India-based sports-tech startup Machaxi has announced a successful $1.5 million funding round, backed by Rainmatter, the investment arm of Zerodha’s founder Nithin Kamath, along with Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone and other existing investors.
The new funding will help Machaxi expand operations beyond Bengaluru into Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai, while also developing a nationwide AI-powered badminton coaching system.
Nithin Kamath, Founder of Zerodha and Rainmatter, commented:
“We’ve always believed in the power of grassroots sports to transform communities. Machaxi’s tech-driven approach, combined with a solid on-ground strategy, aligns perfectly with our mission.“
Prakash Padukone added:
“The future of Indian badminton lies in structured grassroots development. Machaxi’s vision to scale coaching with the help of AI is forward-thinking and impactful.“
Pratish Raj, Co-founder of Machaxi, stated:
“This partnership is a big step forward in making quality coaching accessible across India. Our AI-based system is built to discover and nurture talent, while keeping the human element alive.“
Founded in 2022 by Pratish Raj, Tushar Raj, and Ashish Anand, Machaxi provides high-quality, consistent coaching programs regardless of location. As part of its national expansion plan, Machaxi partnered with the Padukone School of Badminton to launch the Machaxi x Padukone School of Badminton initiative.
The goal is to establish over 1,000 coaching centers in the next four years, leveraging a performance-tracking system that supports coaches and helps scale training without replacing the human touch.
