What Pongbot does

Pongbot is a Shanghai-based AI robotics company founded in 2019 by Zhang Haibo that designs and manufactures intelligent ball-launching training robots for racket sports. Its product portfolio spans three lines: the Pace series (Pace S, Pace S Pro) for tennis and padel; a table tennis robot range from the backpack-portable Nova S Pro to the floor-standing Halo S Pro; and the Aura multi-sport robot launched in 2026 covering tennis, pickleball, and padel. The proprietary technology stack combines UWB player tracking at 100Hz with sub-10cm accuracy, a Recovery Trigger system that synchronizes ball delivery with player recovery position, an AI Match Mode trained on more than 100,000 real matches, and a dual-camera Spotter module functioning as an automated referee. Sixty-nine R&D patents protect the underlying architecture, and the Pace S Pro is positioned as the first AI tennis ball machine on the market.

The company sells primarily through a Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer storefront and Kickstarter, with one-time hardware purchases priced between $299.99 and $1,699.99 across product tiers, supplemented by accessories, consumables, and a 10% affiliate commission program run on UpPromote. Revenue is generated from consumer and SMB buyers—individual tennis and table tennis players, recreational pickleball players, coaches, and tennis clubs—with distribution expanding into 11+ countries via a formal reseller program and an ecosystem of 800+ coaches and 35+ clubs across 80+ countries. Pongbot is privately held and venture-backed, having raised approximately USD 29.3 million across three funding rounds from investors including Pegasus Capital, Future Capital, Lanchi Ventures, Jinqiu Fund, and China Growth Capital, supplemented by an additional ~$4 million raised in May 2026. GTM motion is product-led through Kickstarter and DTC, with channel expansion and event marketing (notably CES 2026) layered on top.

The business serves a cumulative user base of more than 300,000 customers and continues to expand its addressable market by extending from table tennis into tennis, pickleball, and padel through the Aura platform. Value proposition centers on enabling high-quality solo practice without partners or coaches, simulating opponent patterns at specific NTRP levels, and giving tennis clubs and coaches a scalable practice tool. The company monetizes hardware rather than software subscriptions, making recurring revenue absent but unit economics and community lock-in rather than SaaS metrics the relevant performance lens.

Name

Pongbot

Legal name

PONGBOT LIMITED

Website

https://pongbotsports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Pongbot designs and manufactures AI-powered ball-launching training robots for tennis, table tennis, pickleball, and padel, selling through DTC, Kickstarter, and channel partners to a base of more than 300,000 users across 80+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart Sports Training Robots

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Racquet Sport Training Aids & Practice Equipment Retail (CRAMAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Table Tennis (Ping Pong) Equipment Retail (CRAMAFAE), Pickleball Equipment & Accessories Retail (CRAMAFAB)

Keywords

• AI sports robots
• Tennis ball machines
• Table tennis robots
• Sports training equipment
• Pickleball training robots

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Tennis Robots: One-time purchase of AI-powered tennis ball machines (Pace S, Pace S Pro, Aura). Products priced between $599.99 and $1,699.99 USD. Includes accessories and add-ons.
2. Hardware Sales - Table Tennis Robots: One-time purchase of table tennis training robots (Nova S Pro, Omni S Pro, Omni S Plus, Halo S Pro). Products priced between $299.99 and $1,499.99 USD.
3. Affiliate Program Commission: 10% commission on every successful referral through affiliate program. Partners promote Pongbot products to their audience and receive commissions on sales.
4. Accessories and Consumables: Sales of accessories including ball pickers, dust covers, batteries, ball collection nets, pressureless tennis balls, and apparel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pongbot designs, manufactures, and sells AI-powered ball-launching training robots for racket sports including tennis, table tennis, pickleball, and padel. The product portfolio includes the Pace S/S Pro tennis machines with UWB-based player tracking, the Nova S Pro / Omni S Pro / Omni S Plus / Halo S Pro table tennis robots, and the Aura multi-sport training robot. All products integrate proprietary AI (Match Mode), computer vision (Spotter camera), and UWB tracking hardware, sold primarily through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront.

