BusinessAdmin11/11/2025
Mumbai, 12th November, 2025 : TiE Mumbai, in collaboration with Insiders Club and Elev8, recently hosted a one-of-a-kind community experience “Pickle & Padel Connect”, an exclusive evening that brought together Mumbai’s most dynamic founders, investors, and creators. Moving away from the traditional boardroom setup, the event took place on the vibrant padel courts, combining sport, strategy, and spirited conversation in a refreshing format that celebrated connection through play.
Designed as a curated social-sporting mixer, Pickle & Padel Connect welcomed just 100 handpicked guests, carefully chosen for their entrepreneurial spirit and shared passion for collaboration. The evening unfolded as an engaging blend of games, laughter, energy, and genuine camaraderie, where new friendships were formed, ideas exchanged, and partnerships envisioned all beyond the confines of business as usual.
Speaking about the event, Naveen Raju, Executive Director- TiE Mumbai shared,
“For today’s new generation of innovative entrepreneurs, pickleball is the new golf. Business networking, dealmaking, and growth conversations now happen on the court. It’s where founders find co-founders, investors spot potential, and entrepreneurs discover core team members — all while sharing a game they love. That’s the spirit we wanted to celebrate with Pickle & Padel Connect.”
Co–host, Jay Desai, Founder of Insider Club, mentioned,
“Pickle & Paddle Connect beautifully blends play and purpose. Sports bring out a competitive yet collaborative spirit and that’s exactly what founders and investors thrive on. In settings like this, you’re a person first and a professional second, which makes connections far more genuine. Mumbai, with its vibrant mix of entrepreneurs, creators, and CXOs, is the perfect arena for such community-driven experiences.”
“Pickle & Paddle Connect proved how sports can bridge the gap between founders and investors. When you connect over play, relationships form naturally beyond numbers and boardrooms.”, added Chirag Shrivastav, Founder of Elev8.
While sharing his experience at Pickle & Paddle Connect, Yogesh, Founder of Revan Pride, said,
“The energy here is magnetic, it’s not your typical networking event. Everyone you meet has something valuable to share, and the conversations just flow naturally. What I loved most was the thought behind every detail it all made the experience feel curated for a select few. Events like these help founders connect beyond titles and truly collaborate, it’s a brain vacation for entrepreneurs.”
The collaboration with Insiders Club and Elev8 brought together three vibrant communities that champion founders, creators, and investors in unique ways. Insiders Club, known for creating experiential networking platforms for business leaders and influencers, and Elev8, next-gen sports-tech company offering a one-stop platform for world-class tournaments, premium data-driven coaching, together helped curate an evening that blended lifestyle, leadership, and leisure seamlessly.
The Pickle & Padel Connect event is part of TiE Mumbai’s larger effort to reimagine community engagement — fostering organic relationships among founders, mentors, and investors through unique experiences that go beyond conventional networking. By creating spaces where entrepreneurship meets enjoyment, TiE continues to nurture a culture of collaboration and growth within Mumbai’s thriving startup ecosystem.