Paddle Australia
Paddle Australia is the federally recognized peak national sporting body for paddling in Australia, governing 12 disciplines through six state associations and delivering nationally standardized qualifications, events, and digital member platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Paddle Australia does
Paddle Australia Limited is the federally recognized peak national sporting body for paddling in Australia, structured as a non-profit company limited by guarantee and headquartered in Canberra (though firmographic data lists Sydney). The organization governs and standardizes paddlesports across Australia, managing 12 disciplines including Canoe Slalom, Canoe Sprint, Canoe Marathon, Canoe Freestyle, Canoe Ocean Racing, Paracanoe, Canoe Polo, Wildwater Canoeing, SUP, Waveski Surfing, Outrigger, and general Paddlesports. It operates through a federated network of six State Paddle Associations covering NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia, which deliver local training, club coordination, and qualification administration.
The organization delivers its services through a combination of digital platforms and physical programs. Its core technology consists of three proprietary applications: Paddle Log (an online logbook for tracking paddling activities and PAQS qualification hours, available on iOS, Android, and desktop), Paddle Ed (an assessment management app enabling instructors to record and submit student qualifications in the field), and Paddle Prep (a safety and trip planning app with weather/tide integration). The Paddle Australia Qualification Scheme (PAQS) is the national benchmark certification for paddling instructors and guides, registered on 3-year terms. Revenue is generated through membership fees (individual and club tiers), coaching course registration fees (e.g., Introduction to Coaching at $50-$95 plus $60 registration), PAQS qualification registration fees, event registration fees for national championships, and Commercial Provider Memberships for insurance-backed activity delivery. The JustGo platform handles event and membership administration. The organization is a member of Paddle Worldwide (formerly the International Canoe Federation) and partners with the Australian Institute of Sport for high-performance athlete development and with VInsurance Group for member insurance coverage.
Paddle Australia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paddle Australia
- Legal name
- Paddle Australia Limited
- Website
- https://paddle.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Paddle Australia is the federally recognized peak national sporting body for paddling in Australia, governing 12 disciplines through six state associations and delivering nationally standardized qualifications, events, and digital member platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paddle Australia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- National Sporting Federation
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)
Keywords
Where Paddle Australia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Paddle Australia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for individuals joining through clubs and State Paddle Associations, with different tiers for direct members vs club members.
- Coaching Course Registration: Revenue from Introduction to Coaching ($50-$95 program fee plus $60 registration) and Foundation Coach courses, with prices varying by membership status and state.
- PAQS Qualification Registration: Registration fees for Paddle Australia Qualification Scheme credentials, registered for 3-year terms with fees varying by qualification type.
- Event Registration: Fees for national championships and competitive events across disciplines including Slalom, Sprint, Marathon, Freestyle, Ocean Racing, Paracanoe, Polo, Wildwater, and SUP.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Introduction to Coaching Course - Club/Direct Members |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Introduction to Coaching Course - Non Members |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Coaching Qualification Re-registration |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | PAQS Qualification Registration |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Paddle Australia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paddle Australia is the federal government-recognized peak national sporting body for paddling in Australia, providing governance, qualification frameworks (PAQS), coaching certification, national championships, and digital tools (Paddle Log, Paddle Ed, Paddle Prep) across 12 paddlesports disciplines spanning canoe, kayak, SUP, outrigger, paracanoe and related sports. It operates a six-state federation structure that delivers standardized instructor/leader qualifications, recreational participation programs (Paddle Oz), elite athlete pathways, and insurance-backed membership services through affiliated clubs.
Product overview
Paddle Australia is the peak sporting body for paddling in Australia, offering a portfolio of mobile applications and programs rather than a unified software product. The core digital offerings consist of three mobile/desktop apps: Paddle Log (online logbook for tracking paddling activities and qualifying hours), Paddle Ed (assessment management for instructors to record and submit student qualifications), and Paddle Prep (safety guidance and trip planning app). Supporting these is the Paddle Australia Qualification Scheme (PAQS), a national certification framework for paddling instructors and guides, and the Paddle Oz participation program for beginners. The organization also provides coaching programs (Introduction to Coaching, Foundation Coach, Talent Coach), officiating certification, and membership administration through the JustGo platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Paddle Log: Online logbook application for paddlers to track their activities and qualification hours, available on Apple and Android devices
- Paddle Ed
- Paddle Prep
- Paddle Oz
- PAQS
- Paddle with Pride
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 paddlers supported among 51 AIS Athlete Education Scholarship recipients
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Paddle Australia
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Paddle Australia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Paddle Australia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Waveski AdventurersminorOfficial Support Partner announced in August 2026, focused on growing participation and strengthening the waveski surfing discipline within Paddle Australia family.
- Paddle Worldwide (formerly ICF)coreFormerly International Canoe Federation, relaunched as Paddle Worldwide in July 2026 as shared global identity. Governing body for international paddlesport competitions including World Championships and Olympic/Paralympic qualification events.
- Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)corePrincipal Partner providing high-performance coaching support, athlete funding through AIS Athlete Education Scholarship (supporting 3 of 51 recipients), and institutional backing for elite paddlesports development. AIS report highlighted progress in high performance coaching including doubling of women head coach numbers.
- VInsurance GroupcoreInsurance provider providing coverage for Paddle Australia members, qualification holders delivering approved courses, affiliated club services, and Commercial Provider Membership holders.
- Paddle NSWcoreState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in New South Wales.
- Paddle QueenslandcoreState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in Queensland. Positioning Queensland as candidate to host 2030 World Paddle Games.
- Paddle VictoriacoreState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in Victoria.
- Paddle South AustraliacoreState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in South Australia.
- Paddle TasmaniacoreState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in Tasmania.
- Paddle Western AustraliacoreState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in Western Australia. Collaborated on Remote Sporting Schools program in Kimberley for NAIDOC Week.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Paddle Australia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- British Canoeing: The national governing body for paddlesports in the United Kingdom, providing qualifications, membership, and elite pathways. Directly comparable as a similarly structured NGB with a coach/instructor qualification scheme (UKCC/BCU Star Awards) and membership-based federation model.
- Australian Sailing: The Australian national governing body for sailing. Highly comparable as a fellow Australian NGB with a similar member-funded, ASC-recognized structure delivering qualifications, club support, and Olympic pathway programs in a related water sport.
- Rowing Australia: The Australian national federation for rowing. Comparable as an Australian NGB managing a single-discipline competitive pathway, qualification framework for coaches/officials, and elite programs through AIS partnership.
- Canoe Kayak Canada: The national federation for paddling in Canada. Comparable as an English-language NGB managing national teams across multiple paddlesports disciplines, delivering coach certification and hosting national championships.
- USA Canoe Kayak: The US national governing body for paddlesports, recognized by the US Olympic Committee. Operates a similar model with national team management, instructor certification, and event sanctioning across canoe/kayak/SUP disciplines.
Broad incumbents
- Swimming Australia: Australia's national federation for aquatic sport. Comparable as a much larger ASC-recognized NGB operating in the water/aquatic space with similar coaching accreditation (learn-to-swim frameworks) and Olympic pathway structure.
- Surfing Australia: The Australian national body for surfing. Comparable as a fellow ASC-recognized NGB with a strong grassroots-to-elite pipeline, commercial sponsorships, and recent integration of wave-ski-related disciplines that overlap with Paddle Australia's Waveski Surfing program.
- Paddle Worldwide (formerly International Canoe Federation): The global governing body for paddlesports, of which Paddle Australia is a member federation. Paddle Worldwide sets international rules and runs World Championships, making it the closest direct analogue and the apex body for national federations like Paddle Australia.
Regional players
- Paddle New Zealand: The national governing body for paddling in New Zealand. Functionally similar to Paddle Australia with a slightly smaller scope; useful as a regional peer given geographic proximity and shared Oceania competition ecosystem.
Others
- Australian Sports Commission: The Australian federal government agency that funds and recognizes national sporting organizations including Paddle Australia. Indirect peer as the institutional counterpart that channels government funding and sets NGB policy frameworks across Australian sport.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Paddle Australia social profiles
Digital presencePaddle Australia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paddle Australia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Paddle Australia subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Paddle Australia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paddle Australia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paddle Australia
What does Paddle Australia do?
Paddle Australia is the federal government-recognized peak national sporting body for paddling in Australia, providing governance, qualification frameworks (PAQS), coaching certification, national championships, and digital tools (Paddle Log, Paddle Ed, Paddle Prep) across 12 paddlesports disciplines spanning canoe, kayak, SUP, outrigger, paracanoe and related sports. It operates a six-state federation structure that delivers standardized instructor/leader qualifications, recreational participation programs (Paddle Oz), elite athlete pathways, and insurance-backed membership services through affiliated clubs.
Is Paddle Australia a public or private company?
Paddle Australia is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Paddle Australia founded?
Paddle Australia was founded in 2021. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Paddle Australia based?
Paddle Australia is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Paddle Australia make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are coaching Course Registration, PAQS Qualification Registration and event Registration.
Who are Paddle Australia's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are British Canoeing, Australian Sailing, Rowing Australia, Canoe Kayak Canada and USA Canoe Kayak. Broad incumbents are Swimming Australia, Surfing Australia and Paddle Worldwide (formerly International Canoe Federation). Paddle New Zealand is listed as a regional player. Australian Sports Commission is listed as an others.
Does Paddle Australia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paddle Australia.
What industry is Paddle Australia in?
Paddle Australia's product category is National Sporting Federation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAFAC, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), with a secondary code of MPAKABAH, Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing). Its NAICS code is 611620 and its SIC code is 7997.