Hudle Raises $2.5 Mn Series A to Strengthen SportsTech Platform, Focus on Pickleball & Padel
- ByStartupStory | July 24, 2025
In a strong vote of confidence for India’s growing sportstech sector, Hudle, a leading platform for amateur sports enthusiasts, has raised $2.5 million (approximately ₹21.5 Cr) in a Series A funding round led by Sky Impact Capital. The round also saw participation from Physis Capital, Atrium Venture, founders of Blue Tokai and Nitro Commerce, along with sports personalities Mahesh Bhupathi and Gaurav Kapur.
The fresh capital will be deployed to accelerate product innovation, enhance user experience, and support Hudle’s aggressive expansion plans. The company has set its sights on solidifying its leadership in emerging sports categories — particularly pickleball and padel, which are witnessing rapid adoption across urban India.
“This fundraise isn’t just about scale — it’s about doubling down on the experience, the tech, and the community,” said Suhail Narain, Co-founder and CEO of Hudle. “We are adding over 300 pickleball courts every month. We’ve seen that once people try the sport, they love it.”
Building India’s Largest Community for Amateur Sports
Founded in 2015 by Suhail Narain, Arjun Singh Verma, and Sonam Taneja, Hudle has emerged as a go-to digital platform for sports lovers to discover and book sports venues. Currently, the platform enables users to access over 2,000 sports venues across 60 cities, catering to more than 40 sports, including badminton, football, padel, pickleball, and box cricket.
In 2023, Hudle acquired a controlling stake in Sportido, further strengthening its presence in North India and consolidating its market reach among recreational players and local sports ecosystems.
The platform’s upcoming roadmap includes the launch of GRIP (Game Rating Index for Players) — a player rating system designed to enable skill-based matchmaking and track individual progress over time.
“Frictionless booking, intelligent match discovery, and performance tracking — that’s what we’re building. We want Hudle to be the one-stop destination for anyone looking to play, compete, or connect,” added Narain.
Riding the Sportstech Wave
Hudle’s fundraise comes amid a surge in investor interest in India’s sportstech space. According to a Google-Deloitte report, the Indian sports economy was valued at ₹4.5 lakh crore ($52 Bn) in FY24 and is projected to more than double to ₹11.3 lakh crore ($130 Bn) by FY30. This growth is being fuelled by increasing digital adoption, rising health consciousness, and stronger grassroots participation in sports.
Hudle joins the ranks of emerging sportstech innovators like KheloMore, Machaxi, Padel Park, FITPASS, and SportsSkill, all of which are developing new solutions to enhance sports accessibility and engagement.
KheloMore recently raised $2 Mn in Pre-Series A funding, while SportVot secured ₹9.4 Cr, and Machaxi raised ₹4.8 Cr, all within the past year — underscoring the segment’s vibrancy.
Even corporate heavyweights are showing interest. Foodtech unicorn Swiggy recently received MCA approval to launch Swiggy Sports Private Limited, and DealShare cofounder Sourjyendu Medda has launched a new venture, Sports For Life (SFL).
The Road Ahead
Hudle’s latest funding will enable the startup to not only expand into new cities but also continue refining its technology platform. By offering performance tracking tools, seamless user journeys, and a community-first approach, Hudle aims to redefine how Indians experience sports.
With the addition of investor-athletes like Mahesh Bhupathi and media icon Gaurav Kapur, Hudle is also tapping into a deeper cultural connection — blending sport, storytelling, and community-building into a unified digital experience.
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