Binghamton’s annual Business Plan Competition has a new winner that will change the game when it comes to pickleball.
On May 27, City of Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham was joined by local officials and competitors at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator to reveal The Paddle House as the winner of the 2026 Binghamton Business Plan Competition. The company, founded by Binghamton University students and recent graduates, will seek to address the area’s lack of pickleball infrastructure with an indoor facility.
As part of the first-place prize, the Paddle House will receive $7,000, mentorship and administrative support services donated by Binghamton businesses.
The Paddle House wins Binghamton Business Plan Competition
Outside of funding, which co-founder Kai Chen says will help the Paddle House set up and operate its space, the company will also receive five hours of accounting services, a one-year membership to the Triple Cities Makerspace and Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce and a three-month co-working membership at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator.
The Paddle House will also receive $500 in legal counsel, $500 in sign creation services, $500 in website services and $500 in branding services, amenities that will help the business succeed throughout its beginning stages.
The competition’s $2,000 second place prize went to Thready or Not, a sustainable studio that will transform donated and thrifted clothing into unique pieces. The studio will also feature a workshop space focused on hands-on learning that will offer sewing, repair and textile upcycling classes.
CerVa LLC took home the $1,000 third place prize with the development of a mobile app based on innovative technology that helps users identify AI-generated images, audio and video. The company is co-founded by Binghamton University MBA graduate Lucy Chen and professor of electrical and computer engineering professor Yu Chen.
The competition is organized and run in collaboration with the Binghamton Local Development Corporation and the SUNY Broome Entrepreneurial Assistance Center, with prizes provided by M&T Bank.
The Paddle House will bring indoor pickleball space to Binghamton
For Kai Chen, an avid pickleballer, the Paddle House will serve to address difficulties in finding a space to play, especially during days when playing outdoors isn’t feasible. According to the Paddle House’s website, Broome County’s weather means there are just 110 days with playable conditions, with no opportunities to play the rest of the year.
Even when the weather is favorable, the website states there are only 22 courts in the area — and with pickleball exploding in popularity and rapidly expanding, the current offerings just don’t cut it.
To solve this issue, the Paddle House will offer five courts, with remaining space used for a lounge area that will feature cornhole, ping pong and billiards for members to play. A key part of the facility, according to co-founder Jason Moeller, is the plan to allow 24-hour access to the gym through an app.
According to co-founder Brian Ng, the company hopes to open its facility by November 2026. While a location has not been confirmed as of May 27, the company’s tentative hopes are to establish a facility at 10 Glenwood Ave. Plaza, currently home to national chains like Price Chopper and Planet Fitness.
For those interested in sharpening their pickleball skills, the Paddle House will feature coaching and classes, and for entrenched players, leagues and tournaments will be organized throughout the year.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Pickleball facility wins 2026 Binghamton Business Plan Competition
Reporting by Riccardo Monico, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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