same factory on the same production line. Same goes for Laser parts.
IODA (ILCA's optimist counterpart) doesn't need to put its stamp on every part. During measurement sessions, things will become clear: legal or non-legal within class rules. Although a lot of manufacturers advertise with 'IODA approved'.
It's interesting to see that Windesign (Laser aftermarket parts) and Optiparts (Optimist parts) are the same company. Optiparts is the world leader in class legal (non-OEM) optimist parts, where same company Windesign is considered to build non-class legal(...) parts 'only useable for club racing'... because ILCA will not allow Windesign's cheaper parts next to the more expensive, ILCA approved parts.
It was perhaps not wise to compare IODA's 'modus operandi' with ILCA's.
Having said that: I know that two Dutch entrepreneurs (marine and yachting business) had a lengthy conversation about starting fabricating Lasers. Apart from the fees, it's very, very expensive, labour-intensive and time-consuming to obtain/design/produce the moulds for the hull. You need to produce quite a large number over a number of years and a lot of boats to reach a break-even point.
When ILCA is really interested in helping new producers, they should come clear on how to support potential producers with that start-up problem.
M.