Mirror Raises US $ 25 Million in Series B, Launches US $ 1,495 IoT Mirror — Offering Virtual Fitness Classes for Home | BRIDGE Technology & Startup Information
Connected refrigerators, ovens, beds, bicycles ... Now, mirrors are also connected.
New York-based fitness technology startup Mirror finally launched its product from stealth mode on September 6, announcing a $ 25 million round from Spark Capital. It's been six months since the company first launched a partial product at the same time as the initial funding of US $ 13 million.
Simply put, Mirror seeks to provide training at home through a giant mirror connected to real-time and on-demand fitness classes. A mirror is like a giant smartphone leaning against a table, consisting of an LCD panel, speakers, a camera, a microphone, and a mirror that reflects only one side.
Users can see themselves on the screen and at the same time train while watching the virtual fitness instructor.
At the time of launch, yoga, Pilates, cardio, strength training, boxing, stretching, bar exercises, etc. are available, and training suitable for beginners to experts is possible. Real-time instructions such as personal shouts from the instructor are also optimized in real time based on user preferences and biometric data collected from heart rate monitors and smartwatches. According to the company, a New York-based fitness studio creates training for Mirror, with more than 50 new programs added each week.
It's worth noting that the giant mirror can be used like a real mirror when switched off, and the touchscreen will stop working. The included smartphone app is only compatible with iOS at launch, but it acts as a control center for all operations on the screen, while giving users access to fitness data.
Maintaining health is a major industry. According to materials from the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the sports gym industry makes about US $ 83 billion annually worldwide, with more than 160 million members worldwide and more than 200,000 gyms. And visit the fitness center. However, not everyone can go to a physical building for training, and it takes time considering the travel time. That's why many startups focused on fitness at home have raised so much money in recent years.
Last month, Peloton raised $ 550 million to expand its home-use connected fitness machine and virtual-class business. A few months ago, voice-based fitness app Aaptiv raised $ 22 million.
Brynn Putnam, CEO and founder of Mirror, points out:
Using the US $ 25 million raised this time, Mirror plans to launch the product on the market to accelerate operations. How much does it cost $ 1,495 for a Mirror device and $ 39 a month for all classes? It's not cheap, but people will spare no money for a convenient way to stay healthy.
[Via VentureBeat] @VentureBeat
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