AO Ventures, the investment arm of the Australian Open and Tennis Australia, is investing in one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
AO Ventures is making a significant investment in Padel Haus, the leading premium padel platform in the United States.
Padel Haus started in New York, Padel Haus and quickly established itself as the gold standard for padel in the US, combining premium facilities, community-driven programming, and one of the country’s leading padel academies. The company currently operates six clubs across the US, with plans for continued growth as the number of US Padel players 10x by 2030.
This is the latest investment from AO Ventures’ $US40m fund.
AO Ventures General Partner Dr Machar Reid said they are bullish on the growth of padel globally and actively investing in the sport’s growth through a range of partnerships, domestically and abroad.
“As a business, we have observed the explosion of the sport internationally and there are now strong foundations for growth in Australia, with courts, clubs and competitions continuing to be established.
“We have closely followed Padel Haus for the past few years and been impressed with Santiago’s ability to repeatably execute on building premium venues and experiences for Padel players with attractive returns,” he explained.
Padel Haus is excited about the partnership.
“This opportunity represents more than an investment. In partnering with one of the most respected sports institutions in the world, and the decision of AO Ventures to invest in Padel Haus is powerful validation of our long-term approach to building padel the right way,” according to Padel Haus Founder and CEO, Santiago Gomez.
“Padel is still early in its global journey. Working with AO ventures and alongside Tennis Australia, which brings more than 120 years of experience building global sports platforms, creates a credible pathway for continued expansion,” he said.