Huge thanks to GoFit Singapore for hosting us at their newly opened facility in Geylang.
Read This Month’s Headlines
- Google and Samsung have collaborated to build a new platform called Health Connect which enables syncing of users’ health data between Android apps and devices. Health Connect should make it easier for users to manage their health and fitness data across various platforms including exercise and sleep, as well as vitals like heart rate and blood pressure.
- Xponential Fitness has exciting news to share, following their recent announcement of Xponential+, a new digital platform. The boutique franchisor has announced a partnership with Lululemon to develop original fitness programming for Mirror.
- Prenetics has become the first Hong Kong-based unicorn to list on Nasdaq following a merger with blank-check company Artisan Acquisition Corp.
- HIIT studio franchise F45 Training received $150M in debt financing from Fortress Credit Corp. to support their US expansion.
- Australian TV star and personal trainer Sam Wood has sold his online diet and fitness program – 28 By Sam Wood – to myDNA, an Australian based DNA testing company for $71 million.
- Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have been named as the hosts of the respective 2025, 2027 and 2029 editions of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
- ONE championship will now stream on Amazon Prime Video in the US and Canada
- HCF invests $5 million in Australia’s first venture capitalist fund for health, wellness, sport and fitness start-ups. The cornerstone investment in XT Ventures will further HCF’s “deep pedigree in helping innovative startups”.
- FS8 is now set to launch flagship studios in international markets including the US, Asia, Middle East and Europe
- REVL Training announcde they will open their 15th studio in July, congrats on such impressive and fast growth.
- Planet Fitness signed an Area Development Agreement with Castle Point (U.S. based investment firm) to expand the brand into New Zealand. The agreement will bring 25+ Planet Fitness locations to New Zealand over the next several years.
- LES MILLS LIVE – the ultimate international fitness festival – is heading to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on the 13th and 14th of August. The event promises incredible workouts with epic music, lights, energy and excitement.
- Clean Health™ Announces Collaboration with Steppen™ to Help Educate and Build Online Content for Fitness Professionals
- HealthBeats Raises US$3M Seed Funding Led By Heritas Capital And SEEDS Capital To Expand Remote Vitals Monitoring In Australia And Singapore
- StimScience, creators of an electronic sleep aid headband called Somnee, secured $8.3M in a seed round led by Khosla Ventures.
- Indian brand, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts launch a signature wellness programme – Aujasya. Focusing on the 2Rs of Wellbeing – Restore (Food) and Renew (Mindfulness). Aujasya – translates to strengthening vitality allowing guests to embrace an enriching and healthy lifestyle.
- Anantara Hotels and Resorts Announces Stunning New-Build on Thailand’s Untouched Island Paradise of Koh Yao Yai
- Grande Center Point Space Pattaya opening soon – Thailand’s first “space” themed hotel with innovating design and technology. The gravity fit club is designed with Technogym’s latest equipment to enhance the “space” experience for guests
- Soneva launches its new Soneva Soul Programme championing Active Movement techniques and experiential fitness surrounded by nature – with jungle gyms, deep-water aquatic fitness sessions, yoga, Pranayama breathwork, meditation and a range of complimentary therapies to boost preventative health.
- UOA Group has launched a co-living and wellness facility in Kuala Lumpur, equipped with medical and care services, for senior citizens, dubbed to be the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia.
- WTS International has undergone a big change. The company has joined forces with corporate fitness and amenity solution provider LifeStart and Meet Hospitality – a hospitality services and meetings company. The trio have undergone a collective rebrand and are now referred to as Arch Amenities Group (AAG for short).
- In Singapore, a consortium comprising SJ Defence, True Group, and Academy of Sports & Exercise Science has successfully been awarded the contract to provide fitness training and other related services to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Fitness training and related services will be provided to all full-time National Servicemen (NSF), operational ready National Servicemen (NSmen), and active personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
- Congrats to Evolution Wellness and their new flagship GoFit property in Geylang Singapore, where of course we bring you this month’s report.
