Engineers of Unfair Advantage

We didn’t come to play by the rules—we came to rewrite them. RPM Pickleball was founded by a team of athletes, engineers, and relentless competitors obsessed with pushing the limits of performance. Frustrated by gear that couldn’t keep up, we built what we wished existed: pro-level paddles forged from cutting-edge materials, shaped by science, and tested by the best. Our founders aren’t just product designers—they’re innovators on a mission to give players everywhere the edge they deserve. Meet the minds behind the tech that’s tilting the game in your favor.

The RPM
Source Code.

James Ignatowich — Co-Founder & CEO

As co-founder and CEO of RPM Pickleball, James Ignatowich channels his on-court intensity into building a company that sets new standards for performance equipment. While his career as a top professional player gives him unique insight into what athletes need, James’s leadership at RPM goes far beyond competition.

From guiding product strategy to working directly with engineers and testers, James ensures every paddle reflects the demands of modern pickleball at its highest level. His focus is on blending elite player experience with innovative design so players at every level benefit from the same advantages he relies on in match play.

Equally driven off the court, James is committed to growing RPM into a global leader in pickleball equipment. His vision is rooted in empowering players everywhere to reach their potential with gear that performs at the pace of the game’s rapid growth.

James also brings a business mindset to RPM’s growth. Having built a strong personal brand through sponsorships, media, and community engagement, he understands how storytelling and visibility fuel the sport’s rapid expansion. By combining his entrepreneurial drive with his experience as a top professional, James is positioning RPM not only as a leader in paddle design but also as a trusted voice in the broader pickleball movement.

Marwan Abaza — Co-Founder & Lead Paddle Engineer

Marwan Abaza is the co-founder and technical force behind RPM Pickleball’s paddle innovation. A lifelong student of racket sports, Marwan was raised in a family of tennis professionals and went on to compete at the Division 1 level for Bucknell University. His deep understanding of performance dynamics—honed through years on the court—forms the foundation of his paddle engineering philosophy.

After graduating, Marwan spent four years at Citi’s Investment Bank, where he developed a sharp eye for spotting inefficiencies in complex systems. Bridging that insight with his engineering mindset, he began focusing on the performance, compliance, and design gaps plaguing today’s pickleball paddle market. This fusion of high-level athletic experience and analytical problem-solving sparked the creation of RPM Pickleball. Recognizing an opportunity to reshape the standard for what players should expect from their gear, he set out to lead a new era of paddle innovation through RPM Pickleball.

Currently, Marwan is pursuing a Master’s degree in Computational Data Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, further deepening his expertise in materials analysis, predictive modeling, and product optimization. His mission is to bring data-driven, athlete-tested paddle design to the forefront of the game.