LONDON, June 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Castle Capital Partners today announced a defining moment for grassroots sport as Kabuni Sports unveiled its AI-powered sports ecosystem at a landmark showcase in Mumbai, bringing together cricket legends, educators, investors, technology leaders and young athletes for one of the most ambitious sports technology events ever staged in India made possible by the fundraising efforts of Black Castle and Kabuni.
Held at the prestigious Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, the showcase marked the official launch of Kabuni's AI-powered sports ecosystem and the beginning of a mission to transform how young people learn, play, train and compete through sport.
In front of a packed audience and a global livestream audience spanning multiple countries, Kabuni unveiled:
Kabuni PlayOS – an AI-powered operating system for sport
Kabuni K10 – the world's first PlayOS-powered physical esport
Kabuni Premier League (KPL) – a new competition format designed for the next generation of athletes
The event included an unforgettable live demonstration featuring cricket icons Sourav Ganguly, AB de Villiers, Shane Watson and India T20 Captain Shreyas Iyer, competing alongside grassroots cricketers from Mumbai, demonstrating how technology can help bridge the gap between aspiration and opportunity.
Richard Diaz, CEO of Black Castle Capital Partners, commented:
“The energy in the room was extraordinary. Seeing cricket legends sharing the stage with grassroots players, educators discussing the future of learning, and young athletes interacting with technology that simply did not exist a few years ago was genuinely remarkable.
I left Mumbai more convinced than ever that Kabuni Sports has the potential to become one of the most important sports technology companies to emerge from the UK in the coming decade. For everyone fortunate enough to be in that room, it felt like the beginning of something very special.'
A New Chapter for Grassroots Sport
For decades, access to elite coaching, meaningful performance data and structured development pathways has largely been reserved for professional athletes.
Kabuni believes that should change.
The company has spent the last year building an entirely new category at the intersection of artificial intelligence, sports technology, gaming and education.
Its proprietary PlayOS platform combines computer vision, biomechanics, motion tracking, performance analytics and AI coaching to provide young athletes with real-time feedback and personalised development insights.
The result is a platform designed not simply to coach athletes, but to unlock human potential at scale.
The Future of Sport is Play
At the heart of the showcase was Kabuni's central belief:
The battle for attention created screen time.
The opportunity ahead is playtime.
Rather than competing with technology, Kabuni is harnessing it to inspire movement, participation and real-world activity.
Its K10 format transforms training into competition, allowing players to improve through challenges, rankings, leagues and gameplay mechanics powered by real sporting performance.
Every shot played, every ball bowled and every training session completed contributes to a player's digital progression.
It is a model that has the potential to reshape how an entire generation engages with sport.
India Chosen as the First Global Launch Market
Kabuni selected India as the launchpad for its global ambitions for one simple reason.
No nation combines passion for cricket, youth participation and technological adoption at the scale of India.
The company believes the country represents the ideal environment to demonstrate how AI can democratise access to coaching, talent identification and sporting opportunity.
The launch follows the announcement of strategic education partnerships, including White Canvas India, as Kabuni begins building one of the largest school and grassroots sporting ecosystems in the country.
Through the Kabuni Premier League, schools, students and communities will gain access to a connected platform where coaching, competition and talent development operate as a single experience.
A Defining Moment for Kabuni Sports
Yesterday's showcase represented more than a product launch.
It marked the public unveiling of a vision that has been years in the making.
A vision where elite coaching becomes accessible.
Where technology encourages participation rather than inactivity.
Where data enhances development rather than replacing human insight.
And where every child has the opportunity to discover and fulfil their sporting potential.
What began as an ambitious idea has now emerged onto the global stage.
Nimesh Patel, Co-Founder and CEO of Kabuni, said:
'Yesterday was about demonstrating what becomes possible when sport, technology and purpose come together. We believe every child deserves access to great coaching, meaningful competition and the opportunity to realise their potential. Kabuni exists to help make that possible.'
Patrick Badenoch, Co-Founder and CFO of Kabuni, added:
'PLAYTIME 2026 was the beginning of something much bigger than a product launch. It was the first step in building a global movement around participation, development and opportunity through sport. The response from athletes, schools, educators and partners has been extraordinary.'
The Beginning of an Annual Global Gathering
Kabuni also confirmed that PLAYTIME will become its flagship annual event.
If Apple has WWDC and Salesforce has Dreamforce, Kabuni now has PLAYTIME.
An annual gathering dedicated to the future of grassroots sport, coaching, education, competition and technology.
The company plans to use future editions to unveil new products, partnerships, sports and innovations as its ecosystem continues to expand globally.
Beyond Cricket: Building a Global Multi-Sport Platform
While cricket provides the foundation for Kabuni's initial rollout, the company's ambitions extend far beyond a single sport.
The PlayOS architecture unveiled in Mumbai has been designed as a multi-sport operating system capable of supporting coaching, performance analysis, competition and talent development across a wide range of disciplines.
Following the successful launch of cricket, Kabuni confirmed that development is already underway for additional sports, with golf expected to be the next major sport integrated into the platform.
The company's long-term vision is to create a unified ecosystem where athletes can learn, train, compete and develop across multiple sports through a single AI-powered infrastructure.
By combining computer vision, biomechanics, performance analytics and personalised coaching, Kabuni believes the same technology principles that can transform cricket can ultimately be applied to sports around the world.
From schools and academies to grassroots clubs and aspiring athletes, the opportunity extends far beyond a single market or discipline.
What launched in Mumbai was the first chapter.
The destination is a global sports technology platform capable of supporting millions of athletes across multiple sports, countries and communities.
Nimesh Patel added:
'Cricket is where our journey begins because it provides an incredible opportunity to demonstrate the power of PlayOS at scale. But Kabuni has always been designed as a multi-sport platform. The same technology that can help a young cricketer improve their game can ultimately help athletes across many different sports. Our vision is to build the operating system for grassroots sport globally, and Mumbai was the first major step on that journey.'
About Kabuni
Kabuni is building the world's first AI-powered operating system for grassroots sport.
Combining proprietary hardware, computer vision, biomechanics, AI coaching, physical esports and community competition, Kabuni is creating a platform designed to help young athletes train smarter, improve faster and remain engaged through sport.
Founded on a mission to transform screen time into playtime, Kabuni is building technology that inspires movement, coaching, competition and real-world participation at scale.
About Black Castle Capital Partners
Black Castle Capital Partners is a London-based investment consultancy specialising in curated private market opportunities, with a focus on high-growth, technology-driven platforms.
Contact
Black Castle Capital Partners
16 Berkeley Street | Mayfair | London | W1J 8DZ
www.blackcastlecapital.co.uk | admin@blackcastlecapital.co.uk
Black Castle Capital Partners Limited. Registered in England and Wales with Company Number 10635644. Registered Office: 48 Charles Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 5EN
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/68de445f-8c44-4805-9689-85c6f15034f5
