Golf footwear upstart Sqairz announced a “significant” strategic investment from Thirty-5 Capital. The funding will be used to help Sqairz expand across multiple sports, including baseball and pickleball.
Thirty-5 Capital, known for its investments in sports innovation, already has investments in baseball and pickleball, including the Chicago Cubs, ProXR Paddles and Major League Pickleball.
As part of the relationship, Sqairz has been working closely with Thirty-5 Capital for over a year to test a new pickleball shoe that will be co-branded with the investment firm’s ProXR pickleball brand. Amateur players and one of the top tour professionals have been putting the prototypes through their assessments test for performance and injury prevention. Sqairz said the results “have been impressive.” The official launch of the co-branded men’s and women’s pickleball shoes is set for Q4.
“We selected Sqairz as our first sports footwear investment because their shoe designs are breaking new ground in the space,” said Ron Saslow, founder and managing partner of Thirty-5 Capital. “We are committed to bringing the best equipment and apparel to players of all levels, and adding Sqairz to our family of brands is ‘squarely’ aligned with that mission.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Thirty-5 Capital,” said Robert Winskowicz, CEO of Sqairz. “Their strategic investment and expertise will enable us to expand our footprint in the sports footwear market and bring our revolutionary designs to a wider audience. Our goal has always been to enhance athletic performance and prevent injuries, and this partnership will accelerate our ability to achieve that across multiple sports.”