What a year. 2025 brought us record-breaking industry growth, a GLP-1 revolution reshaping gym floors, AI coaching going mainstream, wearables evolving into health operating systems, and longevity science finally hitting the consumer market at scale. Whether you're running a studio, investing in health-tech, or simply trying to optimize your own performance, this year redefined what wellness means.
Here's the 2025 wrap-up and what it signals for 2026.
Enjoy the read and Happy Holidays and New Year to all!
EUDEMONIA 2025: LONGEVITY GOES MAINSTREAM
The second annual Eudemonia Summit in West Palm Beach drew 5,000 attendees and 150+ experts, from neuroscientist Andrew Huberman to Dr. Mark Hyman and Halle Berry discussing menopause and midlife health.
5 Key Takeaways:
Community & Purpose Are Non-Negotiable. Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner reinforced that connection is a longevity pillar.
Metabolic Health Is the Foundation. Gut-brain axis and microbiome optimization emerged as the central priority.
Nervous System Regulation Is Having Its Moment. Stacked therapies and vagus nerve stimulation going mainstream.
AI as Health Co-Pilot. Dr. Hyman described AI for personalized care, with cautions on over-reliance.
Fundamentals Still Win. You can't out-gadget poor sleep, chronic stress, or lack of connection.
STRAVA 2025: GEN Z IS LOGGING OFF & LACING UP
Strava's 12th annual report: 180M+ users, 185 countries, 30,000 survey respondents.
Running #1, Walking #2. Gen Z 75% more likely than Gen X to train for races.
Gen Z 2x more likely to call weight training their primary sport. Women 21% more likely than men to record strength.
30% of Gen Z will spend more on fitness in 2026. 64% prefer gear over dates.
Clubs exploded to 1M total. Hiking clubs 5.8x growth, running clubs 3.5x. 14B kudos (+20% YoY).
Strava acquired Runna + The Breakaway. Now valued at $2.2B.
Gear winners: ASICS Novablast #1 shoe. Apple Watch #1 wearable. COROS fastest-growing.
WEARABLES BECOME HEALTH OPERATING SYSTEMS
2025 was the year wearables stopped being trackers and became platforms. The category evolved from "how many steps did I take" to "what's my biological age and what should I do about it."
WHOOP: From Band to Biomarker Platform
WHOOP 5.0 & WHOOP MG (May 2025): 7% smaller, 14+ day battery, sensors at 26x/second. New features include Healthspan with WHOOP Age (biological age + Pace of Aging via 9 metrics), FDA-cleared ECG for AFib detection, and first-of-its-kind wearable blood pressure monitoring. Three new tiers: WHOOP One, Peak, and Life.
WHOOP Advanced Labs (September 2025): 350,000+ joined waitlist before launch. Tests 65 biomarkers via Quest Diagnostics ($200/panel). Upload any bloodwork free; AI coaching creates personalized action plans linking blood data to daily habits. Cristiano Ronaldo joined as Global Ambassador + investor.
Oura: Smart Ring Dominance
Oura raised $900M at $11B valuation (October 2025). Led by Fidelity. Sold 2.5M+ rings since June 2024 alone (5.5M total lifetime). Revenue doubled to $500M in 2024, on track for $1B in 2025. Commands 80% of global smart ring market. Oura Ring 4 with Smart Sensing technology launched October 2024.
Apple Watch: Hypertension Detection Finally Arrives
Apple Watch Series 11 & Ultra 3 (September 2025): FDA-cleared hypertension notifications: tracks heart data over 30 days to detect signs of high blood pressure. Sleep Score for detailed sleep quality analysis. Ultra 3 features 42-hour battery life, 3,000 nit display, and satellite connectivity. Workout Buddy uses AI to deliver personalized spoken motivation.
Garmin: The Athlete's Workhorse Levels Up
2025 Releases: Fenix 8 Pro with satellite communication and LTE, first MicroLED smartwatch (brightest display on market), Forerunner 970 with running tolerance (tracks biomechanical load), Venu X1 with rectangular design and full mapping. August 2025 software update brought Triathlon Coach training plans and track run suggested workouts across flagship models.
THE PREVENTION REVOLUTION: BLOOD TESTING GOES MAINSTREAM
The thesis is clear: don't wait for symptoms, find problems before they start. A wave of well-funded startups made comprehensive biomarker testing accessible to consumers.
Function Health: The Category Leader
Raised $298M at $2.5B valuation (November 2025): led by Redpoint Ventures. 200,000+ members, 50M+ lab tests completed since 2023. Tests 160+ biomarkers for $365/year (down from $499). Acquired Ezra (May 2025) to add full-body MRI at $499/scan. Partnered with NBPA as exclusive biomarker partner for NBA players. Dr. Mark Hyman remains a high-profile co-founder.
