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Serve Club started life as a graded assignment at TETR College of Business and has since become a rapidly growing pickleball brand in India. Founders Andrea, Jeet Totla, Antariksh Gupta, Joan Escandell, Fiene Klemmer, and Sofia Rodriguez - representing the United States, India, Cuba, Germany, and Mexico - share one goal: nurture pickleball’s rise across Asia.
“We saw the rise of it in America,” Andrea notes. “One of the things I love most about pickleball is how it brings people together.”
That passion brought Andrea, Joan, and Jeet to South Delhi’s Rackonnect Exclusive Padel Pickle Park, where they have spent months talking with players, listening to coaches, and shaping a brand tailored to Indian athletes.
Bridging the Equipment Divide
On India’s courts, the founders noticed a clear gap: inexpensive beginner paddles on one end and costly imports on the other. Serve Club now offers:
- Fiberglass Series (₹3,000) – paddles for newcomers and social players
- Carbon Pro Series (₹8,000) – carbon-fiber models aimed at competitive regulars
- Pickleballs (₹656 per 4-pack) – balls sold alongside the paddles
“There is a pretty big gap between just high-quality but affordable, like intermediate paddles,” Andrea explains.
Every paddle’s handle length, shape, and minimalist color palette - black, white, pastel pink, and sky blue - reflect hundreds of conversations with Indian players about their preferences.
Community First, Commerce Second
“We did not just want to build a random company,” Jeet says. “We want to build a proper brand which is well recognized.”
Serve Club appears at youth clinics, senior socials, and national tournaments, providing demo paddles, free lessons, and movement drills. Their WhatsApp groups share coaching tips and match invites, while Instagram Reels have generated more than a quarter-million impressions in the past month.
“We are not just selling paddles; we are selling an experience, a community kind of thing,” Joan adds.
Seed Funding Accelerates Growth
After bootstrapping its early phase, Serve Club secured seed backing from industry leaders Manish Poddar (Rare Rabbit), Pratham Mittal (Masters’ Union and TETR), and Malika Sadani (The Moms Co.). The funds will support:
- Product development – new paddle molds and grip options
- E-commerce expansion – a nationwide Amazon launch and listings on specialty sports sites
- Offline reach – pop-up events in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and other cities
“We are serious about making this a cutting-edge business,” Joan emphasizes.
Competing With Legacy Giants Through Relationships
Legacy brands such as JOOLA dominate globally, yet Serve Club views personal contact as its advantage.
“The good thing is, because we are present in person, in front of people… we try to build a relationship with them,” Jeet says.
The team plans to grow monthly sales by 20–25 percent over the next two quarters, while analysts project India’s pickleball market to expand at more than 26 percent CAGR from 2024 to 2029. Serve Club also intends to reach Southeast Asia and the Middle East within six months.
Why Pickleball? Why Now?
Quick rallies, compact courts, and an easy learning curve invite school kids, weekend athletes, and veterans alike. As Andrea puts it, pickleball is:
“Just very easy to hit the ball, but also very, very competitive… it brings everybody together.”
That inclusive energy mirrors Serve Club’s multicultural founding story - six voices with one vision. By combining affordable gear, player-centric events, and a vibrant online presence, Serve Club is helping to shape the next chapter of pickleball in India and beyond!
