SportAI Acquires Padelytics to Scale AI-Driven Racket Sports Analytics

Norwegian-based SportAI has announced the acquisition of Padelytics. The move unites two of the most prominent artificial intelligence (AI) teams currently operating within the racket sports industry, specifically targeting the rapid global expansion of padel, tennis, and pickleball.

The merger is designed to fast-track the development of a comprehensive, hardware-agnostic platform capable of delivering automated match analysis, technical performance metrics, and personalised coaching insights.

As part of the integration, Padelytics CEO and co-founder, Nenad Zivic will transition into the role of chief product and technology officer (CPTO) at SportAI. Zivic, who brings extensive experience from his tenure at Meta, will oversee the unified product vision and technical leadership. SportAI CEO and co-founder Lauren Pedersen will continue to lead the group.

“This acquisition brings together two of the strongest AI companies in racket sports and significantly accelerates our ambition to build the defining AI platform for the industry.”

“By complementing our technology and API capabilities with a product that can be deployed directly to clubs and players, this acquisition enables us to accelerate our rollout and reach a much broader market,” Pedersen said. 

The teams are currently presenting their integrated technology roadmap at the Padel World Summit in Barcelona, where they are showcasing the future of automated video analysis and sports intelligence.

Gameplan for Market Dominance

The acquisition arrives as padel maintains its status as one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, with the International Padel Federation (FIP) reporting over 35 million active participants and a 42 per cent year-over-year increase in federation-registered members.

By integrating Padelytics’ field-deployable product capabilities with SportAI’s existing API and computer vision infrastructure, the combined entity aims to scale its services across Europe, North America, and other emerging markets. The technology is specifically designed to function across diverse hardware, ranging from high-end court-mounted camera systems to standard mobile devices, ensuring accessibility for clubs, coaches, and individual players.

Current partnerships already integrate the combined tech stack into major racket sports platforms, including MATCHi, Save My Play, and Rackety, facilitating widespread adoption across global club networks.

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