Push Sports, a Delhi-based sports-tech startup, was launched in 2016 by Puru Singh and later joined by Nitin Pahuja and Mukul Grover. The startup is on a mission to integrate sports into the lives of students and professionals, promoting a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.
In a candid conversation with Startup Pedia, co-founder Puru Singh shared the journey of Push Sports. Having previously worked in the aviation industry, Puru’s passion for sports, particularly cricket, led him to quit his well-paying job as a cabin crew member at the age of 33. Despite earning a lucrative salary, Puru’s search for opportunities in the sports industry revealed limited options, with cricket coaching offering a meager income at the time.
Puru’s love for cricket, which he had played at the state level for Delhi, fueled his determination to create something meaningful in the sports domain. Despite facing challenges, including a lack of career opportunities in cricket, he launched Push Sports in 2016, initially as a cricket academy in Gurgaon. Starting with just Rs 1 lakh borrowed capital, Puru’s vision was to expand and create a chain of academies across the country.
The turning point for Push Sports came when Nitin Pahuja, who was the captain of Yes Bank’s cricket team, expressed interest in joining the venture as a business partner. With Nitin on board, who later left his corporate job as a senior vice president, the startup gained momentum, growing from one academy with 60 students in its first year to 300 students by 2020.
Push Sports operates on a “Build, Train, and Monetise” model, focusing on building world-class sports infrastructure, offering structured training programs, and generating revenue through fixed rentals to schools for using their playgrounds. The startup provides coaching in over ten sports, including cricket, football, badminton, and basketball, with a core focus on in-school and after-school sports programs.
The startup’s journey was not without challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant obstacles, bringing the academy’s operations to a standstill. However, Push Sports persevered, and today, it has trained over 7,000 students and established playgrounds at 17 locations across Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Jaipur, and Sonipat.
Push Sports has achieved remarkable growth, with the company now valued at Rs 40 crore. The startup generated Rs 3 crore in revenue in FY 2022-23 and is expected to reach Rs 9 crore in FY 2023-24. In November 2022, Push Sports raised Rs 2.20 crore in strategic funding, followed by a significant investment of Rs 80 lakh in exchange for 4% equity on Shark Tank India Season 3, backed by Peyush Bansal and Vineeta Singh.
Puru Singh, reflecting on the values and vision behind Push Sports, emphasized the importance of integrating sports into people’s lives, not only for physical fitness but also for stress relief and overall well-being. The startup also aims to revolutionize the coaching industry, offering competitive salaries to coaches and expanding access to top-notch sports coaching for children across various schools and communities.
As Push Sports continues to grow, it remains committed to fostering a culture of sports and fitness, contributing to the overall development of the youth in India.