Leading fitness software for gyms, studios, and franchises.
Running is equal parts culture and cardio.
In Stride
Running is having a resurgence.
Not to be overshadowed by strength, Strava run uploads were up 4% YoY in 2023, and race participation jumped 8%.
A classic form of exercise, the act of running hasn’t changed… but its connotations have.
Changing Pace
More than a morning jog, runners are lacing up in new ways.
Go off-road. ~47% of runners traded pavement for trail at least once in 2023.
Charting a new course, trail running events have doubled since pre-pandemic, and 40% of the 87K ultramarathon participants last year were first-timers.
Toe the line. 20% more people tracked a marathon in ’23 vs. ’22. Lining up, the Chicago and London races set entrant records, with 840K applying for the latter’s ’25 lottery.
Varying vibes, unsanctioned NYC-born event Take the Bridge celebrates spontaneity, HYROX fitness races feature gritty 1km repeats, and track invitationals from Athlos and On embrace spectacle.
Join the club. Pro to Slow AF, run crews are rising as people seek social and mental benefits.
A new brand strategy, outfitters like Bandit, Tracksmith, and Gymshark leverage weekly sweats to inspire loyalty, and Strava club registrations are up 35% in recent years.
Crank it up. As cardio floors shrink, operators are rethinking mindless treadmill sessions.
While Orangetheory and Barry’s integrate strength intervals, Nike is expanding its group Running Studios, engaging exercisers with data through sprint and capacity workouts.
Drip Meets Drop
Balancing fashion and functionality, performance footwear is evolving with running styles.
The swoop. After releasing Vaporfly, a “super shoe” making athletes 4% faster, Nike looked ready to rule the sport — stacked with pro endorsements, limited editions, and an elite ethos.
Instead, its sales stagnated, and running’s new guard emerged.
- Acquired for $1.1M in ’12, HOKA notched $1.8B in FY24 sales, up 27.9% YoY.
- In 2023, Brooks Running set records with $1.3B in revenue and 20B+ units sold.
- On expects sales over $2.6B in 2024, compared to $286.3M in ’19.
Staying hot, New Balance and ASICS are also outperforming, all while NOBULL, lululemon, and Alo enter performance running. Hoping to reignite growth, Nike just replaced its CEO.
Long run. Removing the pressure of podium-chasing, upstarts have a beat on everyday runners.
Winning fans through immersive flagships and grassroots run crews, purpose-driven brands are helping newcomers find meaning in movement — be it Saysh championing women’s rights, Satisfy stoking rebellious spirit, or Janji linking miles to environmental impact.
Support Team
Running can be brutal on the body, but new tech aims to change that.
AI x PR. 50% of runners get injured per year, but most could be prevented with smarter training.
Doubling down on prehab, Strava’s new AI will analyze workouts. Partnering with major marathons, Runna and Coopah craft tailored plans for entrants.
On the wrist, Garmin factors vitals and performance into adaptive plans, and Google’s Pixel Watch 3 features a run-builder. A glimpse into the future, Feldspar’s sensor-equipped track will boost speed while flagging injury risk.
Secret stuff. Amping up athletic output, ~80% of elite endurance runners are using Maurten’s Bicarb System hydrogels. Managing fueling, Nix’s sweat sensors calculate real-time hydration needs, and Abbott sponsors legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge’s CGM use.
Punchline: Inheriting the ability, we’re runners by default. But for most, performance doesn’t mean first place, and brands helping build identity beyond the bib will set the pace.
🎙 On the Podcast
SweatHouz founder and CEO Jamie Weeks discusses building a recovery-focused brand.
Helping members unwind, SweatHouz is scaling a complete preventative wellness experience — combining infrared saunas, cold plunges, and vitamin C showers in private suites.
We also cover: Jamie’s journey from OTF franchisee to founder, optimizing operations at scale, and the future of holistic wellness.
Listen to today’s episode here.
💸 Pie raises $11.5M for IRL friendships
The social wellness app led by Bonobos founder Andy Dunn aims to “end social isolation” by connecting users to IRL events.
Rendezvous. Advocating less swiping and more socializing, the company has raised $24M to date and counts 20K+ active users.
Hang time. Over the past 20 years, average time spent with friends has fallen by 20 hours per month — and 49% of Americans have three or fewer close pals.
Declared an epidemic by the surgeon general, loneliness has become a focus for startups.
- Helping friends find cool things to do, The Nudge has raised $13.5M.
- Encouraging depth, RealRoots curates six-week programs for like-minded women.
- “Turning cities into villages,” Tribe unites strangers through a play-based approach.
- A one-on-one option, The Breakfast connects creatives for casual meals.
Elsewhere, OneRoof has raised $4.5M to connect apartment dwellers, dating app Bumble spun off a standalone BFFs platform, and LiveNearFriends is pioneering social real estate.