Product overview

Pongbot is an AI robotics company that designs and manufactures intelligent ball-launching training robots for sports. The product portfolio centers on three robot lines: the Pace series (Pace S, Pace S Pro) for tennis and padel, the table tennis robot line (Nova S Pro, Omni S Pro, Omni S Plus, Halo S Pro), and the Aura multi-sport robot (tennis, pickleball, padel). These are supported by a companion mobile app for drill customization, community sharing, and performance tracking. The Pace S Pro serves as the flagship, distinguished by UWB player-tracking and Recovery Trigger technology, while the Aura extends the concept to multi-sport use with an integrated Spotter referee camera. The table tennis lineup ranges from the portable Nova S Pro (backpack-friendly) to the standing Halo S Pro (full-table advanced training), with the Omni S series occupying a mid-range clip-on form factor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aura: AI-powered multi-sport training robot for tennis, pickleball, and padel with integrated Spotter camera system for automated refereeing and performance tracking.
• Pace S Pro
• Pace S
• Nova S Pro
• Omni S Pro
• Halo S Pro

Products and services

• Aura AI-powered multi-sport training robot supporting tennis, pickleball, and padel from a single device. Features 10 TOPS AI processor, dual-camera vision at 120fps, weighs 7kg, delivers balls up to 120 km/h with customizable spin, and includes a modular Spotter camera system acting as an automated referee with hawk-eye replay and post-match performance analytics.
• Pace S Pro Flagship AI-powered tennis ball machine and the first smart ball machine that tracks player movement and adapts feeds in real time. UWB tracking at 100Hz with sub-10cm accuracy, Recovery Trigger technology, AI Match Mode trained on 100,000+ real matches, ball speeds up to 80 mph, spin rates up to 60 rps, 564+ preset drills, custom drill builder (up to 45 balls per sequence), 150-ball hopper, and 8+ hours battery life.
• Pace S Smart portable tennis ball machine offering consistent programmable feeds across clay, hard, grass courts, and padel. Programmable ball speed, spin, and placement without the advanced UWB tracking features of the Pro model.
• Nova S Pro Portable backpack-friendly table tennis serving robot with 150+ ball capacity, 9 spin variations, speeds of 2–15 m/s, ball frequency of 30–90 balls per minute, 264+ built-in drills, and app control for customizable training sessions.
• Omni S Pro Clip-on table tennis robot with 360-degree spin adjustment, spin rates up to 100 r/s, speeds up to 15 m/s, 522+ built-in drills, E-Pad S touchscreen controller, 250-ball capacity with automatic recycling, Bluetooth app and remote control, and full-table oscillation.
• Omni S Plus Clip-on table tennis robot variant with 360-degree spin adjustment, spin rates up to 80 r/s, speeds up to 15 m/s, 198 built-in drills, app-only control (no E-Pad S touchscreen), 250-ball capacity with automatic recycling, and Bluetooth connectivity.
• Halo S Pro Floor-standing advanced table tennis training robot with full-table oscillation, spin rates up to 100 r/s, 576+ preset routines, 21 speed levels, automatic oscillation control, app and remote control, and a ball-catching net for efficient practice. Developed with input from Chen Bin, former coach of the Chinese national table tennis team.
• T Serve S Serve sensor accessory for Pace S and Pace S Pro machines that recognizes serve motion automatically and triggers the next ball delivery, enabling serve-and-return drill sequences without manual machine reset.
• Tennis Ball Picker Multi-sport ball picker for tennis, pickleball, and padel made of ABS+PVC, holding up to 18 balls, featuring one-touch collection, reinforced elastic openings, shoulder strap, and anti-spill base. Assembles from 33cm to 108.6cm.
• Table Tennis Ball Picker Height-adjustable (64–100cm) telescoping ball picker with mesh basket accommodating approximately 150 balls, 180-degree angle adjustment, and ergonomic design to reduce bending during ball collection.
• Table Tennis Ball Collection Net Ball collection net designed to catch and gather balls quickly during table tennis training sessions, reducing pickup time and keeping practice areas organized.
• Table Tennis Racket 5-star professional table tennis racket featuring high-elastic sponge and professional-grade rubber for maximum control and spin, with explosive speed and precision. Includes waist-shaped handle design and edge protectors.
• Pressureless Tennis Balls (50-Pack) Rubber and acrylic pressureless tennis balls sized for Pace series machines, providing consistent bounce through repeated machine feed use without losing pressure over time.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2.7 million raised on Kickstarter, #1 Tech & Sports campaign 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability9 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cam Jordan FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026Presenting Sponsor of the 2nd Annual Cam Jordan Foundation Pickleball Tournament. Strategic alignment with Kickstarter launch of Aura AI training robot for pickleball, tennis, and padel. Partnership targets pickleball's rapid growth demographic of 8.9 million U.S. players.
• Chen BinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer coach of Chinese national table tennis team. Provided valuable input in development of Omni S Pro and Halo S Pro table tennis training robots to ensure professional practice concepts.
• Global Tennis Club Partners (35+ clubs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership network of 35+ tennis clubs across 80+ countries utilizing Pongbot products for member training programs.
• Global Coach Network (800+ coaches)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 800+ tennis coaches using Pongbot products for player training and demonstrating products to prospective customers.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lobster Sports: Established US manufacturer of premium tennis ball machines (Lobster Elite series) widely used by clubs and coaches. Direct competitor to Pongbot's Pace S and Pace S Pro lines in the AI/adaptive tennis ball machine category.
• Spinshot Sports: New Zealand-based manufacturer of tennis ball machines (Spinshot Player, Plus, Pro) with app-control and programmable drills. Closest direct competitor to Pongbot's tennis product line with similar price points and feature set.
• Newgy: US-based table tennis robot manufacturer with the Robo-Pong line, including the high-end Robo-Pong 3050XL. Direct competitor to Pongbot's Nova S Pro, Omni S Pro, and Halo S Pro in the programmable table tennis robot market.
• Gamma Sports: Major tennis equipment manufacturer with a popular tennis ball machine line (Gamma MI.5, MI.6). Direct competitor to Pongbot's Pace series with strong retail distribution across sporting goods and tennis specialty stores.

