附近上门

Irish businessman has a unique set of interests: computer science and rugby. After suffering an injury that prematurely ended his professional rugby days, he channeled his energy into building a fitness-focused startup called .

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His company, which sells software to boutique fitness studios, recently picked up a $10 million Series A. The round was led by , with participation from ,, and . It brings Glofox鈥檚 total known funding to about .

For readers confused by millennial fitness lingo, let鈥檚 break it down.

There are gyms鈥搇ike Crunch, 24 Hour Fitness, and Equinox (for the bougie types)鈥揳nd then there are so-called 鈥渂outique fitness studios.鈥�

Boutique fitness studios typically focus on one specialized area of fitness from yogalates to CrossFit. This category can include larger chains like Soul Cycle and smaller spots like boxing gyms and Bikram yoga studios.

鈥淚n the traditional gym somebody purchases an annual membership and the gym hopes they don’t show up to keep space at a minimum, and it’s a very isolated experience,鈥� O鈥橪oughlin said. 鈥淲ith boutique [fitness]…it鈥檚 very much group- and community-themed, and there’s a more social aspect to it.鈥�

That aspect sets boutique fitness studio owners apart when it comes to client and management software, he said. It鈥檚 also why he thinks his product can compete with , a more generic software provider that works across segments including salons, fitness, dog grooming, and health and wellness.

鈥淲e鈥檙e being extremely narrow in our target audience,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very relevant to the boutique fitness studio model, which is more driven around engagement鈥� it鈥檚 extremely focused on how boutique fitness studio owners can build and grow their business.鈥�

Glofox鈥檚 product gives owners more branding control which is incorporated into studios鈥� apps, along with features that allow for membership flexibility like trials. The software also includes member insights, which can help owners predict attrition, coupled with CRM and customer engagement tools.

While the company wouldn鈥檛 share specific revenue metrics, O鈥橪oughlin told 附近上门 News that Glofox processed over $100 million in bookings on its platform last year. More than 1.5 million customers use the Glofox platform and apps, said O鈥橪oughlin.

Originally based in Dublin, Glofox operates in over 40 countries. The company’s main HQ is now in Los Angeles and it is focusing on its U.S. expansion. This goal is one of the reasons Octopus Ventures (based in London and New York) was a good fit, O鈥橪oughlin said. With 50 percent of Glofox’s revenue and nearly two-thirds of its new leads coming from studios in the U.S., that鈥檚 likely a good move.

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