- TriFit is pleased to announce their partnership with Sporta PK to launch Myzone in all their clubs. Sporta PK earlier in the year announced that they had acquired the official distribution rights of Myzone in Pakistan.
- Yannick and The Ripple Club team will be tying up with Sentosa Development Corp for the upcoming Zentosa fest – running Ripple Ride sessions in the sea off Palawan beach, on the 10th, 11th and 12th of June.
- Alex Mearns, Levitise founder, was featured in the Business Times, sharing how they help senior and c level execs boost their energy, performance, reduce their stress and get them sleeping like a baby!
- Singapore’s 1st Versa Climbing Studio, CLMB Studio is open for pre-foundation memberships. It is located right in the heart of the CBD where you can burn up to 800 calories with just 45 minutes on the Versa Climber.
- Japan steps up its health and well-being offerings in anticipation that the sector will see a spike in demand when international borders open this summer. Tourism bureaus have launched new programmes and are putting greater efforts into promoting spas, yoga classes, outdoors activities and healthy food.
- Congrats to Brian Cygan, CEO of Exercise Coach who this week reached 150 franchise locations in the U.S. and 40 locations open in Japan.
- US-based Anytime Fitness picks up three new locations in Hong Kong as it targets 100 gyms in the city over 3 to 5 years, highlighting a gradual recovery of the fitness sector in HK is likely although it remains vulnerable to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.
- This month, the Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy announced their partnership with the world-renowned Rafa Nadal Academy – launching Asia’s first Rafa Nadal Tennis Center at HKGTA to nurture the next generation of sporting talent in Hong Kong
- Guangzhou Letu Fitness Technology (a digital service platform for the personal training market), announced a USD2.66M angel round from several investors. The funds will mainly be used for business expansion and the R&D of products.
- Chinese personal trainer Will Liu has risen to become a national celebrity (like Joe Wicks did through the pandemic in the UK) and now boasts 59.3M followers on Douyin (China’s version of TikTok). Most live-stream sessions attract 10 million participants, and he has had two million people watching him simultaneously.
- This month China’s Huawei Band 7, a fitness tracker, is launching internationally. The Band 7 offers up to 14 days of battery life and comes pre-loaded with 96 sports modes, among other features.
- Accor introduces their ground-breaking Health to Wealth podcast series. Fantastic to see Emlyn Brown and his team continuing to lead the way in wellness.
- Vitruvian raises US$15m to further production and US expansion
- Group fitness leader Les Mills has announced a raft of international events, activations and content drops to mark the 100th edition of BODYJAM – its flagship dance program.
- Massage gun maker Therabody acquired So Sound, an acoustic therapy startup, expanding its wellness ecosystem. Creator of an acoustic resonance massage chair, So Sound touts a range of benefits including relaxation, better sleep, and increased circulation. Rebranding to TheraSound, its technology will be integrated into Therabody products. First up, a zero-gravity recovery chair called Therabody Lounger.
- EGYM, a global fitness technology company, acquired French corporate wellness platform Gymlib.
- Evolution Wellness have signed a new agreement with Impact Wrap Partners to bring Connected Heavy Bag Fitness Platform to FIRE Fitness Brand. The partnership agreement will see Impact Wrap products initially in four FIRE Fit studios offering the STRIKE program and will expand to include 20 studios.
- Hyperice furthers commitment to mental wellness – launches first-of-its-kind biometric-driven meditation program via Core by Hyperice in more than 100 workplaces Nationwide with plans to impact one million employee participants by 2024.
- The Singapore Tourism Board has launched their Wellness Festival Singapore (WFS) – a nationwide effort to promote holistic wellbeing to consumers – the joint effort to run directly before our own World Festival is organised in collaboration with Enterprise Singapore (Enterprise SG), Health Promotion Board (HPB), National Arts Council (NAC), Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), and Sport Singapore (SportSG).
- All of these groups will be joining us at our World Festival. There will be no FIT Report in June as we are focussed on our World Festival and look forward to seeing so many of you there. We return in July with a double month of news!