Neko Health: Spotify Founder's Prevention Play
Raised $260M Series B at $1.8B valuation (January 2025). Co-founded by Daniel Ek (Spotify CEO). 15-minute body scan costs £299: checks moles, metabolic syndrome, stroke/heart attack risk, pre-diabetes, and blood abnormalities using thermal cameras, 3D imaging, ECG, and lasers. 10,000 scans completed in Stockholm and London. 100,000+ on global waitlist. US expansion planned.
Superpower: The $199 Democratization Play
Raised $30M Series A (April 2025): led by Forerunner. Dropped price to $199/year (from $499) for 100+ biomarker blood tests. Backed by Vanessa Hudgens, Steve Aoki, Giannis Antetokounmpo. 150,000+ waitlist before launch.
Lucis: Europe's Answer
Raised €7.2M seed (December 2025): led by General Catalyst with Y Combinator. Paris-based, testing 180+ biomarkers at €490/year. 500,000+ clinical tests completed. Live in France, UK, Ireland, Portugal.
The Signal: Blood testing is becoming as routine as gym membership. Wearables + biomarkers + AI coaching = the new health stack.
HYROX: THE SPORT THAT WON'T STOP
550,000 athletes expected globally in 24/25 season.
2025 World Championships (Chicago, June 12-15)
First US Worlds since 2022. 10,000+ athletes/fans
Men's Champion: Tim Wenisch (Germany) — 53:53, beat Hunter McIntyre by 5 seconds
Women's Champion: Linda Meier (Germany) — 58:56
World Records: James Kelly 53:22, Lauren Weeks 56:22 (both Glasgow)
Pro Doubles Elite 15 debuted as full world title competition
2026 Worlds: Stockholm, Sweden
Adidas entered with ATHX — competition validates the hybrid fitness category
RUNNING 2025: NEW MAJORS, NEW DRAMA
World Marathon Majors
Cape Town in Stage 2 evaluation — could be 8th Major + Africa's first in 2026
SuperHalfs: The Half Marathon Majors
The SuperHalfs series is becoming the World Marathon Majors equivalent for half marathon runners and it's exploding. Six iconic European races (Lisbon, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen, Cardiff, Valencia) now attract 75,000+ registered runners pursuing the SuperMedal. Complete all six races within 60 months (5 years) to earn your spot in the Hall of Fame.
The Numbers:
100,000+ runners participate annually across the six races
75,000+ registered for the SuperJourney (up from 32,000 in 2023)
50,000+ registrations in H1 2024 alone — 20,000 more than previous year
Berlin Half Marathon added in 2024 as 6th race
Cardiff Half 2025 sold out in 12 hours
World records set on SuperHalfs courses: Jacob Kiplimo's 56:42 (Barcelona 2025 — broke his own Lisbon 2021 record of 57:31)
Why It Matters: Created by RunCzech's Carlo Capalbo, SuperHalfs democratizes elite racing for "ordinary runners." More than half of 2025 participants came from outside the host countries. Organizers expect 25% growth in coming years. The series removed time expiration rules in 2025 because races sell out too fast for runners to complete within deadlines.
BIG DEALS & INDUSTRY MOVES
2025 was record-setting for fitness M&A. 44 transactions worth $2.1B in H1 alone — already higher than four of the past six full years. The sector is now 85% consolidated.
Transactions
EoS Fitness → TSG Consumer Partners: $1.5B (including debt). 175+ locations, 1M+ members. Plans to reach 250 gyms by 2030.
Equinox secured $1.8B financing. Fueling premium positioning and longevity programming.
PureGym acquired 67 Blink Fitness gyms — UK operator's major US market entry after Blink bankruptcy.
Purpose Brands (Orangetheory + Anytime): 7,000 locations, $3.5B systemwide sales.
CycleBar + Rumble → Extraordinary Brands: Xponential divested to focus on Club Pilates, StretchLab, BFT.
Major Product Launches
Peloton Cross Training Series + Peloton IQ (October 2025): Biggest launch ever. Refreshed Bike, Tread, Row with swivel screens + AI-powered real-time form correction.
Oura Ring 4: Smart Sensing technology for research-grade accuracy.
Garmin Index Sleep Monitor: Sleep-only band for those who won't sleep with a watch.
Plunge Sauna: Contrast therapy expansion from cold plunge leader.
Leadership Changes
Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald exits January 2026 after 7 years. Despite tripling sales to $11B, Americas revenue declined. Founder Chip Wilson's public criticism of brand "erosion" accelerated departure. Interim co-CEOs: CFO Meghan Frank and CCO André Maestrini. Stock lost ~50% over 12 months before announcement.
