Hello Birdie

What Hello Birdie does

Hello Birdie SAS is a Paris-based (registered in Paris, headquartered in Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche) developer of an AI-powered mobile golf caddie application for amateur golfers (handicap 0–28). The company's core product is the Hello Birdie Golf app for iPhone and Apple Watch, with an Android version currently in beta. The app combines cloud-based artificial intelligence with GPS to generate personalized pre-round game plans, deliver real-time club recommendations during play via a Smart Caddie, and produce post-round performance analytics. Key technical components include an AI game-plan builder that calculates hole-by-hole tactics and success probabilities based on individual player profiles; a Plays Like Distances engine that corrects raw yardages for trajectory, wind, elevation, altitude, temperature, and atmospheric pressure; a GPS-trace shot detection system that builds player performance profiles without requiring wearable IoT devices; and a full standalone Apple Watch experience with 2D hole maps and rangefinder.

The business model is a freemium consumer subscription: the base app is free with GPS, scorecard, hole visualization and wind information, while two paid annual tiers — Caddie (~$95.88/yr) and Planner (~$191.88/yr) — unlock the Smart Caddie, full game plan tools, and multi-round analysis. Free trials are offered on both paid tiers, and a promotional Flex (~$49.99/yr) and Unlimited (~$99.99/yr) pricing has been deployed for Smarter Golf Trophy participants at roughly 50% discount. Distribution is exclusively self-serve through the Apple App Store (and Google Play pending), supported by content marketing, PGA-France-certified professional ambassadors, and an annual Smarter Golf Trophy competition that uses prize partnerships with brands such as Cleveland Golf, Srixon, Le Golf National, LeClub Golf, and Hôtel Golf Valescure as a gamified user-acquisition channel.

The company operates with 1–10 employees and was founded in 2016 by Damien Cuillery (CEO), Guillaume Poitrat (CTO) and Olivier Poul (COO). It graduated from the Techstars Paris 2019 accelerator with a $120,000 seed round and is supported by BPI France, Wilco, Le Tremplin (Paris & Co), and Airbus Group Développement. The app currently covers approximately 40,000 golf courses worldwide and is localized in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

Name

Hello Birdie

Legal name

HELLO BIRDIE SAS

Website

https://hello-birdie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hello Birdie is a Paris-based software company that builds an AI-powered mobile golf caddie app for iPhone and Apple Watch, giving amateur golfers personalized game plans, real-time club recommendations, and multi-round performance analytics across 40,000 courses worldwide via a freemium subscription model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Golf GPS & Performance Analytics Software

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Training Aids & Swing Analytics Retail (CRAMAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Golf Rangefinders, GPS & Wearable Tech Retail (CRAMAGAH)

Keywords

• AI golf caddie
• Golf GPS rangefinder
• Golf performance analytics
• Smartphone golf app
• Golf strategy software

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Freemium Mobile App with Premium Subscriptions: The base app is free for satellite maps, GPS distances, scorecards, and round scores. Two premium subscription tiers (Caddie and Planner) unlock advanced features including Smart Caddie on the course, bespoke game plans, and multi-round statistics. Subscriptions are billed annually (1-year terms) with free trials available. This is a land-and-expand model where free users are converted to paying subscribers through feature unlock.
2. Gift Cards: Hello Birdie offers gift cards that can be redeemed for app licenses, providing an additional revenue stream and gifting mechanism for premium subscriptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hello Birdie sells an AI-powered mobile golf application for iPhone and Apple Watch that acts as a virtual Smart Caddie. It generates personalized pre-round game plans, delivers real-time club recommendations during play using Plays Like Distances, automatically tracks shots through GPS, and provides multi-round performance analytics. The product is offered as a freemium app with paid Caddie and Planner annual subscription tiers and works on 40,000 golf courses worldwide.

Product overview

Hello Birdie is a unified golf performance platform consisting of a core mobile app for iPhone and Apple Watch, with integrated AI-powered features including Smart Caddie (game strategy and club recommendations), Live Caddie (real-time on-course guidance), Game Plan Builder, Plays Like Distances, Easy Shot Tracker, and Dashboard/Statistics. The platform covers the complete golfer journey: pre-round planning, during-round play with GPS and AI recommendations, and post-round analysis. Available in Free, Caddie, and Planner subscription tiers, the app works on 40,000+ golf courses worldwide and supports English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Smarter Golf Trophy: An annual free golf competition where players track their scores using the Hello Birdie app to win prizes including golf equipment, experiences, and subscriptions.

