Female-led Virginia-based Epic Padel raises $10M to turn unused spaces into new padel courts — TFN

Virginia-headquartered padel operator and investor Epic Padel has raised $10 million in seed funding to speed up U.S. growth and help new tasks within the sport globally.

The seed spherical was led by NowaisWorld (the sports activities funding arm of Nowais Inc.) and Stryde Ventures with participation from 305 Ventures, Excessive Water Enterprise Companions, Lane Holdings, Off Courtroom Ventures, Silverback Capital Group and influential angel buyers Elias Sultan and Sharam Gulzad. The spherical additionally included a roster of cultural icons and elite athletes comparable to Omar Nour, Tre Boston, and Nicklas Bäckström. 

“Our ambition is to create the main padel platform in North America – not simply by constructing golf equipment, however by investing throughout the game’s ecosystem: from occasions and gear to tech and expertise,” stated Hala Sarkis, Group CEO of Epic Padel. “This funding positions us to scale with velocity, technique, and powerful backing.”

Accelerating the padel ecosystem

Based by Maryam Al Muslehi and Hala Sarkis, Epic Padel is making a platform for padel that mixes membership operations, investments, and know-how.

The corporate is at the moment working their first membership in North Carolina to check their idea and plans to make use of new funding to open 4-6 extra golf equipment. Doable places embrace Virginia, Milwaukee (Wisconsin), South Carolina, and Utah. The aim is to create each indoor and out of doors golf equipment with sustainable designs and built-in know-how.

Additionally they purpose to remodel underused areas, like previous racquet golf equipment or parking heaps, into thrilling padel venues, typically with out requiring funding from the property house owners.

The funding comes at a time when Padel is changing into a fast-growing racquet sport with greater than 30 million gamers throughout 130 nations. Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless comparatively new in the USA, the place there are fewer than 700 courts.

“We noticed padel explode throughout the MENA area, and realised how far behind the U.S. was,” stated Maryam Al Muslehi, Epic Padel’s Founder and Board Member. “We wish to convey the game to all 50 states by means of golf equipment, leagues, and investments that construct long-term foundations.”

Consequently, Epic is partnering with operators, leagues, and startups to speed up progress throughout the ecosystem.

Its portfolio contains stakes within the Professional Padel League and its’ New York franchise, The New York Atlantics. In addition to padel golf equipment: Extremely Padel (Miami), Padel 39 (Texas), Padel Haus (NYC, DN, NA, & GA), Padel India, and The Padel Hub (UK).

And know-how ventures like Clutch AI (which gives real-time video and information), Two Two (Sweden, a premium padel gear and attire innovator), and Purple Padel, which owns and operates the World Padel Ranking, all contribute to a world community of accessible, tech-forward padel experiences.

Bringing padel into faculties

The corporate is at the moment creating the Faculty Padel League (CPL) to introduce the game into faculty environments.

Moreover, they’ll quickly launch Zero.40, a membership app powered by Clutch AI and Purple Padel. This app will function sensible reserving, analytics, scores, and neighborhood engagement instruments. Epic’s upcoming merchandise line might be created in collaboration with athlete-investors and might be obtainable by means of each e-commerce and retail channels.

“Our portfolio offers us strategic worth throughout operators, know-how, leagues, groups, and tournaments. We’re capable of collaborate on initiatives that raise the whole ecosystem, not only one operator. In some ways, we’re making a ‘Padel Index,’ investing within the sport as an entire relatively than a single guess. As padel begins to institutionalise globally, placing the game at a stage the place its most fun progress continues to be forward,” added Kareem Anabtawi, Co-Founder & CIO, Epic Padel.