Issue No. 321: Supercharged
A smart ecosystem transforming healthcare through exercise.
👋 Quick note: This week, we’re sharing our first long-form report, a new monthly content series.
Going deep, we’ll explore macro shifts shaping business and culture — asking big questions, envisioning bold futures, and highlighting untapped opportunities across health, fitness, and wellness.
To kick things off, we’re examining AI’s unfolding impact on clinical care and consumer well-being. You’ll find a preview below and the full report here.
It’s 100% free to read, with no email sign-up or download required.
American healthcare is deeply flawed.
Fragmented care, misaligned incentives, and reactive treatments have created the world’s most expensive—and least efficient—system.
Leveraging new tech, multimodal AI promises to bridge clinical and consumer solutions, ushering in an era of high-agency health.
The Future is Now
Leading the shift, AI-driven companies attract a quarter of all healthcare VC dollars, with investors pouring $10.5B into healthcare AI in 2024 alone.
For health systems. From physician copilots and patient-facing bots to predictive diagnostics and personalized therapeutics, AI can shift health systems out of reactive mode — making “P4 (predictive, preventative, personalized, and participatory) medicine” the new standard.
For consumers. Empowering patients, AI can translate data from electronic health records, wearables, biosensors, apps, and more into at-home wellness routines — linking lifestyle interventions to clinical outcomes.
Why it matters: In the US, 90% of healthcare spending goes toward managing chronic disease, with lifestyle factors causing over half of preventable deaths. A flywheel for functional medicine, Brookings projects AI could cut the national budget deficit by $900B—or one-fifth—by 2044.
Looking ahead: A new era of clinical care and consumer wellness is on the horizon. Moving away from medical paternalism, AI can put patients in the driver’s seat — proving the value of nonpharmaceutical therapies like diet, exercise, and sleep as a first line of defense.
Read the full report
How AI Can Supercharge Health & Wellness
🎙 On the Podcast
Supergut founder Marc Washington discusses scaling science-backed wellness CPG.
Clinically proven to boost natural GLP-1 production, the company’s shakes, bars, and supplements feature a proprietary fiber blend to support metabolic and overall health.
We also cover: The rise of GLP-1s, balancing science with accessibility, and evolving from DTC to nationwide retail.
Listen to today’s episode here
💸 FitLab acquires Y7 Studio
The integrated wellness company added the infrared-heated, music-driven yoga chain to its growing portfolio.
Flow state. Along with adding new locations, FitLab plans to bundle Y7 with a forthcoming all-access membership across its IRL fitness brands.
Sweat collective. Inspiring movement, FitLab’s ecosystem spans studios, events, and equipment.
- Last year, it acquired equipment brands Assault Fitness and RPM Training.
- It partnered with Nike to launch the apparel giant’s debut fitness studios.
- It’s readying XPT, a performance wellness studio from Laird Hamilton.
Simultaneously scaling strength studio Racked, HIIT boutique Sanctuary Fitness, and race series Ragnar, FitLab is building an interconnected experience.
Looking ahead: Mixing modalities and training tools, FitLab is aligning its supergroup aspirations with the needs of modern wellness consumers.
🏋 Reimagining the gym
EGYM is bringing intelligence to every fitness floor.
Cutting-edge. EGYM’s Genius AI integrates data across smart machines, apps, and services from 200+ partners to create hyper-personalized training plans for every exerciser.
Adaptable. Adjusting to individual goals, fitness levels, and available equipment, its unique ecosystem meets gym-goers and operators where they are.
Effective. Ushering in a new era of workouts, EGYM’s tech makes trainers more efficient, analog machines smarter, fitness more fun, and members more motivated to come back.
It’s AI for the entire gym. It’s the future of fitness. And it’s available now.
Learn more at EGYM.com.
🥼 Life Time enters health tech
The athletic country club operator partnered with Dexcom to offer continuous glucose monitors directly to members through its app.
New blood. Dexcom’s Stelo biosensor is the first CGM cleared for over-the-counter sales. Teaming with Life Time, it’s courting health-minded consumers outside the diabetes market.
Full-service. The glucose monitoring rollout advances Life Time’s wellness push:
- Adding medical services, the company launched MIORA longevity clinics offering hormones and GLP-1s.
- It revamped its supplement line to target gut health, anti-aging, and muscle-building.
- The company has become a pickleball powerhouse, hosting 700+ courts and pro tournaments.
Integrating recovery, it will add cold plunges to 70+ locations this year, complementing sauna and assisted stretching services.
Punchline: As metabolic health becomes a mainstream metric, traditional fitness brands are racing to integrate services at the intersection of wellness and medical care.
📰 News & Notes
- US diabetes rates soar, costing $413B annually.
- Alma debuts AI-enhanced nutrition tracking app.
- Equinox Hotels adds menopause spa treatments.
- Annual camping trips stagnate, solo adventures rise.
- Search platform Opera launches “mindful” web browser.
- Toronto’s Sweat & Tonic preps world’s largest Lagree studio.
- Talent agency RIDEOUT emerges to amplify sports x culture.
- GymNation taps Pilates brand BASI Systems to outfit facilities.
- Wattbike unveils high-performance fanbike designed for gyms.
- Somnee, SIQ Basketball among NBA’s fourth Launchpad cohort.
- Startup Q&A: NOVOS CEO Chris Mirabile on optimizing longevity.
- Hims & Hers launches consumer-led ambassador group and advisory board.
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
Nucleus Genomics secured $14M in a Series A round and acquired Irish AI health platform Cambrean.
Clubessential Holdings, a SaaS platform for health clubs, acquired AI-powered gym and studio management platform Momence.
Smart mattress company Eight Sleep secured an undisclosed investment from F1 driver Charles Leclerc.
Mid-Atlantic fitness chain Onelife Fitness acquired two 24 Hour Fitness locations in Virginia.
AI-native nutrition app Alma landed undisclosed funding from Menlo Ventures.
Outdoor adventure social club Gravity Haus acquired The River Rock Lodge, a hotel in Big Sky, MT.
AI-powered maternal health platform Delfina closed a $17M Series A led by U.S. Venture Partners.
Gym management platform FLiiP raised $3.2M in a seed round.
LivPur Nutrition, a hydration brand for golfers, added $1.5M in funding.
Prebiotic snack maker Gutzy Organic raised $4M in equity funding.
Fertility benefits company Progyny acquired parental leave navigation platform BenefitBump.
Virtual opioid use disorder treatment platform Bicycle Health landed $16.5M.
NeuroFlow, a behavioral health analytics platform, acquired Quartet Health’s value-based behavioral healthcare business.
Europe 🇪🇺
Relive, a Dutch outdoor activity visualization platform, acquired cycling training app JOIN.
UK-based neurology health company Neu Health secured $2M from Cedars-Sinai and Oxford Science Enterprises.
Irish athlete analytics platform Output Sports closed a €4.47M ($4.6M) pre-Series A round.
Swedish nonalcoholic wine maker Oddbird secured funding to expand in the US.
Barcelona’s FisioReact, an at-home physical therapy and massage provider, landed €1M ($1.02M) in funding.
SportAI, a Norwegian AI analysis platform for racket sports, secured 9.1M NOK ($805K) in grants.
Asia 🌏
Indian healthy meal delivery service Salad Days raised Rs 30 crore ($3.6M) in a Series A round.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
