FitXR Adds More Capital from CircleRock

Investors are tripling down on FitXR.

What’s happening: The VR fitness platform announced a third, undisclosed investment from CircleRock Capital.

Early on the scene, FitXR has strategically expanded across the VR fitness landscape, providing seven exercise modalities on Meta and Pico headsets.

Bolstering its boxing and HIIT workouts in recent months, a partnership with Zumba brings 32 classes to dance enthusiasts, while its next-gen Slam workout taps mixed reality’s pass-through function so users move around hitting targets with awareness of their surroundings.

Outside the Box

The ~$16B VR fitness market is complicated; despite Meta shying away from its initial commitment to the metaverse, its Reality Labs hit $1B for the first time in Q4 2024.

Game on. With Apple Vision Pro launching alongside Meta’s more reasonably priced Quest 3 headsets, confidence in the market’s future is growing, and brands are crowding in.

• Xponential Fitness teamed with Meta and Litesport to bring Club Pilates, PureBarre and StretchLab studios, as well as live trainers, to Quest 3.
• Les Mills retooled its BODYCOMBAT cardio-boxing class for MR while recently launching DANCE.
• ASICS invested in startup Valkyrie Industries and its haptics wearables, while Octonic pushes the envelope on VR treadmill running.

Takeaway: Innovative startups and operators are paving the way to a more inclusive fitness future. But until tech costs drop, workouts are proven effective and more fitness brands onboard, wider consumer take-up remains a hurdle to growth.