Six Zero Pickleball
Bokarina (Gubbi Gubbi), Queensland.
A powerful opportunity to reflect, connect and clarify
Being announced as the winner of the 2025 Emerging Exporter award is an incredible moment of recognition for the hardworking global team behind Six Zero. From our engineers and customer support teams to our ambassadors and fulfilment partners.
Dale Young, Director.
Six Zero Pickleball: Aceing the export game
It took Six Zero Pickleball (Six Zero) 3 short years to grow from a few boxes in a Queensland garage to a global company exporting to more than 100 countries.
The winner of the 2025 Emerging Exporter award category, the family-run business designs and sells high-performance paddles, apparel and accessories for pickleball, the sport that’s taken the world by storm.
Six Zero gear is now trusted by players around the world, stocked by major international retailers, and used in top-level tournaments.
‘We’re not just selling paddles, we’re helping shape the sport,’ says co-founder Dale Young, Six Zero Pickleball Director. ‘From sponsoring major professional tournaments to equipping grassroots clubs, we’re deeply invested in the global pickleball community.’
From garage boxes to global success
Six Zero was born in 2022, when Young began playing pickleball to stay fit and connect with his local community.
Frustrated by how often his paddles broke and how basic the designs were, he saw an opportunity to build something better.
Working from their Sunshine Coast garage, Young and his father, Bruce Young, built and tested over 180 prototypes. Young’s wife, Dr Tanya Young, co-founder and a research scientist, stepped in to lead operations and systems.
Pickleball serves exponential growth
Within months, Six Zero had grown from a family-run side project to a global, top-ranked brand.
In the past year alone, Six Zero has expanded into more than 100 countries, onboarded more than 200 international wholesale partners, and secured major placements that anchor long-term brand equity.
A standout success was gaining shelf space with leading US retailers SCHEELS and Pickleball Central. This was further boosted by a global agreement with renowned racquet sports brand Tecnifibre.
The performance behind the paddles
While exporting serves up new markets, it also gives rise to new challenges.
‘One of our biggest challenges is navigating rising tariffs and increasing global competition, especially from copycat products that undercut quality,’ says Young.
‘We're tackling this by doubling down on innovation, reinforcing our IP protections, and continuing to educate customers on the unique performance and engineering behind our paddles.’
This is a proud milestone in our journey—from boxes in the garage to building something that now reaches customers in over 100 countries.
A powerful opportunity to reflect, connect and clarify
Six Zero is the winner of the 2025 Emerging Exporter award category. No mean feat for the company’s debut at the Australian Export Awards.
For exporters considering applying to the awards, Young says the process is a powerful opportunity to reflect, clarify your story, and connect with Australia’s broader trade community.
‘Being announced as the winner of the Emerging Exporter award is an incredible moment of recognition for the hardworking global team behind Six Zero,’ he says. ‘From our engineers and customer support teams to our ambassadors and fulfilment partners.’
Expanding across the Asia-Pacific
One of Six Zero’s current focuses is strengthening its foothold across the Asia-Pacific, where pickleball participation is surging.
‘The sport is booming across the region,’ says Young. ‘There’s tremendous opportunity to grow through deeper connections with local communities and authentic partners on the ground.’
Organic demand has also emerged from unexpected regions such as the Pacific Islands and Africa, where local clubs have embraced Six Zero paddles through word-of-mouth.
‘It’s been incredibly rewarding to see our products supporting grassroots pickleball in these regions,’ says Young. ‘We’re so proud to play a role in growing the sport globally.’
This regional expansion complements Six Zero’s ongoing growth in core markets including the US, Canada, Europe and the Middle East, cementing its position as a truly global brand.
Leaving a legacy for a game gone global
Six Zero is proud to support a sport that is both inclusive and affordable. Pickleball allows people of all ages, backgrounds, genders and abilities to play together competitively.
‘We hope Six Zero leaves a legacy of innovation and inclusion – improving the quality of pickleball gear while making the sport more accessible worldwide,’ says Young.
‘It’s important to us that our products not only elevate performance but also help more people experience the health, joy, and community benefits of pickleball.’
Visit Six Zero Pickleball website.
