Inspiring Woman: Georgie Rennie on Building Pounce Padel and Making Space for Women on Court
Pounce Padel founder, Georgie Rennie
When Georgie Rennie started playing padel, she wasn’t looking to launch a sports brand. She didn’t even consider herself particularly sporty. What she was looking for was a racket that felt considered, confidence-boosting and designed with women in mind — and when she couldn’t find one, she decided to create it herself.
Founded in Edinburgh, Pounce Padel is Georgie’s response to a sport that’s booming in popularity, yet still lags behind when it comes to representing the women who play it. Despite women making up 40% of padel players, the kit landscape remains dominated by masculine design, with women too often treated as an afterthought. Pounce challenges that “pink and sidelined” approach with rackets that deliver premium performance alongside unapologetic style — and, crucially, make women feel they belong on court.
Following a sold-out soft launch, Pounce Padel’s debut collection features three distinctive colourways — Sage Green, Blush Pink and Leopard Print. Priced at £135, the rackets are engineered with a 100% carbon frame, 3K carbon weave surface, and a lighter, teardrop-shaped design with medium balance, offering stability, manoeuvrability and confidence for beginner and intermediate players alike.
A former media and ad-tech professional, Georgie never imagined she’d found a sports brand — and that’s exactly why Pounce resonates. Sitting at the intersection of sport, lifestyle and modern female identity, it’s a brand built not for elite athletes, but for women who want to move, play and feel empowered doing it.
We caught up with Georgie to talk imposter syndrome, inclusive design and why padel might just be the perfect gateway sport.
You didn’t come from a traditional sporting background — what first drew you to padel?
Over the last few years, so many of my friends started playing padel and they were all raving about it. I loved hearing them talk about something they were so passionate about, and I honestly started to feel like I was missing out. I was desperate to play, but I was also really self-conscious that I’d let the team down.
With some very strong encouragement from very good friends, I started — and I was instantly hooked. I realised very quickly that padel is a really accessible sport, even to those who don’t feel sporty, like me.
You’ve said you never really identified as “sporty”. How did that shape the brand you wanted to build?
That feeling has shaped my whole brand. I want Pounce Padel to inspire women of all ages and abilities to play — that was something I really needed when I first started. I wanted to create something that made playing padel feel special, but also fun, with no intimidation.
We had incredible feedback from our soft launch in November, with all the rackets selling out in less than three weeks. Customers have told us that our non-intimidating, fun designs inspired them to play for the first time. That’s what it’s all about for me.
Was there a moment when you realised this frustration could become a business?
Yes, I remember it so clearly. Last year, I was looking online for a Christmas present idea for myself. I was desperate to upgrade from the often broken or grubby communal padel rackets at the courts.
I searched online and in shops, and honestly, there was nothing that inspired me whatsoever. Everything was very masculine, fluorescent, and the price range was mind-boggling. I went home moaning to my husband about it, about the lack of representation, and mid-moan I had a lightbulb moment. I thought, I’m just going to solve this problem myself. Stop complaining — just do it!
Why was it important to create Pounce specifically for women, rather than as a unisex brand?
Women make up around 40% of padel players in the UK, and that number is growing. But one quick Google search and you certainly won’t see that reflected in the rackets available. It often feels like we’re an afterthought, with one uninspiring pink racket added late to a collection.
I wanted to change that. Pounce is all about women — from the experience on the website to unboxing your racket at home — because we deserve to feel seen and understood in sports too.
How did your own experiences on court influence the way the rackets were designed?
It was important to me that the racket suited beginners as well as intermediate players, so it continues to support you as you grow on your padel journey.
Weight was also really important. Most rackets on the market are universally weighted, and for smaller female frames, too much weight can lead to issues like tennis elbow or shoulder fatigue. Our rackets are lighter, but without compromising on performance.
What challenges did you face bringing Pounce Padel to life as a first-time founder?
Breaking into the sports market as a female-focused brand — especially with feminine designs — can make people think it’s style over substance. That’s absolutely not the case with Pounce.
We spent a long time researching manufacturers and testing and retesting prototypes before perfecting our designs. The result is a super high-quality beginner-to-intermediate racket with a teardrop shape, a lighter-than-average 350g weight and medium balance. They come in sage green, blush pink and leopard print.
What did it feel like when the soft launch sold out?
It was such a great feeling knowing that people loved them as much as I did. It was also extremely validating, and the feedback proved that we’re solving a real problem in real time.
Beyond the rackets themselves, what does Pounce Padel stand for?
Our main goal is to get women to move, but it goes beyond just rackets. Everything we do is guided by four pillars.
Empowerment — showing up for women in sport and creating bold, beautiful designs that inspire women to play.
Quality & Performance — we’re obnoxiously picky about who we partner with. Style is important, but never at the expense of quality. Our rackets have a 100% carbon frame and 3K carbon surface so players can rely on them.
Community — a brand for women who want to be part of something bigger, built on connection and belonging.
Curiosity — rewriting limits, challenging norms and staying open, agile and always learning.
How do you want women to feel the first time they step on court with a Pounce racket?
Empowered. I want women to feel unstoppable — excited to be there and confident that they belong.
And finally, what’s next for Pounce Padel?
I want the brand to constantly evolve alongside our community — creating new designs, shapes and weights based on what our players want and need as seasons change and technology evolves.
The Kit
