Innovation Arena

The global expansion of padel is driving strong demand for new clubs and high-quality venues. Building successful networks requires capital, clear strategy, and scalable models. In this panel, investors and operators discuss how funding is shaping the next generation of clubs worldwide, covering rollouts, real estate, partnerships, and international growth, as well as how opportunities are evaluated in this fast-growing sector.

Tourism has become one of the strongest gateways for padel’s international growth. As hotels, resorts and destinations embrace the sport as a strategic asset, new opportunities arise to attract visitors, enhance loyalty and create experiences that extend far beyond the court. This session explores how hospitality brands can accelerate the sport’s expansion while delivering meaningful local impact and shared value.

With the paricipation of:

Bruno Hallé Boix, Partner at Cushman Wakefield Hospitality Spain

Ana García-Rivera, Marketing, Sales, and PR Director at Calderona Wellness

Antonio Chaves, Padel Manager at Higuerón Sport Club

Javier Duces

Short session led by the IAPPF with key insights into one of the padel markets with the highest growth potential.

With the paricipation of:

Chris Klein, VP of Sales at IAPPF

Few people can speak about padel like Ignacio Soto Borja. As co-founder of the sport, his perspective connects its origins with its global future.
In this interview, he will reflect on the creation of padel and its evolution into a global phenomenon. From the values that shaped the game to the challenges of its international expansion, this conversation offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the figures who defined it.

Expanding into new territories can be both exciting and complex. In this 20-minute keynote, an expert speaker will outline the five key things any company should understand before entering the Netherlands’ padel market. Covering market trends, opportunities, and critical considerations, this session offers practical insights to help shape a successful expansion strategy.

With the participation of:

Mieke Verdujin, CEO at Peakz Padel

The future of the padel club is not being built as a closed product, but as a platform. In this session, Playtomic unveils its vision for an open, layered ecosystem — from bookings and payments to communications, automations, coaching or marketing — connected through APIs that allow any business to add value to the club and the player. From app to operating system of padel: how the integration between Playtomic, clubs and partners multiplies revenue, elevates the experience, and turns the ecosystem itself into the industry's true competitive advantage.

With the participation of:

Pedro Claveria, Co-Funder & CSO at Playtomic

Filip Kollar, Regional Director Central Europe at Playtomic

Padel is no longer just one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, it is rapidly becoming a powerful driver of active tourism and travel experiences. From amateur training camps and social padel holidays to luxury sport resorts and destination-led travel packages, a new global ecosystem of “padel tourism” is emerging. In this dynamic conversation, sports journalist and sports events master of ceremonies Alberto Montenegro interviews Alessandro Di Stefano, founder of Padel Travel, one of the pioneering tour operators specialized in padel tourism based in Málaga, Spain. Together, they will explore the latest consumer trends shaping the market, the evolving profile of the padel traveler, and the growing role of hotels, clubs, academies, destinations, travel agencies, and tour operators in commercializing padel travel experiences worldwide. The session will provide practical insights into how the industry is building new tourism products around padel, and why this segment is becoming one of the most exciting growth opportunities in sports tourism and leisure travel.

In this session, we will analyze the key factors that determine the real profitability of a padel facility. Through a practical and strategic lens, we will address the 3+1 levers that drive a padel club, the importance of designing a proper financial structure, the impact of the academy on the facility’s recurring revenue, and the most common mistakes when creating, launching, and operating a club. A talk designed for investors, operators, club owners, and industry professionals who want to understand which factors turn a padel facility into a sustainable, scalable, and profitable project.

With the participation of:

Manu Martín, Ricardo de las Heras, and Vicente Martínez