Srikanth
Delhi based Sports Tech Startup Hudle has raised USD 1 Million as part of their ongoing Series A round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The round also saw participation from existing investors Survam Partners and Indian Angel Network. The funds raised will be utilized to fuel growth in existing and new geographies, strengthen the business and tech team, marketing, and new additions to the product suite.
Launched in 2018, Hudle is a mobile app for sports enthusiasts to discover & book sports activities. It currently offers users to book a choice of 30+ sports at 700+ venues across the country and also provides All Access Passes – a sport specific subscription for players to play their preferred sport across India with a single subscription. The consumer platform is complemented by an inventory management & invoicing software for sports clubs and venues, enabling them to manage daily operations smoothly.
Vinay Bansal, Founder & CEO, Inflection Point Ventures says, “Sports should become an integral part of our lives. Being physically active keeps us fit mentally too. We all know this mantra but are unable to imbibe it due to the limited access to sports infrastructure. Hudle is bridging the gap by enabling users to discover & book various sports venues, events and pursue their favourite sport as a hobby or as a fitness activity. At IPV, we believe in backing purpose driven companies who are dedicated to building a sustainable business and fill an existing market gap. We aim to strengthen the company’s expansion plan and help them to scale their corporate services vertical.”
There is an overall push towards sports infrastructure in the country with recognition of Olympians and initiatives like Khelo India. This is leading to a growing acceptance of sports as a more enjoyable fitness alternative to conventional options like walking, yoga, gyms, etc.
Suhail Narain, Founder & CEO, Hudle says, “Playing a sport is fun, social, and engaging. Kids grow up playing sports but as we grow older, playing becomes difficult due to a lack of proper facilities and playing partners. Our vision is to change this trend and make millions of Indians fitter through sport. We strongly believe in scaling up through collaboration and bringing together all the stakeholders. and are thrilled to welcome IPV on board.”
Hudle is led by the passionate founding team of Suhail Narain (10+ years of experience in sports & experiential marketing, Master’s in Sports Management from University of Michigan), Arjun Singh Verma (ex-KPMG) and Sonam Taneja (Former Tax Lawyer, Ex Sports Manager, Ashoka University). They also have sports icons Ajinkya Rahane and Pullela Gopichand as brand ambassadors. Joy Bhattacharjya, former team director of IPL Team Kolkata Knightriders and current CEO of Prime Volleyball league was an early investor in the company.
Hudle’s vision is to enable 100 million Indians to play active sport as a way of life by building a sports ecosystem for both players and venue owners and offering a convenient slot booking system and subscriptions (Hudle All Access Passes) to the players.
According to a Research & Markets report, global participatory sports market is expected to reach $416 Billion in the next 5 years. The sports industry is growing and will continue to see an influx of money from new sources, more widespread use of emerging technologies, and a greater focus on broader societal issues.
