A 10x better annual physical.
Work needs new ethics.
Autopilot
US employee engagement hit a decade-low 31% last year, with nearly 60% on the brink of quitting due to mental health struggles, and 61% feeling no one at work cares about them.
Stuck in a toxic cycle, 83% are constantly stressed by work, but AI-fueled job insecurity and layoffs are making people scared to take time off. Not unfounded, research suggests employees who set restorative boundaries are more likely to be passed over for promotions.
Perennially burned out, 60% use their free time to recover from their job, never enjoying life. Blaming work’s hold, 36% quit exercising, 32% stopped socializing, and 25% have no fun.
Work Ethics
Rethinking contracts, half of millennials and Gen Z would take lower pay to work for an employer that’s more conscious of well-being, with the majority agreeing a calm mind, healthy body, strong relationships, and values-aligned vocation are a bigger flex than money.
Seeing corporations cut roles without remorse, employees see no reason to be loyal, leaving 75% of industries struggling to retain top talent. Breaking rules to balance the scales, more are publicly disclosing salaries, hopping companies, and taking “micro-retirements” to recharge.
Support Systems
Corporate wellness packages are table stakes, but easing daily stress requires healthy spaces and human connection.
Creative campuses. Bridging the arts and sciences, SF’s SHACK15, LA’s moss, and London’s Loom combine professional community, wellness classes, and interdisciplinary mingling.
Putting fitness first, gyms like Kollective and MNTSTUDIO are following in Life Time and Equinox’s footsteps by adding desks to rec centers.
Designing with neurodiversity and nature in mind, concepts like Katz Architecture’s The Hive see multi-use facilities—featuring daycares, docs, and dynamic energy—as the future. Overseas, Little Houses reimagines the local village with family-focused work-meets-play sanctuaries.
Network effects. Top-down approaches, The Founder Health Coalition and Richard Branson’s Virgin StartUp Community help founders scale without sacrificing mental health.
Similarly, social groups like Art of Mondays and Rally gather builders to sweat, swap ideas, and secure funding, while Monday Girl and The Female Quotient curate experiences for women.
Policy Shifts
Getting creative, companies are offering on-site gyms, family planning support, and wellness stipends to stand out — with Roblox even covering CGMs and DEXA scans. But as AI enters workflows, the current moment calls for more.
Responsibly leveraged, tech can reshape work-life expectations, enabling next-gen corporate wellness policies like four-day workweeks, extended PTO, and periodical sabbaticals.
Punchline: As wealth inequality grows and wellness sinks, golden handcuffs are losing appeal. A generational shift, younger employees are questioning work’s purpose, seeking purposeful work, putting health before money, and letting go of the linear path.
🎙 On the Podcast
Commons Clinic co-founder and CEO Nick Aubin discusses preventative multispecialty care.
Building “the next Mayo Clinic,” the SoCal-based company’s whole-body programs combine orthopedics, functional diagnostics, and a state-of-the-art surgery center.
We also cover: Whole-body health assessments, advances in minimally invasive tech, and offering physicians equity partnerships vs. traditional employment agreements.
Listen to today’s episode here
🏄 A new wellness wave is rolling in
Surf parks are the latest social wellness destination, blending sport, lifestyle, and community.
Tubular. Atlantic Park Surf just opened a 2.7-acre lagoon in Virginia Beach, pairing lessons and performance analytics with a beach club vibe — with its developer planning California and Houston sites.
Surf’s up. Like TOCA, Padel Haus, and Ballers, the sports-meets-social playbook is thriving. Meanwhile, large-scale resorts like Therme and WorldSprings reimagine the bathhouse. Now, surfing is ready to make its move.
With 35 sites worldwide and 75+ in development, the surf park industry is projected to reach $3.8B by 2028, and momentum is building Stateside.
- Aventuur is advancing projects in Australia, New Zealand, and 12 US markets.
- Kelly Slater Wave Co. is expanding its proprietary tech, breaking ground in Austin.
- Crest is raising $45M for a $20K/year Long Island surf club, complete with gym, spa, and co-working.
Looking ahead: A third space to hang 10, surf parks represent a new gathering place for social connection and physical well-being.
⚡ A New Era of Personal Health
Health shouldn’t be gatekept, and quality care shouldn’t cost a fortune.
Democratizing concierge medicine, Superpower is on a mission to restore health agency for all.
By the experts. Superpower is backed by top longevity docs and leading investors, with a staff of clinical experts who translate your biometrics into custom medical and lifestyle plans.
For the people. Concierge clinics and elite doctors typically charge $15K–$100k, but Superpower leverages tech to make preventative services accessible to all.
