SportAI and Shark team up to bring AI-powered technique analysis and equipment insights to beach tennis and pickleball players
Image: SportAI will develop an AI-powered coaching app for Shark's pickleball and beach tennis customers
OSLO, NORWAY & ORLANDO, FLORIDA – 12 March 2025: SportAI, the B2B sports technology company using AI to enhance sports technique coaching, commentary, and analysis, is announcing its partnership with Shark, a leading manufacturer of beach tennis and pickleball equipment.
This collaboration will see SportAI develop an AI-powered coaching app for Shark's pickleball and beach tennis customers. The partnership will provide players with elite-level technique analysis, personalized training, and equipment recommendations accessible directly from their smartphones.
SportAI, co-founded by ex-NCAA Division 1 tennis player Lauren Pedersen (CEO) in late 2023, last year announced its $1.8M seed funding round and in January 2025 secured an additional $805k in grants. Shark is SportAI's first equipment brand partnership and third commercial contract, following their partnership with padel and tennis platform MATCHi in August 2024.
Bringing AI-Driven Training to Pickleball and Beach Tennis
With pickleball the fastest-growing racket sport in the US and beach tennis gaining traction worldwide (with a bid for the 2032 Olympics on the cards), this partnership marks SportAI’s expansion into two new sports. SportAI’s proprietary AI-driven technique analysis will enable Shark’s customers to improve their game and, through personalized recommendations based on their playing style, will unlock the full potential of Shark's equipment offerings.
Lauren Pedersen, CEO and co-founder of SportAI, comments: “With racket sports growing in popularity worldwide, partnering with Shark presents a unique opportunity to elevate pickleball and beach tennis performance for players of all skill levels. By combining Shark's equipment expertise with SportAI's AI-driven technique analysis, we are bringing professional-standard coaching to players at their convenience.”
Ricardo Badari, General Manager of R1 Sports Ltda, Shark’s owner, comments: “At Shark, our mission has always been to help players get the most out of their game. With SportAI, we're creating a first-of-its-kind tool that brings professional-grade technique analysis and racket recommendations directly to beach tennis and pickleball players through their smartphones, making expert coaching and equipment guidance accessible from their pocket.”
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About SportAI
SportAI is a Norwegian-founded B2B sports technology company dedicated to enhancing sports technique coaching, commentary and analysis using AI. With expertise in computer vision and machine learning, SportAI brings objectivity to sports technique analysis, offering instant data-driven insights to training facilities, teams, broadcasters, retailers and equipment brands. The company was founded in late 2023 by Norwegian tech and software industry experts Lauren Pedersen (CEO), Felipe Longé (CTO), Andreas Thome (Board Chairman), Espen Agdestein (Board member), and Trond Kittelsen (Head of Commercial). SportAI employs a team of seven people and has raised $3.3M to date.
About Shark
Shark is a leading brand in beach tennis and pickleball, providing athletes with innovative, high-performance equipment designed to enhance their game. With a focus on quality and continuous improvement, Shark delivers cutting-edge products that meet the demands of competitive and recreational players alike. Through its commitment to innovation, Shark ensures that athletes always have access to the best gear on the market.
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contact@sportai.com