Playinnovation

What Playinnovation does

Playinnovation Ltd. is a UK-based, founder-owned company founded in 2010 by Marco Boi, headquartered in Watford and operating with 11–50 employees. It designs, manufactures, and installs patented non-electronic outdoor target games and Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs) for UK and international institutional buyers. The core product line consists of wall- and fence-mounted target panels — Street Snooker, Street Pool, Crossbar King X, First to Zero, Goalmaster, Cricket Champ, Tennis Superstar, Street Darts, Corner Skills, and Mini Games — protected by a GB patent, Community Registered Designs, and US/European product patents. Complementary offerings include bespoke playground design and build, sports-area resurfacing, the Sockgoal inflatable football arena, and a freemium Street Snooker X mobile app with a geo-locator that funnels users to physical installations.

The business runs a B2B sales-led GTM targeting local councils, schools, housing associations, and leisure centres, supported by appointed distributors in the Netherlands/Belgium (SW ADVIES) and Australia (Playmark), event participation at Elevate and SAPCA, and a London Sport partnership channelling £5.7m of school facility investment over three years. Revenue streams are predominantly project-based (one-time equipment sales plus installation and resurfacing services) with quote-based pricing; Corner Skills panels start at £2,400 and products carry 15–20 year warranties. The 2024 SAPCA Award and high-profile collaborations with L&Q housing association (£1m, seven playgrounds) and Nike Intersport ("Play Your Way" Cube) demonstrate brand traction, though revenue is not publicly disclosed. Ownership remains entirely founder- and family-controlled with no institutional investors or external funding rounds.

Name

Playinnovation

Legal name

Playinnovation Ltd.

Website

https://playinnovation.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Playinnovation is a UK-based, founder-owned designer and installer of patented non-electronic outdoor target games and Multi Use Games Areas for schools, councils, housing associations, and leisure centres, with international distribution in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Playground and Sports Equipment (Multi Use Games Areas)

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing) (EDAEAIAF)

Keywords

• Outdoor play equipment
• Multi use games areas
• Target games
• Playground design build
• Sports area resurfacing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kings Langley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Playground Equipment Sales: One-time sale of patented target games and play equipment to councils, schools, housing associations, and leisure centres. Products include Street Snooker, Street Pool, Crossbar King, Corner Skills, and other target games. Installation typically included as part of turnkey solutions.
2. Resurfacing Services: Professional resurfacing of outdoor sports areas including MUGAs, football pitches, tennis courts, basketball courts, netball courts, and hockey surfaces. Uses high-performance synthetic turf and needle-punch carpets meeting Sport England and EN safety standards.
3. Bespoke Playground Design & Build: Full design and build services for custom playgrounds and Multi Use Games Areas (MUGA). Includes community consultation, turnkey project delivery, and partnership with property services providers. Projects range from renovations to ground-up builds.
4. Sockgoal Rental: Inflatable football arena available for purchase or rental. Combines game environment with sports equipment and apparel for indoor or outdoor use.
5. Mobile App (Freemium): Free mobile application (Street Snooker X) available on iOS and Android. The app drives demand for physical product installations and generates social value. Physical game installations are added to the app map for free.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Playinnovation designs, manufactures, and installs patented non-electronic outdoor play equipment (Street Snooker X, Street Pool, Crossbar King X, Corner Skills, Mini Games, and related target panels) along with bespoke playground and Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) design-build and resurfacing services. It also distributes a free Street Snooker X mobile companion app (iOS/Android) with a geo-locator that directs users to physical installations.

Product overview

Playinnovation is a UK-based company specialising in outdoor play and sports equipment for tackling physical inactivity in children, young people and adults. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: (1) Patented Target Games including Street Snooker X, Street Pool, Crossbar King X, First to Zero, Goalmaster, Cricket Champ, Tennis Superstar, Street Darts, Corner Skills, and Mini Games - all non-electronic outdoor play panels that attach to walls/fences and promote physical activity, coordination, and maths skills; and (2) the Street Snooker X Mobile App for iOS and Android that bridges digital and physical play. Additional offerings include Sockgoal (inflatable football arena), MUGA (Multi Use Games Areas), Bespoke Playground Design & Build services, and Resurfacing services for sports and play areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Street Snooker: Patented target game wall for playgrounds, combining snooker-style gameplay with physical activity. Available as playground game and educational mathematics app.
• Street Pool
• Crossbar King
• Corner Skills
• Sockgoal
• First to Zero
• Goal Master
• Cricket Champ
• Tennis Superstar
• Street Darts
• Mini Games

