Issue No. 304: Lost Art
A smart ecosystem transforming healthcare through exercise.
Creativity is central to wellness.
Hardwired
An emerging field, neuroaesthetics examines how art and beauty change the brain.
Triggering feel-good hormones, research suggests works of art unlock happiness and well-being — but the healing effects of sensory, aesthetic experiences are lost on most Americans.
Bored Sick
Increasingly tech-addicted, modern culture is struggling to find joy, wonder, and connection.
Bound to desks and screens, just 18% of Americans visited a cultural institution in the last three years, and liberal arts education is disappearing amidst budget cuts.
Abandoned for productivity’s sake, creativity’s role in health and wellness is underappreciated.
Art Rx. While not a replacement for medical interventions, the arts can enhance health outcomes and reduce need for treatment.
- Music has shown to reduce pain and anxiety during medical procedures.
- Visiting museums lowers blood pressure and cortisol while boosting cognition.
- Viewing art can improve interoception, or awareness of one’s body and emotions.
Leading a movement, the Aspen Institute and Johns Hopkins developed a blueprint for integrating evidence-based art therapies into mainstream medicine — an idea supported by two-thirds of Americans.
Taking action, tech startup Art Pharmacy is partnering with payers to make “social prescriptions” possible throughout the US, while mental health providers Charlie Health and Headlight offer “experiential therapies” like acting, music, and poetry.
Overseas, nonprofit Hospital Rooms brightens mental health wards with museum-worthy installations, while Monterey’s Ohana Center considers its biophilic design part of treatment.
Wellness Nouveau
Ahead of systemic change, wellness and fitness companies are getting creative.
Expressionism. With colorful approaches, operators are setting conditions for self-expression.
From Sanctum’s mindful raves to BLOKspace and Zenses’ immersive studios, avant-garde fitness is in high demand. Leaning in, On partnered with performing artist FKA twigs for a Body Is Art campaign, acknowledging free-flowing movement as a spiritual flex.
Stoking intuitive energy, Angela Trimbur, The Class, and KINRGY make dance workouts cool, cathartic, and accessible to newcomers. Redefining the fitness lifestyle, HEIMAT Paris merges high-quality training with art events to strengthen mind, body, and soul.
Mixed modality. Centering aesthetics, new concepts bridge art and science for better recovery.
With a gallery built into its sauna space, Alchemy Springs encourages imaginative conversation among guests, while Submersive is plotting an Austin-based art bathhouse.
Fusing community, relaxation, and creative electives, Camp Château’s women’s retreat consistently sells out. Promising to “symphonize the senses,” Ventana Big Sur’s wellness programming includes painting, collage, and clay workshops.
Remixing music, Sensate and Amplified Future are elevating well-being with infrasonic sound.
Street art. Consumers’ innate draw toward beauty is informing CPG’s evolution.
From Aura Bora’s whimsical cans to Vitruvi’s ceramic diffusers, companies across categories are turning everyday purchases into neuroaesthetic treats.
Reimagining brand activations, Poppi World and BÉIS Camp pop-ups served as shoppable exhibitions. Similarly, retailers Erewhon and Happier Grocery resemble health food museums.
Looking ahead: From the spaces we inhabit to the hobbies we enjoy, every input shapes the nervous system. In an ideal world, future care plans combine prescription meds, art classes, healthy cooking demos, complementary wellness treatments, and membership to a local gym.
🎙 On the Podcast
Fresh off announcing $200M in new funding, EGYM co-founder & CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer discusses US expansion plans.
Now valued at over $1B, the Munich-based brand aims to prevent chronic disease through strength training.
We also cover: EGYM’s vertically integrated strategy, growing its corporate wellness program, and using AI to improve health outcomes.
Listen to today’s episode here.
💸 PepsiCo acquires Siete Foods for $1.2B
The Big Food brand scooped up the Mexican-American snack maker known for its grain-free versions of cultural staples.
Going big. The 10-year-old, family-owned company expects $500M in annual revenue by EOY.
Melting pot. Initially designed for Latinos with dietary restrictions, Siete’s products span almond flour tortillas and chips, wedding cookies, sauces, salsas, and more.
