Aaptiv claims the title of No. 1 fitness audio app. And Amazon and Disney just pumped $22 million into this sound machine.
It’s just one nod to the growing global investment in the “connected fitness” trend. For example, meditation app Calm just got $27 million.
Aaptiv’s infusion of big names like Amazon’s Alexa Fund, Disney, Warner Music Group, and venture backers of other tech stars like Spotify and Facebook sends a clear message: They want in.
Aaptiv is a fitness-audio app that allows athletes to stream music and workouts coached by knowledgeable trainers. It encompasses 12 categories, from boxing to yoga, with subscribers paying a monthly fee for the service.
Most of these venture capitalists are attracted to Aaptiv’s rapid growth. The brand has amassed over 200,000 paying members in the last couple years. And users have streamed its audio classes over 14 million times.
The Series C fundraising more than doubled the app’s to-date backing. Aaptiv is now thought to be worth around $200 million.
Aaptiv CEO Ethan Agarwal told Tech Crunch earlier this week that he calls the music-based, on-demand fitness training app the “the Netflix of fitness.”
For $99, app members get annual unlimited access to 2,500 streaming workouts. Aaptiv adds over 40 “classes” each week, and there are price breaks for businesses and students. There’s also a free 30-day trial.
Aaptiv Fitness App Membership: What You Get
Aaptiv’s personal trainer-led workouts span 22 categories and integrate music from top artists. Essentially, members choose a goal — say, “build strength” — pick a workout based on duration, select music and other options, and listen as trainers guide the selected session.
Aaptiv’s audio is its primary selling point. According to the brand, “musical inspiration lets you move freely, focus on your form, and enjoy your surroundings.” That includes the outdoors.
The Aaptiv fitness app works as a backdrop to a weight-training session, as guided audio for a road race, and even instruction for safe maternity workouts. The brand also tracks users’ progress and results.
Aaptiv will put new funding toward data science, like improving recommendations, customizing classes, and tapping into analytics from wearables such as the Apple Watch. It also wants to make music more dynamic to adjust with users’ effort levels.
So far, Amazon and Disney are all in. We’ll just have to see how Aaptiv puts its new capital into action.