Products and services

• Hello Birdie Golf App

Quantifiable outcome

• Save approximately 5 strokes per round
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Le Golf NationalflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHost of the former Ryder Cup (2018) and future host of the Paris 2024 Olympics golf competition. Hello Birdie uses the Albatros course as a showcase for its app features. Golf National provides round-of-golf prizes for the Smarter Golf Trophy competition (4 players on the Albatros course).
• Cleveland GolfflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium golf equipment manufacturer. Provides golf equipment prizes (wedges, balls, gloves, travel gear) for the Smarter Golf Trophy competition. Featured as a partner on the Hello Birdie website.
• SrixonflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium golf equipment manufacturer. Provides extensive equipment prizes for the Smarter Golf Trophy: full club sets, drivers, wedges, balls, travel bags, and duffel bags. Featured as a partner on the Hello Birdie website and prominently featured in competition prizes.
• UgolfminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench golf course operator and academy network. Listed as a partner on the Hello Birdie website.
• Golf Hotel Mont GriffonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf hotel and resort in France. Listed as a partner on the Hello Birdie website.
• Golf StarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline golf course directory and booking platform. Listed as a partner on the Hello Birdie website.
• LeClub GolfflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf loyalty card program offering access to partner courses. Provides LeClub Classic loyalty cards and fee credits as prizes in the Smarter Golf Trophy competition.
• iSi Golf Method / Fabrice TarnaudflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline golf coaching platform led by Fabrice Tarnaud. Provides video coaching and online training subscriptions as prizes in the Smarter Golf Trophy. Features slow-motion swing analysis at 2,000 frames per second.
• Golf IsabellaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf course in Yvelines, France (78). Partner for Smarter Golf Trophy, providing golfing and strategic experience prizes: 3-4 hours of coaching with teaching pro Julien Grillon, 2 green-fees, and 2 Hello Birdie Unlimited licenses for 1 year. The course is featured as a showcase location for the app.
• Hôtel Golf Valescure NajetiflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner4-star golf hotel on the French Riviera. Provides golfing stay prizes for the Smarter Golf Trophy: 2 green-fees, 1 night with breakfast, and 2 Hello Birdie Unlimited licenses for 1 year.
• Swing ScanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVideo coaching platform offering slow-motion swing analysis at 2,000 frames per second by Fabrice Tarnaud. Provides free access to slow-motion swing analysis as prizes in the Smarter Golf Trophy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 18Birdies: Free golf GPS, scorecard, and stat-tracking app with social/competitive gameplay features. Directly competes with Hello Birdie on the freemium model and amateur golfer audience.
• Golf Pad: GPS rangefinder and stat-tracking app for golfers, including Apple Watch integration. Competes with Hello Birdie on core GPS, scoring, and statistical analysis features.
• Hole19: Golf GPS rangefinder and scorecard app with Apple Watch support. Direct competitor in the mobile-first, GPS-and-statistics golf app category serving European and global amateur golfers.
• Arccos Golf: Direct competitor in AI-powered golf performance tracking. Arccos pairs shot-tracking sensors with a smartphone app for AI club recommendations and shot analysis, competing head-to-head with Hello Birdie's Smart Caddie for the same amateur golfer.
• TheGrint: Golf GPS, handicap tracker, and social app for amateur golfers with freemium tiers. Comparable GTM (freemium mobile app targeting amateur players) and overlapping feature set (GPS, stats, scorecard).
• Golfshot: A long-established golf GPS and stat-tracking app with in-app caddie features. Overlaps Hello Birdie on GPS distances, scorecards, and Apple Watch support, serving the same amateur golfer segment globally.

Emerging players

• DECADE Golf: App-based swing analysis and training tool. Adjacent to Hello Birdie's analytics focus but emphasizing swing mechanics rather than on-course strategy.

Broad incumbents

• GolfNow: A large, established golf-tech platform owned by NBC Sports that combines tee-time booking with GPS and scorecard features. A broader incumbent competing for the same consumer golfer mindshare with adjacent services.
• Golf Genius Software: Established tournament and event-management platform for golf professionals and clubs. Not a direct consumer competitor but a related ecosystem player serving PGA pros and clubs.

Others

• TAG Heuer Connected / Garmin Approach (golf watches): Garmin's Approach line of GPS golf watches is a hardware-enabled alternative for golfers seeking on-course distances and stats. Relevant as an adjacent platform competing for the on-course wearable use case Hello Birdie targets with the Apple Watch.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hellobirdiegolf
• Facebookfacebook.com/hellobirdiegolf

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hello Birdie