Arketa, the Modern Operating System for the Wellness Industry, Raises $15M Series A from Inspired Capital to Accelerate Growth

Arketa, the leading AI-powered platform for running boutique fitness and wellness studios, today announced it has raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Inspired Capital, alongside existing investors First Round, Y-Combinator, and Amity. The company will use the funding to accelerate product development and capture greater market share as the boutique fitness industry experiences unprecedented growth, with the market projected to reach $80 billion by 2029.

The boutique fitness sector is experiencing a dramatic shift as consumers increasingly prioritize personalized wellness experiences and community-driven fitness over traditional gym memberships. Boutique studios now represent 42% of total gym memberships, fueled by heightened health consciousness and a demand for specialized classes tailored to diverse fitness goals. Unlike big-box gyms, boutique fitness offers a unique sense of community, fostering personal connections and shared motivation that resonate deeply with its members. This trend is especially strong among Gen Z and Millennials, who view fitness as a core part of their identity and crave immersive, technology-enhanced wellness experiences.

“As a certified yoga instructor, I witnessed firsthand how outdated technology frustrated fitness studios, alienating customers and stunting growth by failing to meet modern demands. We founded Arketa to equip these professionals with cutting-edge tools to expand their reach, thrive, and deliver the personalized, community-focused experiences today’s fitness enthusiasts seek,” said Rachel Lea Fishman, Co-founder and CEO of Arketa. “We are on a mission to build and distribute best-in-class technology to power the wellness sector, creating a new standard in what defines a modern tech stack.”

Despite the industry’s growth, many boutique studios struggle with legacy software solutions that fail to meet the evolving demands of modern wellness consumers. Arketa addresses this gap by bringing technology typically reserved for enterprise clients to small and medium-sized businesses. The platform’s intelligent features include automated customer service that answers frequently asked questions and captures leads, streamlined booking management, transparent pricing, as well as automated marketing functions – all designed to help studios operate more efficiently while delivering superior customer experiences.

“Arketa is emblematic of modern vertical software platforms – those focused on doing everything for their customers. They may start with delightful execution on table stakes features like booking and payments. But they quickly expand to address the entirety of a company’s opex,” said Chris Brown of Inspired Capital. “Platforms like Arketa will become the distribution mechanism through which AI reaches global SMBs. In short order, running on anything else will feel crazy. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Rachel Lea and Josh as they build Arketa.”

“We couldn’t live without Arketa. It’s vital to our daily operations,” added Rachel Hirsch, Co-Founder of Empowered Yoga Studio. “It’s vital for us to engage with our clients. It’s vital to us to translate what’s going on in the studio into dollars in the bank. That’s why we value Arketa so much.”

The funding comes at a pivotal moment as the wellness industry continues its rapid expansion. With 74.7% of consumers planning to prioritize their health in 2025 – a nearly 20% increase from 2024 – and boutique studios increasingly adding recovery services like cold plunge therapy, saunas, and massage to their offerings, demand for sophisticated technology solutions has never been higher. Arketa’s platform supports this diversification, serving everything from traditional pilates and yoga studios to innovative concepts like dog yoga and trampoline fitness centers.