Broad incumbents

• Joola: Major table tennis equipment brand with broad product portfolio including rackets, balls, tables, and recently ball machines. Broad incumbent operating in Pongbot's table tennis category with significantly larger retail presence and brand recognition.
• Donic: German table tennis equipment brand with broad product portfolio including rackets, rubbers, and training robots. Broad incumbent competing with Pongbot's table tennis robots in the European market.
• Butterfly (Tamasu): Industry-leading table tennis equipment brand with strong presence in Japan and global markets. Wide portfolio including rackets, tables, and training robots (Omegaball / T-Ball series), making it a broad incumbent competitor in Pongbot's table tennis category.

Emerging players

• DUWIDU: Emerging player in the AI tennis robot category with similar interactive training features. Comparable product positioning to Pongbot's Pace series, particularly in the mid-range price tier.
• Tennis Robotics: Emerging player offering AI-enabled tennis ball machines for solo practice. Comparable product use case and target customer to Pongbot's Pace series, though with a smaller market presence and brand recognition.
• Acemate: AI-powered tennis robot company emerging as a competitor in the smart tennis ball machine space. Offers similar AI-driven ball delivery and tracking features, positioning it as a direct emerging competitor to Pongbot's Pace S Pro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PONGBOT
• Facebookfacebook.com/Pace-Pongbot-61565966184489
• Xx.com/pongbotstore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pongbot

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors7 records

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 Pongbot