Xponential Fitness CEO Anthony Geisler departed — founder exit triggered major fund reassessments.
Nike restructured senior leadership: Created new COO role, eliminated CTO and CCO positions. CEO Elliott Hill's "Win Now" strategy to rebuild athlete focus after $5B revenue decline in 2024.
Peloton CEO Peter Stern (former Apple executive) leading turnaround effort.
Celebrity Fitness Moves
Kim Kardashian's Skims: $225M at $5B valuation + NikeSkims launch
Bryan Johnson's Blueprint: $60M (Paris Hilton, Saquon Barkley backing)
Dua Lipa → Frame Fitness: Co-founder/CCO of connected Pilates
Respin Health + Peloton: Halle Berry menopause research partnership
HOSPITALITY GOES ALL-IN ON LONGEVITY
The $1 trillion+ wellness tourism market is transforming hospitality. Hotels aren't adding spas: they're becoming health destinations. 2025 saw unprecedented expansion from luxury wellness brands, with longevity clinics, biohacking suites, and medical diagnostics becoming standard amenities.
SIRO: Kerzner's Fitness-First Hotel Brand
Kerzner International's active lifestyle brand hit aggressive expansion:
SIRO One Za'abeel, Dubai opened February 2024 — flagship
SIRO Boka Place, Montenegro opened May 2025 — first in Europe
Pipeline: SIRO Palmilla, Los Cabos (2027), SIRO Olaya, Riyadh (2028), SIRO Roppongi, Tokyo (2029), SIRO Brickell, Miami (2030)
Miami property: 180 rooms, 350 branded residences, state-of-the-art Fitness Lab + Recovery Lab
Features: cryotherapy, EMS, IV therapy, percussion therapy, dry needling, assisted stretching
SHA Wellness Clinic: Spain's Longevity Leader Goes Global
World's #1 ranked wellness clinic expanding beyond flagship Alicante property:
SHA Mexico opened January 2024 — Costa Mujeres, Riviera Maya. 100 rooms + 35 residences. 100 treatment rooms.
SHA Emirates opening early 2026 — AlJurf, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. $163M investment by IMKAN. 120 suites + 150 residences. World's first "healthy living island."
Goal: "Create the world's sixth Blue Zone." Programs range 4-21 days covering longevity, detox, well-aging, and leader performance.
Part of AB Living Group — founder Alfredo Bataller expanding to every continent.
Six Senses: IHG's Wellness Crown Jewel
27 open hotels, 38 in pipeline rapid expansion under IHG's Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio:
2025/2026 Openings:
Six Senses London (early 2026) — first UK property. 109 rooms in The Whiteley near Hyde Park. World's first Six Senses Place private members' club. 20m pool, cryotherapy, floatation therapy, Biohack Recovery Lounge.
Six Senses Milan (winter 2026) — Brera quarter. 69 rooms + 16 suites. Rooftop pool + sky bar.
Six Senses AMAALA (2026) — Saudi Arabia's Red Sea. 64 rooms + 30 villas + 25 residences.
Six Senses Dubai Marina — hotel + residences. LEED Silver certification. Longevity centre, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, crystal sound healing room.
Six Senses Comporta, Portugal — 70-key hotel + 58 branded residences on Portugal's Blue Coast.
Longevity Focus: Programs integrating cryotherapy, oxygen therapy, hyperbaric chambers, light therapy alongside traditional Ayurveda and sound healing. AI-powered bio-personalization launching 2026.
Soho House: Members Club Pivots to Wellness
Soho Health Club becomes expansion strategy under newly privatized $2.7B company:
2025 Moves:
Launched Soho Health Club brand globally — reformer Pilates, HIIT classes, padel courts, contrast therapy suites
Soho Farmhouse Ibiza opened 2025 — outdoor gym, yoga deck, contrast therapies, IV drips, onsen-style baths
Barcelona Pool House opened 2025 — Health Club with PEMF mats, LED treatments, HydraTherm beds, first plant-based cafe
Soho House Manchester opened 2025 — full-floor Health Club, rooftop pool
Soho Farmhouse Oxfordshire "Lazy Lab" — hyperbaric chambers, red-light therapy, diagnostic testing
2026 Pipeline:
Soho House Tokyo (spring 2026) — 50th house milestone. Rooftop pool, wellness studio, 42 bedrooms.
Soho House Los Cabos — Beach Club + full Health Club with pool
Soho House Flatiron NYC — "most advanced gym" in Soho House portfolio
Miami Pool House refresh — 4 padel courts, Health Club Cafe, contrast suites
270,000-person waitlist credited to wellness amenities driving revenue and retention.
Aman: Ultra-Luxury Goes Longevity
Aman Nai Lert Bangkok opening early 2025 — 52 suites + residences. Return to Thailand (Aman's birthplace).