Products and services

• Street Snooker X An award-winning patented target game where players throw balls or bean bags at a coloured board to score points, incorporating maths challenges and strategic thinking; designed for schools, councils, leisure centres, and housing associations.
• Street Pool A patented pool-inspired target game for outdoor spaces played using balls or bean bags without a cue, designed for ages 8 to 88 with educational and developmental benefits.
• Crossbar King X A crossbar challenge target game with 8 multi-coloured crossbars made from anti-climb half round steel tubes; players spin a wheel and aim to earn 21 points first to improve target skills, coordination, and maths.
• First to Zero A maths and skill game where players start with points and subtract by hitting targets to reach exactly zero first, suitable for schools, parks, and family play.
• Goalmaster A football role-play target game with O's and X's game variation and multiple goal frames for scoring points, including a wheel spin for game selection, suitable for schools, parks, and leisure centres.
• Cricket Champ A cricket-inspired target play panel with numbered scoring zones, designed for target bowling practice and improving aiming skills and maths.
• Tennis Superstar A tennis-themed rebound wall game guiding players through tennis rules and scoring to develop tennis fundamentals.
• Street Darts A dart-style target game played starting at 90 points, subtracting by hitting numerical targets to reach zero; suitable for PE lessons and family play.
• Corner Skills An innovative range of target panels designed to transform empty corners in ball courts into physical activity hubs, available in multi-sport designs for football, netball, basketball and more, starting at £2,400 with a 20-year warranty.
• Mini Games Compact target game panels (1200mm wide x 1500mm high) designed for small inner-city spaces or school walls, where players create their own rules for throwing or kicking games.
• Sockgoal A unique inflatable football arena played in socks, combining skills and fun, suitable for indoor or outdoor use and available for purchase or rental.
• Street Snooker X Mobile App Free iOS and Android mobile app providing Street Snooker game play, with in-game signposting to real-life outdoor installations and an interactive geo-locator map to find the nearest playground games.
• MUGA (Multi Use Games Areas) Award-winning inclusive sports areas featuring unique court designs, innovative games, and personalised schemes including logos, school emblems, and educational themes, for councils, schools, housing associations, and leisure centres.
• Bespoke Playgrounds Custom playground design, build, maintenance and resurfacing services for creating inclusive, community-focused play spaces for councils, schools, housing associations, and leisure centres.
• Resurfacing Services Sports and play area resurfacing using high-performance synthetic turf and needle-punch carpets, covering football, tennis, basketball, netball, hockey, and multi-sport use, meeting Sport England and EN safety standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of children are hooked on mobile devices; 9 out of 10 children said they'd play Street Snooker X outside after trying it on their phone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• London SportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Two-year partnership to create spaces helping young Londoners and families enjoy being active. Includes distribution of £5.7m investment over three years to help schools open facilities. Play Innovation is Official Partner and sponsor of Supporting Young Londoners category at London Sport Awards. Category winners receive Play Innovation products worth up to £1,600.
• L&Q GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing association partnership delivering £1m transformation of seven community playgrounds in London and Essex. Play Innovation provides innovative play equipment including Hype multi-sports goals, Street Snooker X, Crossbar King, and inclusive target games.
• Axis EuropecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProperty services provider working alongside Play Innovation on playground redesign projects. Part of award-winning team that delivered L&Q playground transformations.
• Nike IntersportflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlay Innovation was lead play consultant for Nike's Play Your Way campaign. Created multi-activity 'Cube' installation within 170m2 space. Arena toured five cities in three countries in just three weeks. Campaign aimed to inspire children and young people to find new ways to play.
• HarrimanSteelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative agency that conceptualised and co-designed the Nike Intersport Play Your Way campaign. Worked with Play Innovation to create the Cube installation.
• SAPCA (Sports and Play Construction Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade association membership providing industry recognition and credibility. SAPCA has over 220 members. Play Innovation is an API Approved member. Participates in SAPCA events and awards programmes.
• Play EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration at parliamentary level on play sufficiency agenda. CEO Marco Boi sat with Play England representative Eugene Minogue at Westminster debate led by Tom Hayes MP on importance of children's play.
• Sport & Recreation AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with organisation working to champion sport and recreation. Play Innovation partners with like-minded organisations to stay informed on sector developments.
• SW ADVIEScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAppointed distributor for Netherlands and Belgium markets. Based in Nieuwegein. Handles local sales and distribution of Play Innovation products.
• PlaymarkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAppointed distributor for Australian market. Handles local sales and distribution of Play Innovation products.
• IIMC (International Institute of Municipal Clerks)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerUS-based organisation representing local authority professionals. Invited Play Innovation to exhibit at 2023 Annual Conference in Minneapolis. Opportunity to introduce patented target games to US market delegates.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wicksteed Leisure: One of the UK's longest-established playground equipment and leisure facility providers, supplying schools, councils, and housing associations. Comparable product category and customer base, with deeper heritage but similar end-market exposure.
• Timberplay: UK specialist in natural and inclusive playground equipment, working with local authorities and schools. Comparable UK customer base with shared focus on inclusive, non-electronic outdoor play — directly competitive for inclusive play tenders.
• HAGS: Swedish global playground equipment manufacturer with UK operations, supplying schools, councils and leisure operators. Directly comparable product range and target customers, particularly for ball court and MUGA projects.
• Playdale Playgrounds: UK-based playground equipment designer and manufacturer serving schools, councils, and housing developers. Comparable B2B sales-led model and product categories (playground structures, ball courts, surfacing).
• Sutcliffe Play: UK-based playground equipment manufacturer targeting schools, local authorities, and housing associations. Same UK institutional GTM motion and customer base as Playinnovation, making it a directly comparable competitor for UK tenders.
• Lappset: Finnish manufacturer of outdoor play, sports and fitness equipment for schools and public spaces. Directly comparable product portfolio including target games, ball courts, and MUGAs, with international distribution overlapping Playinnovation's footprint.
• Kompan: Global Danish manufacturer of playground and outdoor fitness equipment, serving the same institutional customers (schools, councils, housing associations) with a much broader product catalogue. The most direct large-scale comparator for Playinnovation's outdoor play and MUGA offering.
• Proludic: French designer and manufacturer of playground, sports, and fitness equipment for public spaces. Comparable international footprint, product portfolio (including target/sports games), and institutional customer mix.

Broad incumbents

• GameTime: Established US-based playground and fitness equipment manufacturer with broad portfolio and deep North American distribution. Useful comparator for the US market opportunity and pricing benchmarks as Playinnovation expands beyond its UK base.

Emerging players

• Yalp (Polytan): Provider of interactive, digitally-enabled outdoor play equipment (e.g., Sona, Sutu). Less overlap in the non-electronic target game niche but a comparable peer for outdoor play innovation tenders where Playinnovation's digital-physical bridge is most relevant.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/playinnovation
• Facebookfacebook.com/playinnovation
• Instagraminstagram.com/playinnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/playinnovation-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Playinnovation