Transforming digital strategies for wellness and fitness brands.
Annual checkups aren’t cutting it.
Dead End
Gaining a clean bill of health is a hassle, and the process is undermining routine care.
- Only 8% get regular preventative screenings.
- A third of Americans don’t have a primary care physician.
- 66% skip physical exams, and 64% only seek care if extremely unwell.
Part of the problem, patients spend eight hours per month coordinating care, only to feel rushed by doctors when the appointment—sometimes months delayed—finally comes.
Meanwhile, potential warning signs are being missed, with just 18% knowing their BMI and 38% their blood pressure, while ~33% of those with AFib are unaware.
Opt-out. Overwhelmed, many turn a blind eye out of psychological necessity.
When best case is no news and worst case is a slew of referrals, insurance mazes, and unexpected debt… motivation is lacking.
- 18% skip doctor visits and screens for fear of the results.
- 45% would struggle to afford quality care if an issue arose.
- 42% say their latest healthcare experience wasn’t worth the cost.
DIY. Increasingly skeptical, Americans are spending more on preventative wellness to circumvent a flawed system. Cutting out the middleman, health-seekers already order at-home kits analyzing hormones, brain, aging, metabolism, gut, toxins, and more.
To keep pace, institutional healthcare must innovate.
Vital Signs
Reimagining the basic exam, a tech-enabled tune-up is an easier sell.
Deluxe. For $3K+, institutions like Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins offer “executive physicals,” fitting comprehensive tests, specialist meetings, and fitness assessments in a single visit.
Productizing the checkup, Q Bio, Forward, and Neko Health leverage whole-body scans to assess current and future disease state, creating digital twins for ongoing analysis.
Concierge. Maximizing efficiency, a new wave of providers are designing consumer-first, diagnostic-led experiences — delivering instant gratification at the point of care.
Translating results into precision plans, Atria coordinates end-to-end care based on 360° screenings and in-house research, while Sollis added Prenuvo full-body MRIs for members.
Proudly preventative, longevity clinic Humanaut added medical memberships, Canyon Ranch mixes consultation with retreat, and The Estate announced life-extending hotels.
Upgrading labs, Function, Superpower, and iollo test hundreds of biomarkers by default — following up with lifestyle-focused protocols.
But… despite glimpses of healthcare 3.0, out-of-network means out of reach for most.
Up to the Test
Equipping time-strapped GPs with cutting-edge tech could transform standard practice.
Less work. Redeeming Theranos’ failed promises, all-in-one labs from Babson Diagnostics, Truvian, and Vital Biosciences rapidly diagnose wide-ranging conditions with single drops of blood — while Karius’ AI expedites infectious disease detection.
Higher touch. Replacing analog, digital stethoscopes from Withings and Eko assess heart and lung health, Mediwhale’s eye scans reveal cardiac and kidney risks, Evolt’s BIA station replaces BMI, and Noze’s disease-detecting breathalyzer syncs with electronic health records.
Platforms like Vital could roll all results into one API, with AI engines improving coordination, reducing burnout, lowering costs, and facilitating effective treatments.
Punchline: Next-gen diagnostics are only as powerful as providers’ ability to answer what comes next. Between tests and wearables, consumers aren’t lacking data — but they need help connecting dots and enacting change.
🎙 On the Podcast
Pendulum Therapeutics co-founder & CEO Colleen Cutcliffe discusses next-gen probiotics.
Backed by $110M+ in funding, Pendulum is a biotech company optimizing the microbiome with doctor-formulated metabolic health supplements.
We also cover: Developing medical probiotics, prioritizing healthspan over healthcare, and the future of preventative wellness.
Listen to today’s episode here.
⚽️ Sports x social concepts scale up
TOCA Football, operator of tech-enabled soccer training facilities and entertainment venues, raised $100M to expand globally.
Training. Its 39 North American TOCA Soccer locations host data-enriched coaching sessions, youth clinics, and adult leagues.
Gaming. Spinoff concept TOCA Social adapts the sport for immersive eatertainment. Already open in the UK, it’s expanding to France, Mexico, and World Cup host city Dallas.
Rec room. With footballer Harry Kane and ex-Topgolf CEO Erik Anderson on board, TOCA hopes to stand out among emerging sport x social franchises.
- Baseball-centric concepts Home Run Dugout and Batbox raised funding for expansion.
- Travis Kelce-backed Chicken N Pickle plans 16 pickleball-equipped restaurants by ’26.
- Basketball eatertainment venue JumpShot Live will open its first site next year.
Fore. As Topgolf struggles, competitor Drive Shack is scaling tech-enabled mini golf venue Puttery, and simulator biz Five Iron Golf landed $20M from restaurateur Danny Meyer.
