This S’porean padel startup has bagged 7-figure funds, set to open clubs in M’sia & S’pore
Summary
The court is slightly smaller than a doubles tennis court, and the racquets are made of a composite material without strings, but with perforations (i.e. holes).The seven-figure investment comes after Pop Padel won a government tender to build Singapores first purpose-built fully sheltered social padel club that will host four world-class courts in Redhill.According to a press release, this was a highly coveted tender. There had been eight bidders, and Pop Padel had bid S$19,000, the second-highest amount. Price aside, the tender was also evaluated based on quality aspects.So, what exactly will Pop Padels Redhill club offer?Working with Spanish padel court manufacturer MejorSet, the club will feature panoramic courts equipped with the manufacturers latest Mondo turf. Theyre also working with NOX, a notable padel brand, to set up a pro shop.According to Pop Padels website, they will also organise various social events and tournaments, as well as a booking app with a rating system.Beyond the courts mats, the club will include an F&B area and a recovery zone with cold plunges for padelists to relax and unwind.The same will be replicated for the brands first Malaysian outlet, which will feature six fully sheltered competition-grade courts in Bamboo Hills.The fresh funds from Apricot Capital will be key in establishing these state-of-the-art facilities in both Singapore and Malaysia, advancing Pop Padels vision of fostering a vibrant padel community across Southeast Asia.Securing this buy-in from Apricot Capital is a huge step forward for us at Pop Padel, said founder Davy Sanh.Davy has been recognized by the global industry in 2024 as one of the top 50 most influential figures in the emerging world of padel.With Apricots support and shared belief in our goal of growing padel across countries, Pop Padel is poised to reinvigorate the sports scene and elevate padel as a sport of choice amongst the population living in Southeast Asia in time to come.Apricot Capital is the family office of Teo Kee Bock and his family. Teo was formerly founder and chairman of SGX listed company, Super Group Ltd. Theyre also the family behind Oatbedient.The balls in their courtThrough the support of Apricot Capital, the team hopes to accelerate the adoption of padel in Southeast Asia.Its multi-country debut is set to happen in March 2025, when both the Redhill and Bamboo Hills clubs will open.Only time will tell, but perhaps the pickleball hype has helped set the stage locally for padel to take centre stageor rather, court.