Takeaway: Over-indexing on individualism and work, America is out of balance. Reframing socialization as a public health issue, startups hope to help people prioritize adult friendships.
Presented by TeamUp
📈 Software That Scales With You
Studios are only as strong as their ops platform.
Smooth operator. Tailor-made for boutique brands, TeamUp is the #1 rated fitness software for franchises, gyms, and studios — trusted by 4K+ businesses in 40+ countries.
Combining cutting-edge tech and an elite customer experience, it’s packed with community-first features like personalized meal plans and workout challenges.
Easy does it. Whether you’re running a single studio or multi-location enterprise, TeamUp can track revenue, stream classes, manage bookings, and more — all in one custom-branded app.
The top choice for a reason, learn how TeamUp can level up your business.
📓 lululemon report details downsides of wellness
The apparel brand’s annual Global Wellbeing Report found levels of physical, mental, and social health haven’t improved, despite 89% taking more action than last year.
Feeling stuck. Worse, 45% are experiencing burnout in trying to achieve optimal health, and 61% feel societal pressure to appear well.
Despite hyper-personalized tech and AI, wellness still feels too complicated — with 53% of respondents noting conflicting information on how to look and feel better.
Keep it simple. The authors say a more intuitive approach—rooted in self-awareness, movement, and community—could elevate outcomes.
- Well-being increases 18% when people spend time in nature together.
- Participation in team sports correlates to 14% higher well-being scores.
- People who find a sense of belonging in group exercise see a >20% boost.
Challenging intensity as a necessity, the report says a brief stretch, walk, or meditation provides positive effects — noting men with highest well-being embrace low-impact exercise.
Takeaway: As the global wellness economy surges past $5.6T, it risks missing the plot. For overwhelmed health-seekers, a simple sweat sesh with friends is a strong start.
📰 News & Notes
- Remedy Place names new chief operating officer.
- UK supplements maker Applied Nutrition preps IPO.
- Nike switches CEOs, taps 32-year Nike vet Elliott Hill.
- Kevin Hart shutters Hart House vegan fast-food restaurants.
- Xponential-owned Rumble opens first boxing boutique in Japan.
- InsideTracker launches precision meal and supplement insights.
- Plunge releases compact cold plunge designed for small spaces.
- Therabody unveils five recovery product innovations and upgrades.
- Subscription meal service Factor launches DTC supplements brand.
- Amazon Health partners with Talkspace, expanding its benefits marketplace.
- Featured job: A leading performance nutrition company is hiring a Head of Growth.
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
Pie, an IRL socialization platform, secured $11.5M in a Series A led by Forerunner Ventures.
FluidLogic, manufacturer of hydration systems for motorsport and endurance athletes, added $15M in a Series A extension led by Solyco Capital.
CUDIS, a smart ring platform with blockchain move-to-earn benefits, raised $5M in a seed round.
Synex, creator of a noninvasive diagnostic device for glucose and other metabolites, raised $21.8M in an oversubscribed Series A round.
Women’s reproductive healthcare provider twentyeight health secured $14.5M in funding.
Recover 180, makers of organic hydration beverages, landed $51.4M in funding.
Menopausal care platform Midi Health added $5M to its oversubscribed Series B round.
More from Fitt Insider: Midi Health vs. Menopause
Montreal-based sustainable sports nutrition brand Näak raised $5M in a Series A.
aura, an at-home preventative health and diagnostics platform, launched with $11M.
AI women’s health data platform Cercle raised $6M in a seed round led by Outsiders Fund.
Maternal health company Canopie landed $3.7M in a seed round.
Maternal health platform Pomelo Care acquired The Doula Network, a platform for in-network doula services.
Europe 🇪🇺
UK-based Reform RX, makers of a connected Pilates reformer, added $5.1M to expand its B2B business.
German cryotherapy chamber maker MECOTEC acquired the cryo chamber manufacturing operations of the US’s Restore Hyper Wellness.
German AI prehab and running training app exakt health raised €2.2M ($2.4M) in a seed round.
NIUM, a Luxembourgish startup focused on the gut microbiome, added €400K ($444K) in funding.
Italian outdoor adventure booking platform Mapo Tapo raised €1.15M ($1.3M).
Asia 🌏
Levant Capital acquired a majority stake in UAE-based premium club operator Warehouse Gym.
Taiwan-based bike maker Giant Group acquired the assets of US-based indoor cycling tech brand Stages Cycling.
Indian ayurvedic nutrition brand Kapiva raised Rs 83.5 crore (~$10M) in a round led by OrbiMed Asia.
Latin America 🌎
Mexican eldercare platform Koltin secured $7M in a round led by Left Lane Capital.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
