Smart phones, Smart TVs and lot of Smart devices around us like wearables, kitchen appliances, etc. Brands are steadily building a Smart ecosystem around us.

Why not use a similar product for learning and improving table tennis ? Yes, there are already startups helping in various sports working on real time analytics, feedback, etc. But only handful of brands have ventured into technology based table tennis training.

I first spoke to Amir in 2019 and learned about him, his thoughts and reasons behind starting FastPong.

Amir Kamandi, the founder and CEO of FastPong will be unveiling his product to the global audience on 6th April, 2022. A former junior national player of Iran, Amir went on to study sports science at Seoul National University in Korea. He began to work on a project with researchers on how to train table tennis more effectively than the existing methods.

In this edition of PAC Talks, Amir Kamandi spoke about the global launch, readiness of the product, collaboration with Samsung Table Tennis team, how gamification and digitisation can urge younger generation to take up table tennis, etc. You can listen to talk here : Apple, Spotify or watch here: YouTube

Amir added that the research showed visual target stimulus training was an effective method for improving accuracy, decision making and speed for table tennis players. From this idea, combined with his experience of the table tennis industry, he went on to begin a start-up company FastPong in South Korea, a country renowned for its support of new technology and startups.

FastPong is a patented high tech table tennis training system that combines custom hardware and software. It is designed to provide more effective training for players of all levels. Multiple bright dynamic targets (effective in improving speed, accuracy and decision making in sports training) give visual feedback showing where the ball hits and data is collected via Bluetooth on the mobile app, for real-time metrics and historical analysis. Users can record and analyse their training history, progress and performance.

As per Amir, the assembling of the panels on top of the table tennis board takes 45 seconds to 1 minute. The mobile application gets connected with the help of bluetooth and the user can get real time feedback which can even be shared with coaches.

The product will be launched this week at a price point of around 2200 EUR. It is great to see the persistence showed by Amir and his team in bringing out this product. The journey of 6-7 years was not at all easy but with the passion to Win, the hurdles were surpassed and now all set to see orders coming in from across the globe.

A startup which combines hardware and software. Data analytics supported by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Fast Pong has definitely got a good product. It was a pleasure talking to Amir Kamandi and hope to see this startup going places in the coming years. For someone who has lifted trophies and collected certificates in his young age for winning table tennis matches , it is a great feeling for Amir to get accolades and appreciations from the table tennis and startup fraternity.

You can read more about FastPong here: https://fastpong.com