SPORTSSKILL has announced a lead investment from Nirav Mody for its newly launched venture, SportsSkill Ladder, a technology-driven community platform aimed at bringing structured, competitive sport to players across different skill levels through a ladder-based ranking system.
The investment reflects Mody’s deeper commitment to the SportsSkill ecosystem. An early backer of the company, he has now increased his stake to take on the role of lead investor in SportsSkill Ladder, a newly registered LLP focused on building scalable sports communities across multiple disciplines.
According to the company, India’s sports ecosystem is experiencing rapid growth, with around 23% of the population, more than 300 million people, actively participating in sports and fitness activities. The sports technology market is projected to reach Rs 49,500 crore (USD 5.70 billion) by FY29, growing at a CAGR of 13 per cent, while the broader sports and fitness goods market is expected to touch USD 3,851 million by 2033.
SportsSkill Ladder aims to address common challenges in recreational and competitive sport, such as inconsistent competition, unclear rankings and difficulty in building engaged communities. Its ladder-based system allows players to:
* Create custom ladders for housing societies, clubs or friend groups
* Invite players or teams to join structured competitions
* Build and interact with verified competitive communities
* Track transparent, skill-based rankings across multiple sports
* Access organised matches and competitions through a single platform
The beta version of the platform is currently live on both Android and iOS, allowing users to test the product and explore how customisable ladders can enhance their sporting communities.
The new funding will be used to expand platform features, improve the user experience and prepare for the full product launch. Currently in beta, SportsSkill Ladder is focused on developing a robust, scalable offering for team, racquet and individual sports formats.
SportsSkill co-founder Chetan Desai said, “Community sports in India have immense participation but lack structured competitive frameworks. SportsSkill Ladder addresses this gap by enabling players to create their own ladders, build communities, and compete with transparent rankings—all accessible at their fingertips. Securing this investment from Nirav, who has both the business expertise and genuine passion for sports, gives us the resources and strategic guidance to build a world-class product. His continued confidence in our vision—having been one of our early investors and now serving as our Lead Investor—validates the community-building approach we’re taking and strengthens our ability to deliver a platform that truly serves players’ needs.”
SportsSkill co-founder Abhinav Sinha shared, “We’ve built SportsSkill Ladder with a technology-first approach to solve real problems players face—finding consistent competition, building engaged communities, and accessing transparent skill-based rankings. Nirav was very interested in this app feature and extremely excited about its potential to transform community sports. Our beta platform is already live and enabling users to create custom ladders for their societies, clubs, or friend groups—everything accessible in just a few taps. This investment accelerates our product development roadmap, enabling us to refine the platform and prepare for a strong market launch while maintaining the quality and user experience that competitive sports demand.”
Mody added, “Structured competitive ecosystems are essential for sustained sports participation. SportsSkill Ladder introduces a scalable and technology-led framework that enables players to build their own communities, compete consistently, and track transparent rankings. The platform addresses a genuine gap in how community sports are organized in India. As an early investor in SportsSkill, I’ve witnessed the team’s commitment and execution capabilities firsthand. The beta product’s innovative approach to custom ladders and community building gives me strong conviction in their ability to create a category-defining platform, which is why I’ve increased my investment to serve as Lead Investor for this venture.”
