India has no shortage of sporting talent—but the journey from raw potential to professional excellence often lacks structure, visibility, and consistent guidance. Stepping in to bridge this critical gap is Chetan Desai, Co-founder of SportsSkill, SportsSkill Ladder, and Chance2Sports, who is leveraging technology to transform how athletes train, track, and grow.

With a career spanning over five decades in tennis and leadership roles across industries, Desai is now on a mission to democratize sports training and create equal opportunities for athletes across India.

From Tennis Courts to Tech Platforms: The Journey Behind SportsSkill

Chetan Desai’s journey is deeply rooted in sport. A national-level tennis player with over 50 years of experience, he achieved a ranking of 310 and won gold at the first National Games in 1985. Beyond the court, he held C-suite roles across sports management, FMCG, and media—bringing a unique blend of operational and strategic expertise.

The idea for SportsSkill emerged from a recurring gap he observed during his involvement with training programs and ATP tournaments in Pune. While parents were eager to understand their children’s progress, there was no structured system to track or communicate performance.

This realization led to the creation of SportsSkill—alongside its complementary platforms, SportsSkill Ladder and Chance2Sports—built with a vision to bring structure, transparency, and accessibility to sports training.

Bridging the Gap in India’s Sports Training Ecosystem

Unlike academics, where student performance is systematically tracked through report cards and ERPs, sports training in India has largely remained unstructured and subjective.

SportsSkill addresses this gap through a technology-driven platform powered by data science, connecting athletes, coaches, and parents into a unified ecosystem. Coaches can monitor progress and generate reports, parents gain real-time insights, and athletes receive personalized training plans tailored to their needs.

What sets the platform apart is its holistic approach to athlete development—integrating technique, physical fitness, nutrition, recovery, and mental resilience. Features like gamified “Skill Points” further enhance engagement and motivation among young athletes.

Through its initiative Chance2Sports, the company is also extending access to rural and semi-urban regions, ensuring that talent is not limited by geography or resources.

Democratizing Sports Technology for Every Athlete

While sports technology is often associated with elite athletes and expensive wearables, SportsSkill is redefining accessibility.

At the core of its platform is SkillStats, a proprietary performance-tracking engine that captures key metrics across multiple sports. The platform also offers AI-powered video analysis, allowing athletes to upload training videos and receive personalized feedback—bringing expert-level coaching within reach for grassroots players.

In addition, SportsSkill has introduced a talent discovery platform, similar to LinkedIn, enabling scouts to identify promising athletes from underrepresented regions. Gamification features like peer challenges and skill-based rankings further enhance user engagement.

Importantly, the platform is priced affordably at ₹300 per month for athletes, while remaining free for coaches and academies—ensuring widespread adoption.

Early Traction and Key Milestones

Despite being in its early stages, SportsSkill has demonstrated strong traction and validation.

The platform has crossed 1,000+ downloads on both iOS and Android, with active users across cities like Pune, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. Coaches are actively logging sessions, parents are tracking progress, and athletes are setting measurable goals.

One of the most notable upcoming initiatives is the launch of India’s first gamified high-performance sports training centre in Pune, blending physical coaching with immersive technology.

Additionally, through Chance2Sports, the company has already impacted grassroots talent—including young athletes from rural Maharashtra—highlighting the power of structured development.

Backing from Strategic Investors

SportsSkill has attracted backing from investors who understand both sports and business.

In 2024, the company received its first major investment from KP Balaraj, Co-founder of WestBridge Capital, followed by a pre-seed round from Waimea Bay Investments. More recently, Nirav Mody joined as the lead investor for SportsSkill Ladder.

While funding amounts remain undisclosed, the focus has been on strategic value—leveraging investor expertise to strengthen product development, partnerships, and global expansion plans.

Scaling Through Technology, Partnerships, and Community

The company is currently focused on three key growth pillars: technology advancement, product expansion, and ecosystem building.

Enhancing AI capabilities within SkillStats, expanding the SportsSkill Ladder platform, and building B2B2C partnerships with schools and academies are central to its roadmap.

Partnerships, in particular, play a crucial role in scaling. By integrating with institutions, SportsSkill can onboard entire cohorts of athletes, improving engagement and retention while strengthening credibility.

Looking ahead, the company is also exploring collaborations with state sports departments, school boards, and national federations.

Challenges in Building a Sports-Tech Startup

Building in the sports-tech space has not been without challenges.

One of the biggest hurdles has been changing traditional mindsets, as many coaches initially viewed technology with skepticism. Demonstrating that the platform enhances—not replaces—their expertise was key to driving adoption.

Affordability, infrastructure limitations in rural areas, and early-stage investor awareness were additional challenges. However, consistent product improvement and strong word-of-mouth have helped the company overcome these barriers.

Unlocking the Future of Sports in India

India’s sports ecosystem is undergoing rapid transformation, with increasing participation across schools, societies, and recreational clubs. However, structured training and performance tracking still lag behind demand.

With the Indian sports tech market projected to grow from $185 million to over $830 million by 2030, platforms like SportsSkill are well-positioned to lead this evolution.

By combining performance analytics, AI-driven insights, and community-led competition, SportsSkill is creating a comprehensive athlete development ecosystem—from grassroots participation to elite performance.

The Road Ahead: Building a Global Sports Ecosystem

Chetan Desai envisions SportsSkill as a global platform that ensures equal access to world-class training tools for every athlete, regardless of geography or economic background.

The company aims to expand into markets like MENA, the USA, and Europe, while building a user base of 50 million athletes over the next five years.

At its core, the mission remains clear:
to ensure that no athlete is held back due to lack of access, structure, or opportunity.

Interview Conducted by : Arushi Agarwal