Issue No. 311: Mind Gym

A smart ecosystem transforming healthcare through exercise.

The brain can be trained.

Heavy Weight

By most objective measures, there has never been a better time to be alive. Yet, with humans hardwired for negativity, pessimism is the pervasive mindset.

Lost in the grind, the majority of Americans feel they’re falling behind, three in five are burned out by work, and 77% say they’re stressed about the future.

Confronting 21st-century challenges, we could all use a collective refocus.

Like Mike

Beacons of human potential, elite athletes are used to high stakes and heated emotions.

Locking in, legends from Michael Jordan to Serena Williams mastered the art of tuning out noise to turn up impact — writing history in the process.

For operators and consumers alike, embracing the athlete mindset through turbulent times could translate to better health outcomes.

Locked In

Working with brain training company neuro11, adidas found elite athletes are up to 40% better at managing pressure-filled moments.

Sharing their tools with the public, brands are making the Mamba Mentality accessible to all.

Head games. Meditation is a mainstay, but neurotech adds new layers to attention training.

With music-driven mind workouts, alphabeats induces calming brain waves. Leveraging VR, NeuroTrainer optimizes decision-making skills, and Myndlift’s neurofeedback gamifies focus.

Sharpening response time, the Denver Nuggets used Reflexion’s touchscreen Edge board during their championship run, and BlazePod’s reaction lights are being added to gyms.

Building a buffer against unexpected stress, Senaptec’s strobe glasses intentionally overload the nervous system, while Neuropeak Pro’s NTEL BELT monitors diaphragmatic breathing.

Find flow. Flow states occur when purpose meets productivity, but can’t be forced.

Setting conditions for deep work, Finding Mastery, Flow Research Collective, and Hintsa guide organizations toward mission-aligned collaboration.

Endorsed by Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, NBA mindfulness coach George Mumford now offers courses and an app for consumers.

Rebounding

Distinct from hustle culture, the growth and mastery mindset is conducive to well-being.

As the world gets noisier, learning to selectively tune out, channel intrinsic motivation, practice self-discipline, and take a process-oriented approach is crucial. Companies that can demonstrate the value of athletic-style training for everyday life stand to gain.

Rest remains key to resilience, emotional honesty is critical, and addressing mental health still matters — but healthy compartmentalizing is part of changing the game.

Punchline: In the words of Billie Jean King, “Pressure is a privilege.” Facing volatile times, Americans have an opportunity to flex a new muscle: optimism.

🎙 On the Podcast

Noom CEO Geoff Cook discusses the digital health platform’s evolution.

Combining human coaches, AI support, and prescription medications, Noom aims to help people enact lasting lifestyle changes and lose weight for good.

We also cover: Adding GLP-1s, entering the longevity sector, and merging wellness with healthcare.

Listen to today’s episode here.

💸 Oura valued at $5B in Dexcom deal

The smart ring maker landed $75M from the medical device company, reaching a $5B+ valuation.

The partnership will integrate Dexcom’s glucose monitoring data with Oura’s health-tracking platform — decoding nutrition’s impact on well-being while boosting CGM and smart ring sales.

In-sync. Benefiting strategic initiatives, this deal follows Oura’s acquisition of metabolic health startup Veri and Dexcom’s new over-the-counter glucose sensor Stelo.

Fast track. Riding momentum from its Gen 4 ring launch, M&A efforts, and partnership push, Oura is projecting $500M in revenue for 2024, double last year’s numbers.

Looking ahead: The glucose monitoring market is heating up, with Apple and Samsung exploring tracking tech. Linking with Dexcom, Oura could have an edge as wearable makers eye medical device status.

Presented by EGYM

🔮 Shaping industry change

EGYM has a clear vision for the future of health and fitness.

With connected fitness equipment, AI-powered gym software, and comprehensive corporate wellness offerings — it’s leading the shift toward proactive, preventative health.

For corporations. Partnering with companies worldwide, EGYM’s Wellpass program improves employee health by expanding access to premier fitness and health facilities.

For gyms. Upgrading gym floors, EGYM equips operators with smart equipment and AI tools to create hyper-personalized training plans for every exerciser.

All together, its ecosystem is transforming healthcare through exercise.

Learn more about its intelligent solutions at EGYM.com.

🛑 Futuristic healthcare startup Forward shutters

One year after adding $100M to scale autonomous CarePods, healthcare unicorn Forward has shut down.

