A smart ecosystem transforming healthcare through exercise.
Gyms are becoming one-stop shops.
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A new Health & Fitness Association (HFA) report detailed a record-setting 2024.
- 77M Americans were gym or studio members in ’24.
- Memberships increased 5.6% YoY and 20% since ’19.
- Facilities had 96M unique visitors.
With 25% of US individuals aged 6+ belonging and 31% attending—both all-time highs—fitness is cementing itself as a way of life.
Global gains. European membership grew ~10%, notching 3.9M new signups in ‘24, led by Germany, Spain, and the UK, where a record ~17% of adults now belong.
Leading the charge, the region’s 20 largest gym chains—including Basic-Fit, PureGym, and RSG Group—generated a combined €7.4B in revenue.
Spending shift. Juicing margins, gyms everywhere hiked dues, but consumers didn’t flinch.
Identifying a “generational shift,” BoA reported a 7% increase in credit card spending on “healthy habits” — the biggest jump in two years.
Commanding the space, 84% of fitness transactions went to IRL gyms and studios. Even with high-earners making up the majority, that share is shrinking, with Gen Z/Gen Alpha forming 31% of all gym-goers.
Culture Shock
Consumers are fueling the gym’s transformation.
In the past two years, 87% of gym-goers say their outlook on fitness has changed, with 40% training for specific goals, 28% seeking balance, and 19% adopting a holistic view.
As expectations rise and science-backed approaches gain traction, gyms are being pushed to evolve.
New identity. We’ve explored the gym-as-clinic, merging fitness with healthcare and longevity. Now, new models are turning gyms into lifestyle hubs.
Blurring lines, “superboutiques” blend workouts and wellness, while full-stack destinations integrate fitness, recreation, and nutrition.
Beyond barbell clubs or yoga studios for diehards, operators are filling physical, emotional, and social needs in one space, aligning with behaviors rather than dictating them.
Open access. 55% of younger generations embrace fitness as an identity, and 60% say it’s more than a hobby. They’re not skipping workouts — they’re seeking belonging.
Intimidating and exclusive, the old gym model fails to reach 70% of people. Breaking that mold opens the door for more inclusive, inviting experiences.
Looking ahead: The next wave of gyms won’t just help people train — they’ll enhance how they live.
🎙 On the Podcast
Therme Group US president & CSO Robert Hammond discusses its social bathing concept.
After co-founding New York’s High Line, Robert is now helping Therme bring thermal bathing to America through large-scale wellness destinations.
We also cover: Scaling ambitious projects, the social benefits of communal bathing, and creating job-generating urban destinations.
Listen to today’s episode here
🧬 Superpower launches health “super-app”
The preventative health startup raised a $30M Series A led by Forerunner Ventures.
Decoded. Launching its preventative platform, the company blends deep diagnostics with real-time insights to help members stay ahead of chronic disease.
Building demand, Superpower has amassed a 150K-person waitlist since emerging from stealth last year.
Stacked. Members get biannual lab tests, a personalized health and biological age scores, and a plan for optimizing performance, powered by AI and guided by clinicians.
The app integrates 100+ blood biomarkers with wearables, genomics, imaging, and lifestyle data, creating a complete view of health.
Prevent > treat. CEO Jacob Peters says “everyone deserves to understand what’s happening in their body without a medical degree.”
Filling the care gap, Superpower hopes to flip the script on reactive medicine, as 64% of Americans only see a doctor when they’re extremely sick.
Takeaway: Trading annual check-ups for real-time data, Superpower joins the race to build a Personal Health OS.
🏋️ 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.
🧠 Researchers link creatine to mental health
A new study found that creatine supplementation can ease symptoms of depression, especially when complementing traditional treatments.
In an eight-week trial, participants taking 5g of creatine daily alongside SSRIs or CBT saw faster and greater improvements than placebo groups.
Brain gain. Best known for boosting muscle, creatine also fuels the brain by recycling ATP, the body’s cellular energy source. Because depression creates metabolic stress, the supplement’s bioenergetic support may help restore mental function.
A different Rx, with brain uptake being slower than muscle, higher doses or longer use may unlock greater benefits.
Good mix. Creatine’s potential goes beyond this trial.
- A 22K person study linked low dietary creatine intake to higher depression risk, especially in young women.
- In sleep-deprived individuals, creatine improved cognition and reversed energy deficits.
Punchline: With clinical research replacing bro science, creatine is becoming brain fuel.
📰 News & Notes
- EōS eyes $1B exit.
- Nike x Hyperice bring “Hyperboot” to market.
- Strava data finds social runners finish stronger.
- Lifeforce adds brain care program for cognitive health.
- Levels taps Season Health for in-app dietitian coaching.
- Supplement maker Timeline debuts longevity gummies.
- Equinox launches in-and-out-of-gym Precision Run Club.
- Remedy Place taps bioniq for personalized supplements.
- WHOOP study links evening workouts to sleep disruption.
- KANE Footwear, 1% for the Planet collab on recovery shoe.
- Startup Q&A: MYndspan CEO Caitlin Baltzer on preventative brain scans.
- Meto launches insurance-first, provider-powered metabolic health platform.
- Sahha releases single-integration API for cross-device health trend analysis.
- Read our latest report: Hormones, healthspan, and the $115B opportunity in sexual wellness
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
Preventative health platform Superpower landed $30M in a Series A led by Forerunner Ventures.
Biolinq, creator of a CGM biosensor for metabolic health, raised $100M in a Series C led by Alpha Wave Ventures.
Social activity tracking platform Strava acquired Runna, a UK-based personalized running training app.
Kingswood Capital Management acquired supplement retailer The Vitamin Shoppe from Franchise Group.
Sexual wellness brand Dame acquired Chakrubs, an intimacy wellness brand.
Tech-enabled maternal health clinic Trellis Health raised $1.8M in a pre-seed round.
Canadian preventative health platform NiaHealth secured CA$2.5M ($1.8M) in a round led by Version One Ventures.
WPSL Pro, a lower-division women’s soccer league, secured funding from Cleveland Soccer Group.
Europe 🇪🇺
bd-capital will acquire UK-based performance nutrition company Science in Sport (SIS) for £82.3M ($109M).
Dutch budget gym operator Basic-Fit secured a €200M ($229M) revolving credit facility from ABN AMRO and Rabobank.
The UK’s Skin Analytics, a tech-enabled skin cancer detection platform, raised £15M ($19.9M) in a Series B led by Intrepid Growth Partners.
London-based longevity biotech firm Juvenescence landed undisclosed funding from Abu Dhabi healthtech company M42.
British digital pharmacy platform Healthera secured a £2M ($2.6M) strategic investment.
Luxembourg-based VC PeakBridge invested in Finnish functional mushroom producer KÄÄPÄ Biotech and Israeli gut health neutraceutical maker Evinature.
Asia 🌏
A Cabin Company, creator of wellness-focused nature accommodations in Japan, secured funding from Seveno Capital.
Indian supplements brand Good Monk raised Rs 12 crore ($2M) in a pre-seed round.
Indian sports nutrition brand BeastLife landed Rs 1.9 crore ($220K) from cricketer Rinku Singh.
Ivory, a Mumbai-based brain health startup, raised $1M in a round co-led by IIM-A Ventures and Capital-A.
Australia 🇦🇺 / New Zealand 🇳🇿
Australia’s National Ageing Research Institute secured a A$2.9M ($1.8M) grant for digital dementia support.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
