A successful first for the Assises du Padel in Bordeaux

This Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Bordeaux Maritime Museum, a meeting was held the first edition of the Assises du Padel — a unique professional event for the French padel ecosystem. Organised by the Paddiction Business Club (PBC), the event marked an important milestone in the structured development of this sport, bringing together clubs, equipment manufacturers, start-ups, investors and experts.

A collective success

Under the leadership of Pierre-Emmanuel Gillaizeau, founder and president of Paddiction, the event lived up to all its promises. The aim was to bring together key players in the development of French padel, stimulate exchanges, and open up new perspectives. The atmosphere on site was both friendly and resolutely professional, with high-quality presentations: lively roundtables, insightful mini-conferences, and a genuine desire to move padel forward "differently."

“After visiting many centers and meeting with many padel stakeholders in France, we all noted the lack of an event to bring together and unite all the players and structure the market. The goal of the padel conference is to bring together all the stakeholders, whether partners or even competitors, so that everyone can move forward together with the desire to grow our sport and work together.”

What it brings to padel

Padel is currently experiencing rapid growth: new clubs, new audiences, new ways of playing the sport. The event aimed precisely to capture this momentum and use it as a catalyst for development. The program included several key events:

A roundtable discussion on "Public-Private Partnerships" "A lever to accelerate infrastructure development."
We will return to this topic in a future article.
A mini-conference Digitizing padel "From standalone pitches to connected leagues."
Another one, about the historical equipment manufacturer ("HEAD, a historical driving force in the development of padel in France »).
And finally, an intervention on The mental aspect in the age of performance "Mental strength does not guarantee victory, but without mental strength, defeat is almost certain."

The full program is here: https://www.paddictionbusinessclub.com/schedule/les-assises-du-padel-1

Each of these themes demonstrates the depth of the project: beyond the fields, it is about structuring the ecosystem, giving reference points to clubs, brands, start-ups, from innovation to development.

Support for clubs

One of the key points of this morning: the attention paid to clubsPaddiction encourages the presence of operators and managers of structures on site.

For the clubs, participating in the Assises meant:

benefit from a framework designed for exchanging ideas with other clubs, equipment manufacturers or startups
access concrete feedback, via round tables and conferences
to take advantage of networking, to establish or strengthen partnerships
to take the pulse of upcoming developments (digitalization, infrastructure, financing)

Thus, the event plays its role as a catalyst so that clubs can not only follow the padel wave, but get ahead of it.

Make way for innovation and start-ups

One of the key objectives highlighted by the organizers is: "To give visibility to emerging initiatives".

Start-ups had taken part in this event to present their solutions — whether it be the digitalization of clubs, connected equipment, performance or health services. The ambition of a “padel ecosystem” integrating brands, clubs and innovation was clearly stated.

This dimension is essential: innovation is no longer an accessory in padel, it has become the driving force.Clubs that leverage technology (smart pitch management, connected leagues, automation) will have a competitive advantage. Start-ups, meanwhile, benefit from a showcase in a high-potential market.

Looking towards the future

This first edition lays the foundation for a regular event in France for professional padel, conceived as a time for reflection and networking. The organizers hope to make it "the first regular professional event dedicated to the padel ecosystem in France."

The message is clear: this isn't a one-off, but the beginning of a cycle. For padel stakeholders—clubs, brands, start-ups, local authorities—it was an opportunity to take the reins with The next editions are in sight, planned in particular in the Paris region, Lyon and Marseille.

Connect to the movement

Thanks to Pierre-Emmanuel Gillaizeau and the energy of the Paddiction Business Club, the Assises du Padel They succeeded in their challenge: to create a defining moment for a rapidly growing sport. For clubs, the event provided guidance, contacts, and inspiration. For startups, a platform and opportunities to connect. For the entire ecosystem, a strong signal: padel is no longer just a leisure activity; it's a field of opportunities, investment, and innovation.
Paddiction Business Club welcomes those who can now connect to the movement.

Didier AUBERT

Passionate about racket sports such as badminton, squash or jokari since my early childhood (so not so long ago), I fell into the Padel a few years ago and I haven't been out of it since...