Big swing. Launched in 2017, Forward raised $650M+ to productize preventative doctor’s visits while delivering personalized, data-driven treatment plans.

Pitfalls. Despite its disruptive vision, the company failed to reach critical mass — with out-of-pocket costs, rumored pod malfunctions, and lack of human touch potentially deterring patients.

Still adjusting to a changing world, consumer distrust in AI-generated healthcare information is increasing, and Forward’s futuristic design didn’t address widespread affordability issues.

Takeaway: Burning through cash before it could build trust, Forward was forced to close. But, learning from its arc, human-in-the-loop successors could riff on the concept.

👟 Running apps add safety, training upgrades

The Nike Run Club (NRC) app launched two new safety updates: local alerts and real-time location sharing.

Long run. Complementing NRC’s training plans, users can now check weather conditions and daylight hours, plus share their live location with friends and family.

Level up. Growing the sport, brands are removing barriers to lacing up.

Along with syncing Nike’s apps, Strava added heat maps of well-trafficked routes.
Runna, Coopah, and TRAIT offer tailored cross-training plans for injury prevention.
Aussie app Femmi syncs with women’s menstrual cycles for smarter training loads.

In addition to prioritizing safety, apparel brands are widening the sport’s appeal by reinventing its aesthetic and aligning like-minded athletes via local events.

Punchline: As AI-powered running apps scale up, more community-focused features will help brands separate from the pack.

📰 News & Notes

WHOOP adds psychedelics tracking.
Basic-Fit accelerates European growth via franchising.
David Beckham launches longevity supplement brand IM8.
FightCamp adds kick tracking to its connected boxing platform.
Modern TCM brand Cosmo launches tech-enabled gua sha tool.
The Wellness Oasis brings experiential event to Miami Art Week.
Garmin opens first UK retail store. [Re-read: Garmin Gains Ground]
Premier Lacrosse League sets 2025 debut for women’s pro league.
Smash Your Fitness debuts gamified cycling platform and wearable.
Longevity-focused telehealth platform AgelessRX enters sleep health.
Stride launches comprehensive health optimization services in the UK.
Dream Performance & Recovery adds blue light glasses for sleep health.
Amazon One Medical creates low-cost plans for skin care, ED, and hair loss.
Somnee’s sleep wearable lands on Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech list.
Hiring? We connect health and wellness companies with exceptional talent from Fitt’s inner circle.

💰 Money Moves

US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦

Apothékary, maker of herbal tinctures, added ~$3M from beauty giant Shiseido.

Toronto-area Crunch Fitness franchise group Crunch Canada received investment from US-based Crunch operators Trive Capital and 808 Capital Partners.

Jimini Health, provider of AI-supported mental health services, landed $8M in pre-seed funding.

Longevity skincare brand OneSkin raised an undisclosed sum in a Series A round.

Pediatric mental health provider Fort Health secured $5.5M in a round led by Twelve Below and Vanterra.

Front Row Group, an accelerator for health and wellness brands, secured a significant investment from HighPost Capital.

Rec sports organizer Volo Sports landed undisclosed funding from Bluestone Equity Partners.

Stryve Foods, maker of better-for-you meat snacks, closed $2.9M in a public offering.

Online trauma therapy platform Nema Health raised $14.5M in a funding round.

Canadian healthtech company Myant acquired Swiss smart textile maker Nanoleq, maker of breath-monitoring wearable Oxa.

Citizen Health, an AI-powered healthcare platform for consumers managing complex diseases, secured $14.5M in a seed round.

Menopausal care platform Alloy closed a $16M funding round.

Europe 🇪🇺

UK-based run coaching app Coopah secured £1.5M ($1.9M) in a seed round led by Redrice Ventures and Active Partners.

London Marathon Events acquired Caledonian Concepts and Loch Ness Marathon Ltd., organizers of mass participation races in Scotland.

UK-based on-demand home healthcare platform Heim (fka Ally Health) raised £2.2M ($2.8M).

Asia 🌏

Indian supplements maker HealthKart added $153M in a round led by ChrysCapital and Motilal Oswal Alternates.

Australia 🇦🇺 / New Zealand 🇳🇿

Pronto Pilates, operator of tech-enabled, low-cost reformer Pilates studios, raised A$1.6M ($1M) in crowdfunding.

Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.