Hitting the mark, it raised $90M from Stripes in 2018, and actress Eva Longoria invested this year. Now, PepsiCo will look to bolster its multicultural and better-for-you portfolios.
Same but different. Recreating cultural comfort foods without artificial flavors—while lowering sodium and sugar—has proven profitable for upstarts.
Vietnamese-owned Omsom was acquired by DayDayCook in June, while Creole-inspired A Dozen Cousins and Middle Eastern-made Maazah have broken into major retailers.
Takeaway: Across cultures, healthy convenience is in demand. But, when it comes to ethnic foods, authenticity is key — meaning upstarts have a rare R&D edge on corporations.
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.
🤝 L Catterton acquires [solidcore]
The investment firm bought a majority stake in the reformer-based boutique, valuing the company between $600M to $700M.
Renewed strength. Known for intense 50-minute classes, [solidcore] counts ~130 corporate-owned studios in 25 states.
Leading the Pilates boom, the company is pursuing domestic and international growth.
For its part, L Catterton remains bullish on the sector, signing recent megadeals with supplements maker Thorne and fitness technology company EGYM.
Trending. Competitors at the intersection of strength and functional movement are giving chase — with STRONG Pilates, F45’s VAURA Pilates and FS8, and JETSET pushing expansion.
Punchline: Rebranding around its “transformative” potential, [solidcore]’s new owners will look to grow beyond boutique enthusiasts to engineer a global movement.
📰 News & Notes
- Meta’s Supernatural launches group VR workouts.
- Samsung unveils healthcare-focused developer tools.
- Remedy Place, Kohler partner on high-end cold plunge.
- Fitness First accelerates in the UAE, plans club revamps.
- AllTrails syncs with Apple Watch for phone-free exploration.
- Ergatta releases Wavelength, its latest rowing fitness game.
- Hilma launches women’s trail running shoe. [Re-read: Full Sprint]
- WeightWatchers abruptly removes CEO amid restructuring woes.
- Athlete neurofeedback training platform alphabeats names new CEO.
- Private pool sharing marketplace Swimply adds Plunge ice bath owners.
- Phy Health, Extension Health partner for in-clinic MSK health screenings.
- Youll announces Miactive, a wellness app led by an elite F1 performance coach.
- Optimize Mind Performance teams with Duke Athletics for mental skills training.
- Hiring? Enlist our recruiters to access top talent from the Fitt Insider community.
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
PepsiCo acquired grain-free Mexican-American food brand Siete Foods for $1.2B.
Investment firm L Catterton acquired boutique studio chain [solidcore].
Smart strength brand OxeFit secured $17.5M, with backing from [solidcore] founder Anne Mahlum and entrepreneur Dave Asprey.
Global alcoholic beverage company Diageo acquired nonalcoholic spirits maker Ritual Zero Proof.
Moxie, a business development platform for medspas, raised $10M in a Series B led by Lachy Groom and Signalfire.
Lucky Energy, a better-for-you energy drink maker, closed an oversubscribed $11.75M Series A led by Brand Foundry Ventures.
Helaina, developer of human equivalent bioactive proteins for gut health and anti-aging, raised $45M.
Omega Fitness, an Anytime Fitness franchisee operated by Rainier Partners, acquired 21 Wisconsin-based Anytime gyms from MDS Fitness.
Europe 🇪🇺
German fitness technology company EGYM raised ~$200M in a round led by L Catterton.
UK-based digital men’s health clinic Manual secured £29.2M ($39M) in new funding.
Ireland’s Brace, a gamified injury rehabilitation platform, added €220K ($243K).
Asia 🌏
Korean AI-powered health diagnostics company Mediwhale raised $12M in a Series A2 round.
Indian mental health platform Lissun raised $2.5M in a round led by RPSG Capital Ventures.
HK-based Future Salad, creator of sustainability-focused nutrition mixes, secured $5M in a Series A.
Australia 🇦🇺 / New Zealand 🇳🇿
Aussie body composition tech maker Evolt raised $20M in pre-IPO funding.
MSK and sports rehab tech maker VALD secured undisclosed growth funding from FTV Capital.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.