activity started gaining momentum in the US around 2020.  According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, in 2023, pickleball was named the fastest-growing sport in the nation for the fifth year in a row. Participation in the sport nearly doubled in 2022, increasing by 85.7 per cent year-over-year and by a shocking 158.6 per cent year-over-year from 2020 to 2023.  According to business analytics firm Verified Market Research, the pickleball equipment market was valued at around US$519 million in 2022 and is expected to reach over US$1 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9.52 per cent in the period between 2024 to 2030.   While it’s not entirely clear why interest in pickleball specifically has been building like wildfire, some retail experts believe it’s because it is a low-barrier-to-entry sport that is relatively easy to pick up and doesn’t require overly complicated or expensive equipment for the average consumer.  Helios founder Cijun (Ivy) Sun has noted another significant reason behind the paddle sport’s accelerated growth over the past few years: community.  Sun pointed out that pickleball gave people who were lonely from self-isolating during Covid access to a community of associates and friends. Sun herself picked up the sport to find a sense of community she didn’t realise she was seeking.  Recovering from an emotionally abusive relationship and seeking a sense of personal independence and companionship, Sun initially went with a friend to play a round at Equinox. Despite her early lack of skill at the sport, she immediately felt embraced by her fellow players, and she was inspired to delve deeper into the pickleball market after noticing her newfound friends’ complaints about the equipment.  Despite paying high prices for their paddles, they often got damaged relatively quickly. Additionally, Sun noted that most of the equipment available for purchase featured stereotypically sporty designs and catered to a largely male market.  A self-proclaimed problem-solver, Sun knew she wanted to help fill in the white space in this retail segment.  From pickleball amateur to entrepreneur But like many brand founders before her, Sun’s path toward launching her business was not straightforward.  Born and raised in Shanghai, China, Sun started her professional career in journalism, working at a radio broadcasting station. Fed up with strict censorship, she shifted her focus to data science and was accepted to the University of California. However, her parents, fearing for their only daughter’s safety abroad, rejected Sun’s plans and refused to assist her with tuition.  Determined to study in the US, Sun rented several apartments in Shanghai, thriftily flipped them into Airbnb units, and within six months raised the funds for the deposit fee she needed. Sun took a similar approach when funding her own business, which she officially launched last December. In addition to running the company, Sun is also currently a senior data scientist for American healthcare company Aetna and used her savings to fund the company. While running the business alongside a full-time job hasn’t been easy, Sun is excited about building Helios’ reach and sharing its “warmth” with others. The brand’s name was inspired by the founder’s surname and the name of the god of the sun in Greek mythology, Helios.  From DTC to omnichannel Since launching the brand, Sun has released several high-tech, nature-inspired pickleball paddles dubbed “The Helios”, “The Selene”, “The Gaia”, and “The Astraeus”, ranging from $109-$229. The stock-keeping units are currently available on the brand’s website, in Equinox’s New York pickleball locations, and will shortly be available on specialty online sports gear retailer Backcountry.com This week, Sun revealed to Inside Retail that Helios will be available at Walmart in the US and Canada later this year. Additionally, Walmart will carry Sun’s soon-to-be-launched pickleball brand Circe, which is more price-accessible.  Where Helios is inspired by the Greek god of the sun and features nature-inspired imagery, Circe is inspired by Helios’ daughter, noted in Greek mythology for her magical abilities, and will feature city-inspired imagery. With both Helios and Circe, Sun’s goal is to create brands “with a soul” that can provide “healing with every swing”.