# Michael Dorfman

> Michael Dorfman is the CEO of the Pro Padel League, the top-flight professional padel circuit in North America, and the founder of the New York Atlantics franchise. A lifelong Knicks and Rangers fan who picked up padel at Brooklyn's Padel Haus during the pandemic, he left the tech insurance company he co-founded (Koffie Financial) to run the league full-time. In March 2026 he closed a $15 million Series A led by Charlotte Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall, valuing PPL at roughly ten times its seed round from a year earlier.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Pro Padel League
- **Organizations:** Pro Padel League, New York Atlantics, Koffie Financial, The Dorfman Organization, Padel Haus (investor)
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Sociology, Bates College
- **Known for:** Grew Pro Padel League from 7 to 10 franchises across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico., Raised $25M in total funding for PPL across seed and Series A rounds., Attracted NBA-caliber investors including Charlotte Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall.

## Career timeline

- **pre-2018** — Seven years in leadership roles at The Dorfman Organization, a 4th-generation family insurance brokerage focused on transportation.
- **2018** — Co-founded Koffie Financial (Koffie Labs), a Brooklyn-based fintech and insurance platform for trucking and autonomous transport, with Ian White.
- **2021** — Koffie Labs raised $4.5M seed funding.
- **2022** — Discovered padel at Padel Haus in Brooklyn during the pandemic; led first investment into Padel Haus.
- **2023** — Pro Padel League launched inaugural season with seven franchises.
- **2024** — PPL expanded to 10 franchises and four tournaments; became title sponsor of US Open Padel Championships.
- **2025** — Acquired majority stake in PPL from co-founders Marcos Del Pilar and Keith Stein; raised $10M seed led by Left Lane Capital; LA Beat franchise sold for $10M.
- **2026** — Closed $15M Series A led by Charlotte Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall at ~10x seed valuation.

## Achievements

- Grew Pro Padel League from 7 to 10 franchises across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Raised $25M in total funding for PPL across seed and Series A rounds.
- Attracted NBA-caliber investors including Charlotte Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall.
- Franchise values grew from $200,000 in 2023 to $10M by 2025 (LA Beat sale).
- Co-founded Koffie Financial, a fintech insurer for the autonomous vehicle era.
- Secured title sponsorship of the US Open Padel Championships (2024).

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Closed $15M Series A led by Rick Schnall; PPL valued ~10x seed round.
- **2025-09** — LA Beat franchise sold for $10M in a landmark deal.
- **2025-04** — Announced $10M seed round led by Left Lane Capital.

## Links

- Website: https://propadelleague.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dorfman/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/propadelleague
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv0UGI2Mdfo
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/@propadelleague

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/michael-dorfman
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-09