Takeaway: Tapping tech to reimagine sport, TOCA aims to inspire soccer’s next generation on and off the pitch.
Presented by Xivic
📈 Chart Your Path Forward
Refresh your digital strategy with the help of Xivic.
All-in. A full-service agency, Xivic helps fitness and wellness brands reach more consumers through digital marketing, technical platform development, and consulting.
Personalized. Never “plug-and-play,” Xivic conducts a full audit for every client — gaining a comprehensive understanding of your digital ecosystem’s strengths and weaknesses.
For the long haul. Like any good trainer, Xivic’s holistic approach ensures every element works together to deliver sustainable results as your business evolves.
Get your digital audit to see why companies like Pressed Juice and goop choose Xivic.
🤝 Startups tackle substance use disorders
Preliminary CDC data shows overdose deaths dropped 10% YoY through April, the largest decrease on record.
TBD. Some experts credit increased availability of the life-saving medication naloxone, but causes remain unclear.
Still… drug-related deaths have trended up since 1999, and two-thirds of US adults say they or a family member have experienced addiction — yet the majority didn’t receive treatment.
Outlook. Public health officials warn stats could boomerang without continued support. While acute medication use can save lives, startups hope to change lives with whole-person care.
- Hybrid addiction treatment provider Eleanor Health added $30M this month.
- Sober Sidekick recently raised $2.8M for its sobriety-focused social networking app.
- Marigold Health secured $11M for its wraparound peer support program in June.
- Partnering with employers, SUD management platform Pelago raised $58M in March, while low-income-focused virtual provider Boulder Care landed $35M in May.
Adding wearables to the mix, OpiAID’s wrist-worn device monitors patients remotely, and Spark Biomedical’s neurostimulating earpiece eases withdrawal symptoms.
Takeaway: Progress is progress. But after naloxone, social determinants, behavioral health, and systemic pain management problems still need to be addressed.
📰 News & Notes
- Happy Health’s smart ring lands FDA-approval.
- Technogym receives top honors for sustainability.
- Nike taps Precor for B2B strength equipment distribution.
- WHOOP adds step count metric, courts everyday wearers.
- Aviron expands with loadable dumbbells, gamified treadmill.
- Springbok Analytics lands FDA nod for AI muscle health analysis.
- Truemed, Peloton unlock pre-tax spending on exercise equipment.
- Smart strength startup amp kicks off pre-orders for at-home device.
- ClassPass enters Japan, notching 30 countries across five continents.
- EPA issues ruling to replace all lead drinking water pipes within 10 years.
- GymNation secures ‘Best Gym in UAE’ title, launches HYROX365 challenge.
- Melissa French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures opens $250M women’s health fund.
- Allyson Felix launches talent management firm supporting women’s sports.
- WellnessSpace Brands revamps its personalized heated water massage bed.
- Hiring? We connect health and wellness companies with exceptional talent from Fitt’s inner circle.
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
TOCA Football, operator of tech-enabled soccer venues, raised $100M in funding.
Digital diabetic care platform Glooko secured $100M in a Series F round.
Fullscript, a platform for doctor-recommended supplements, acquired Rupa Health, a platform for doctor-prescribed labs.
Club Pilates franchisee Riser Fitness secured $72M for expansion.
LeagueApps, a youth sports management platform, secured an equity investment from Accel-KKR.
Sexual wellness brand Hello Cake closed $18M in a Series B round and acquired Trigg Laboratories, maker of personal lubricants.
US-based Major League Table Tennis raised $5.5M in funding, with participation from sports investor David Blitzer.
Mobile golf simulator company Dryvebox landed funding from TMRW Sports, Golf Digest, Old Tom Capital, and EP Golf Ventures.
Babson Diagnostics, creator of consumer-first diagnostics solutions, landed undisclosed funding from BD.
Reproductive healthtech company LEVY Health raised $4.5M led by XYZ Venture Capital.
Europe 🇪🇺
UK-based healthspan biotech firm clock.bio raised $5.3M in a seed round led by LocalGlobe.
nÿcha kombucha, a functional beverage maker, landed CHF 175K ($200K) on Swiss Shark Tank adaptation Die Höhle der Löwen.
France’s Kinomap, a video-based training platform, acquired VR training platform Fit Immersion.
Asia 🌏
Indian gut health brand The Good Bug secured $3.5M in a Series A extension round.
Indian grassroots youth sports platform Sports for Life added Rs 9.5 crore ($1.1M).
Latin America 🌎
Brazilian holistic wellness platform AuraPura landed R$3M ($545K) in funding.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
