Fitness subscription services are having a tough time. But GuavaPass just raised $5m.

Photo credit: wavebreakmediamicro / 123RF.

Lifestyle and fitness startup GuavaPass announced today it raised a series A round worth US$5 million, capping off what has been a rocky year for this particular corner of the startup world in Southeast Asia.

The round is led by Singaporean venture capital firm Vickers Venture Partners and joined by a number of “strategic investors.”

The co-founders noticed a fitness and wellness trend rising in Asia.

The Singapore-based startup launched in 2015 offering subscriptions to a number of fitness studios, classes, gyms, and other similar activities. Co-founders Jeffrey Liu and Rob Pachter had experienced high-quality fitness services in the US and wanted to strike a similar tone in Asia through carefully curated partners.

At the same time, the duo noticed a fitness and wellness trend rising on this side of the world. With things like cold-pressed juice stores, organic and vegan restaurants, and healthy snacking becoming more popular, the GuavaPass team realized consumers were more aware and demanding when it came to health.

“We were excited about this community that had started to emerge – we had this philosophy of wanting to build a social community around healthy living and wellness,” Jeffrey, who’s CEO of GuavaPass, tells Tech in Asia.

Encouraging a more social approach was also a big part of GuavaPass’ mandate. “When I came to Asia, I realized I mostly wanted to go to classes [rather than work out alone] – it was more social and fun,” Rob, GuavaPass president, says.

GuavaPass co-founders Rob Pachter (L) and Jeffrey Liu. Photo credit: GuavaPass.

That’s why this element is now a big part of the startup’s offering. “Our bigger picture is creating a social community on healthy living and wellness, a holistic lifestyle company in Asia,” Rob adds.

GuavaPass has since gone after partnerships with companies within its wheelhouse, like healthy snack subscription box startup BoxGreen and smoothie business Seed & Soil. It has also paired up with companies serving the same demographic, like Uber and certain fashion brands. Through them, it offers added perks to its subscribers.

Stronger than yesterday

GuavaPass won’t reveal its user numbers, but it’s active in 10 cities across Asia and the Middle East, from Singapore, Bangkok, and Shanghai, to Dubai, Seoul, and Taipei. New cities it’s going after include Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Shenzhen, and Tokyo.

By focusing on the social side of its business, the company hopes to foster a sense of community among its existing users. It plans to organize offline events in collaboration with other brands. An example could be outdoor fitness classes with Adidas and meetups where users get to interact with the GuavaPass team and give them feedback.

Sticking around