Paddletek Group, backed by Chicago private equity firm Thirty-5 Capital, has added PIKKL to a paddle portfolio already spanning Bantam, Tempest and Honeyfoam, while also expanding its athlete roster with four pro pickleball signings.
PaddletekGroup has announced the acquisition of performance paddle brand PIKKL. Additionally, the company has expanded Team Paddletek with the signing of pro pickleball players JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, Julie Johnson and Hurricane Tyra Black.
PIKKL, headquartered in Minneapolis, was founded by Mike Strommen and Dan Martinson. The two co-founders will continue to work with Paddletek to advance innovation in performance pickleball paddles. By joining Paddletek, PIKKL’s technology platform will become part of a larger portfolio that already includes other paddle families in pickleball, including Bantam, Tempest and the Honeyfoam platform, launched in May.
Michigan-based Paddletek Group, founded in 2010 as Paddletek, is a manufacturer of high-performance pickleball paddles and padel rackets, boasting a roster of athletes who have won over 500 championships worldwide. Paddletek Group is an official paddle sponsor of Major League Pickleball, Professional Pickleball Association, US Open Pickleball Championships, and the USAP Nationals. It is a portfolio company of Thirty-5 Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on sports businesses.
Racquet Sports: Grand Slams, big brands, and the challengers
Tennis, padel, and pickleball. We track the business story: brand strategies, participation trends, product launches, sponsorship economics, and the major events that drive the sport: explore our Wimbledon 2026 coverage.
Explore Racquet Sports →
