This Week in Fitness: Kevin Hart Backs Simple, Wearables Rise, and NASM Reports GLP-1 Impact

Welcome to This Week in Fitness. Where Krissy Vann crunches the latest fitness business headlines all in under five minutes.

Stories featured this week:

-Kevin Hart invests in AI health app Simple
-VASA Fitness strengthens leadership team
-WHOOP named to TIME’s Best Inventions list
-NASM survey reveals GLP-1 impact on fitness
-Oura expands with Ceramic Collection and Health Panels
-EGYM opens new U.S. headquarters in Denver
-The Fitness Technology Summit hits Chicago

Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in shape.
#FitnessBusiness #KevinHart #WHOOP #VASA #Oura #EGYM #NASM #FitnessTechnologySummit #ATFW #ThisWeekInFitness

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:16 Kevin Hart invests in AI health app Simple
• 0:59 VASA Fitness strengthens leadership team
• 1:34 WHOOP named to TIME’s Best Inventions list
• 2:09 NASM survey reveals GLP-1 impact on fitness
• 2:59 Oura expands with Ceramic Collection and Health Panels
• 3:40 EGYM opens new U.S. headquarters in Denver
• 4:17 The Fitness Technology Summit hits Chicago

Transcript

0:05

welcome to This Week in fitness where we crunch the latest fitness business headlines all in under 5 minutes I'm your host Chrissy Van and here's what's making news actor and entrepreneur Kevin Hart is expanding his presence in the health tech space his investment firm Heartbeat Ventures has LED a 35 million dollar Series B funding round for the AI powered health app simple the app which helps users manage weight and build healthier habits reported $100 million in 2024 revenue a 64% jump from the previous year and more than 20 million downloads users have collectively lost over £17.5 million through personalized coaching and real time nutrition guidance the new funding will accelerate the app's AI capabilities in personalization and habit coaching as the company looks to strengthen its role in digital health from digital coaching to leadership changes shaping the business of fitness Vasa Fitness is reinforcing its leadership team as it continues expanding across the United States the company has named Chris Greebe as chief operating officer and Danielle Peterson as chief marketing officer Greebe brings over 25 years of operational experience while Peterson's background in brand strategy and member engagement will guide VASA's next phase of growth in the high value low price segment CEO Rich Nelson said their appointments position the company for sustainable growth and greater consistency across its clubs meanwhile one company's latest innovation is being recognized on a global stage the whoop mg has been named one of Time's best inventions of 2025 the upgraded wearable offers a 14 day battery life and new health focused tools like an on demand ECG blood pressure insights and whoop age all part of the company's push toward longevity tracking whoop also introduced Advanced Labs a service that integrates blood testing with continuous wearable data reflecting how consumer devices are evolving into more clinical style health tools and while wearable tech keeps advancing another shift is reshaping how fitness professionals approach health from the inside out a new survey from the National Academy of Sports Medicine shows how weight loss medications are changing the fitness industry 68% of trainers say these medications are permanently altering their roles with the focus moving from calorie burn to muscle preservation strength and longevity nearly half of respondents identified longevity training as the industry's biggest growth opportunity a Nassau spokesperson called it a wake up call emphasizing that the conversation has shifted from pounds lost to the quality of weight being lost the findings suggest collaboration between fitness and healthcare is becoming increasingly vital as this new type of client emerges from pharmaceuticals and back to wearables the tools of fitness continue to evolve and so does competition among the brands leading charge aura is expanding its footprint in the health tracking space with the launch of the Aura Ring 4 ceramic collection the new design introduces zirconia ceramic finishes and a portable charging case alongside software updates that allow multiple rings under one account the company also unveiled Health Panels a new integration that connects Aura's continuous data with biomarker insights from Quest Diagnostics it marks a clear step toward transforming wearables from tracking accessories into comprehensive health management platforms and speaking of growth one global fitness tech company is planting deeper roots in North America Egym has opened its new US headquarters in Denver signaling a major step in its North American expansion the company says its regional team has grown by 150% in three years with revenue up more than 50% year over year since 2022 alongside the new headquarters E Gym is launching its wellpass program in the US connecting employers and employees with fitness and wellness providers to reduce healthcare costs and boost workforce well being and before we wrap one of the year's most anticipated industry gatherings is about to kick off how is technology shaping the next phase of the fitness business well that's the focus next week in Chicago as the Fitness Technology Summit gets underway and the event is officially sold out more than 300 leaders from fitness wellness and technology will gather for three nights of insights connection and forward looking discussions at the Intercontinental Hotel the summit has quickly become one of the most influential events on the calendar exploring how innovation AI and automation are redefining member experience and growth all things fitness and wellness will be on site bringing you coverage and conversations from the event floor that's what's making headlines this week I'm your host Chrissy Van and remember stay fit stay informed and keep your fitness business in shape