10x better than an average physical, Superpower looks at the whole you, combining 100+ lab tests, biological age tracking, and a personalized health management dashboard.
A new era of personal health is here: Personalized. Preventative. Performance enhancing.
Get $50 off your membership using code FITT50 (first 50 sales only).
💪 Pilates, strength training reshape fitness
New SFIA data shows exercisers want sustainable results over intensity.
Strong gains. Pilates is the fastest-growing workout in America, up nearly 40% since 2019, while yoga and barre rose 23% and 19%, respectively.
Functional formats like kettlebells and free weights are rising, with women adopting strength routines in record numbers.
Zoned out. Once a group fitness staple, indoor cycling is fading, down 33.5% over five years, as SoulCycle stalls and XPOF offloads CycleBar.
Cardio machine utilization, from treadmills to ellipticals, posted a double-digit decline. Likewise, bootcamp, HIIT, and cross-training are slipping as exercisers seek progress without burnout.
Remixed. Cardio-heavy, high-intensity training is giving way to more holistic approaches, forcing operators to respond with strength, longevity, and bundled wellness solutions.
Takeaway: From healthspan to hybrid routines, the future of fitness favors formats that are adaptable, proven, and built to last.
📰 News & Notes
- Gallup: Drinking at historic low.
- Novo Nordisk halves US Ozempic price.
- WHOOP refuses FDA’s blood pressure mandate.
- Hyperice unveils next-gen contrast therapy gear.
- Apple reactivates blood oxygen features, skirts lawsuit.
- MyNetDiary adds AI-powered nutrition tracking, coaching.
- Ethos, Lifeforce integrate longevity diagnostics with life insurance.
- Peloton explores third-party integrations to enhance personalization.
- ABC Fitness launches coaching management platform for Trainerize.
- The Assembly sets keynotes, activations for October wellness conference.
- Joi + Blokes taps actors Ian Somerhalder, Nikki Reed for hormonal health ed.
- Q&A: Eden Health Clubs’ Adam McBride and Josh Khan on high-agency healthcare.
- Hiring? Fitt Talent connects top health & wellness companies with high-performers from our inner circle.
💰 Money Moves
US 🇺🇸 / Canada 🇨🇦
Smart mattress maker Eight Sleep raised $100M in a round that included HSG, Valor Equity Partners, and Founders Fund.
Longevity clinic operator Fountain Life secured $18M in a Series B led by Eos Ventures.
Lura Health, developers of intraoral biometric sensors, landed investment from Japanese dental tech firm SCO Group.
A group led by MCR Hotels acquired members club chain Soho House in a $2.7B take-private deal.
Canadian backyard leisure company Vivere acquired CROSSNET, creator of sports and recreation games.
Giant Ideas, operator of boutique studio Legends Boxing, acquired studio franchises Mayweather Boxing + Fitness and KickHouse.
Hyphen, developer of automated food prepping solutions, announced a $25M Series B from healthy fast-casual restaurant CAVA and others.
THC beverage brand Uncle Arnie’s raised $7.5M in a round co-led by Mindset Capital and Delta Emerald Ventures.
Isaac Health, a brain health and dementia care platform, raised $10.5M in a Series A led by Flare Capital Partners.
CoachUp, a private sports coaching marketplace, acquired Bando Performance, operator of four athletic training centers in Massachusetts.
Canada’s Hapbee Technologies, creators of sleep-enhancing wearables, landed $675K from Smile Group to enter Asia.
Europe 🇪🇺
UK-based women’s activewear brand Adanola hit a $530M valuation in a new funding round from STORY3 Capital Partners.
STOCKED, a UK-based healthy frozen meals maker, secured £1.3M ($1.8M) in a round led by Active Partners.
The UK’s OVA, maker of fertility and hormonal supplements, raised $1M in a pre-seed round.
Sports Impact Technologies, an Ireland-based maker of concussion detection wearables, landed €650K ($759K) in pre-seed funding.
Belfast’s Neurovalens, maker of a neurostimulation device for chronic insomnia, added £6M ($8.1M) in funding.
Asia 🌏
Indian health optimization company Ultrahuman acquired viO HealthTech, developers of medical-grade technology for ovulation tracking.
Super Longevity, a Japanese matchmaking platform combatting loneliness in seniors, raised ¥560M ($3.8M) in a funding round.
Oatside, a Singapore-based alt-milk manufacturer, completed a S$55.3M ($43M) share sale.
Australia 🇦🇺 / New Zealand 🇳🇿
Aussie whole-body scan platform OneMRI raised A$2.5M ($1.6M) in a funding round.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
