Stupa wins BWF approval for badminton review system

Stupa Sports has received certification from the Badminton World Federation for its Instant Review System for use in sanctioned tournaments, following official homologation testing by the sport's governing body.

The decision allows the Gurugram-based sports technology company's AI-based line-calling and review product to be used across BWF events. The federation has also added the system to its Equipment Approval Scheme and notified its continental confederations that it is available for deployment in their jurisdictions.

BWF testing found the system achieved 99% accuracy, above the 98% threshold required for approval. The homologation process assessed the product during test sessions in September and December before the federation concluded it had exceeded the required standard.

The certification gives Stupa a formal route into one of badminton's most visible areas of match administration, where review systems have typically relied on expensive hardware, larger crews and more complex venue set-ups. That has often limited their use to top-tier events and wealthier organisers.

Stupa is positioning its system as a cheaper, lighter alternative that can be deployed with less equipment. It uses multiple high-speed cameras around the court and computer vision models to track the shuttlecock's path and determine landing points in real time.

The approach is aimed at tournaments that have not previously had access to review technology. According to the company, target users include smaller competitions, lower-tier events and organisers in developing markets.

Badminton has relied on instant review systems for line calls at elite tournaments for years, but cost has remained a barrier to wider adoption. A lower-cost approved option could extend use beyond the sport's biggest events, particularly in regions where governing bodies and local organisers operate with tighter budgets.

The move also expands Stupa's footprint in officiating and analytics tools across racket and indoor sports. Its technology has already been used for decision review and analytics in pickleball, volleyball and padel.

Recent commercial work has included deployments linked to the Generali Hexagon Cup padel tournament, the Pickleball Champions League Asia Finals, Major League Table Tennis and the Prime Volleyball League. The BWF approval adds a governing-body certification to that portfolio, which may help Stupa when bidding for contracts in other sports that require official validation before match technology can be used.

For sports technology suppliers, certification by an international federation can be a critical step because it moves a product from demonstration status to approved operational use. It can also influence purchasing decisions by continental federations, national bodies and tournament promoters that need assurance on accuracy and compliance.

Stupa's approval comes as sports organisations look for ways to expand the use of officiating tools without taking on the cost base associated with legacy systems. Advances in computer vision and camera-based tracking have opened the market to smaller providers offering more portable products, though federations still require formal testing before any system can be used in competition.

Chief Executive Megha Gambhir said the result reflected a broader effort to lower barriers to access.

"Passing the BWF homologation test is the result of months of rigorous engineering work, and it validates our core belief that world-class sports technology does not have to be expensive or complex to deploy. Our system brings accurate, AI-powered decision review to badminton tournaments that could never afford traditional solutions. Our technology is already live across other sports, having deployed decision review and advanced AI analytics in pickleball, volleyball and padel. Going forward, we are focused on rolling this out across markets and continuing to build technology that makes professional-grade officiating the norm, not the exception," said Megha Gambhir, Co-founder and CEO of Stupa Sports.

The BWF notification to its confederations means the system is now positioned for use beyond a single competition or pilot. The federation's homologation result recorded 99% accuracy against a required 98% benchmark.