Sportstech startup Hudle raises $1M in funding led by Inflection Point Ventures

Delhi-based sports tech startup Hudle has raised $1 million as part of its ongoing Series A round led by Inflection Point Ventures with participation from the existing investors Survam Partners and Indian Angel Network.

Launched in 2018, Hudle is a mobile app for sports enthusiasts to discover and book sports activities. The startup 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 inventory management & invoicing software for sports clubs and venues, enabling them to manage daily operations smoothly.

According to the statement, 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.

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 the University of Michigan), Arjun Singh Verma (ex-KPMG), and Sonam Taneja (Former Tax Lawyer, Ex Sports Manager, Ashoka University).

“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," says Suhail Narain, Founder & CEO.

The startup also has 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.

“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," says Vinay Bansal, Founder & CEO, Inflection Point Ventures.

"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," Vinay adds.

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, the 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.

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