Innovative Sports Start-Up Huupe Aims to Transform Global Basketball Hoops with AI Technology

California-based sports start-up Huupe is on a mission to modernize basketball hoops worldwide with its cutting-edge technology. According to Huupe chief executive Paul Anton, the newly launched Huupe Arena Upgrade Kit addresses a significant market gap by allowing existing backboards to be easily retrofitted with smart capabilities.

Priced at $699, the Arena Upgrade Kit includes an attachable sensor hub and lights that sync with smartphones. This enables players to automatically track their shots, analyze performance metrics, and compete against other users globally. Mr Anton described the device as a major game-changer that lets players keep their current hoops while adding a smart upgrade.

In addition to the upgrade kit, Huupe offers the Arena Portable starting at $995, and the full-size Arena model introduced in June at a base price of $2,995, which features rim impact charts, AI-powered shot form analysis, and field goal statistics.

Founded in 2015 by Paul Anton and Lyth Saeed, both basketball fans from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company spent years developing the necessary technology and financing. Huupe previously launched the Huupe Pro in 2022 and the smaller Huupe Mini, which also integrates streaming services like YouTube and Netflix via Wi-Fi and HDMI.

The company has also strengthened its leadership with high-profile additions, announcing in 2025 that retired NBA all-star Tracy McGrady joined as chief innovation officer and hall-of-famer Vince Carter came on board as a strategic adviser. With global basketball hoop markets projected to reach $3.5 billion by 2032, Mr Anton has set an ambitious goal of selling one million units of the Upgrade Kit out of the estimated 100 million existing hoops worldwide.