Aman Rosa Alpina, Dolomites reopening summer 2025 — extensive renovation
Aman Beverly Hills (2027) — two residential towers (28 + 31 stories) within One Beverly Hills. 78-unit hotel. $2B+ financing. Units already 50%+ under contract.
Aman Miami Beach (2027) — 22 luxury residences + 56 hotel rooms. Faena District beachfront.
Aman Residences Tokyo — Japan's tallest residential building. 91 units.
Wellness Innovation: Partnerships with Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic as wellness advisors. 2025 programs include Longevity Powered by Nature retreat at Amangiri (Utah), PRP therapy at Aman New York with bodySCULPT, Ceylon Crystal Therapy at Amangalla (Sri Lanka).
The Estate: Sam Nazarian's (SLS founder) Longevity Bet
SBE founder's new brand positions "longevity as the new luxury":
Founded by: Sam Nazarian + Tony Robbins + Marc Anthony + Richard Attias
Target: 15 hotels/residences + 10 urban longevity centers by 2030 — partnered with Fountain Life and Clinique La Prairie
First center: Century Plaza, Los Angeles (late 2025) — $35K annual membership for diagnostics, full-body MRI, heart/lung scans
First hotels (2026): St. Kitts, UK, Trento (Northern Italy), Montreux (Switzerland). Miami and GCC following.
Positioning: "We're not building medical hotels, we're building luxury hotels differentiated by a commitment to changing people's lives."
Equinox Hotels: Performance Hospitality Expands
Operating: NYC Hudson Yards, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Chicago, Seattle, Houston
Equinox Resort Anguilla announced (November 2025): 62-room resort + 71 branded residences + 118-berth marina. Caribbean expansion.
Pipeline: Saudi Arabia, Europe, additional US markets
Innovation: Partnership with sleep scientist Dr. Matthew Walker. Rooms designed by sleep psychologists. Four pillars: movement, nutrition, regeneration, community.
Target: 75 hotels globally
The Market Context
Wellness tourism valued at $1+ trillion in 2025, projected $1.35T by 2028 (Global Wellness Institute). Growing 10%+ annually, 1.5x faster than overall tourism.
The signal is clear: hospitality is bifurcating into "places to stay" and "places to transform." Every major luxury hotel group now has a longevity/wellness strategy. Diagnostics, biohacking suites, and medical partnerships are the new concierge services.
THE FORCES SHAPING 2026
1. GLP-1s Remaking Gym Floors
8-10% of Americans now taking; driving strength training demand to preserve lean muscle. $100B+ market by 2030. Equinox launched GLP-1 protocol PT program.
2. Hybrid Fitness Goes Scientific
HYROX + Adidas ATHX. Training like near-elite athletes: combining running with functional strength > goes mainstream.
3. Wearables → Health OS
WHOOP Labs + Oura + Apple hypertension detection + Garmin innovations. Biomarkers + continuous monitoring + AI coaching = the new standard.
4. Women's Health Gets Investment
Menopause (Respin, WeightWatchers), femtech (Willow acquired Elvie), Oura pregnancy/perimenopause features, Wild.AI women-specific training.
5. AI Coaching Mainstream
Peloton IQ form correction, Strava/Runna, WHOOP Coach, Apple Workout Buddy: personalization is table stakes.
6. Pilates Dominates
Topped global trends. Big-box gyms adding reformers in-house. From 6 to 40 customers, class rooms are adding variations from rhythmic to strength with Balance Body, TechnoGym, LaGree, ReformerX and other players.
7. Community Sports Events & Recovery Culture
Running clubs quadrupled. HYROX community expanding. Group fitness making a comeback. Meanwhile, contrast therapy (cold plunge + sauna) market expected to exceed $80B by end of 2025. Ice bath equipment growing at 22.4% CAGR. Gyms with recovery amenities see 18% higher membership renewals. Expect contrast therapy lounges in every premium gym by 2027.
8. Sleep > Everything
Research confirms sleep impacts longevity more than diet or exercise. Sleep optimization becoming next major category. EightSleep leading the way in our bedrooms.
BY THE NUMBERS
$6T: Global wellness market
77M: US health club members (+6% YoY)
$2.1B: H1 2025 fitness M&A value (already exceeds 4 of past 6 full years)
180M+: Strava users
550,000: HYROX participants globally
$11B: Oura valuation
$2.5B: Function Health valuation
$2.2B: Strava valuation
350,000+: WHOOP Advanced Labs waitlist
5.5M: Oura Rings sold lifetime
50M+: Function Health lab tests completed
$80B+: Projected contrast therapy market
230M: Projected gym memberships by 2030
THE BOTTOM LINE
2025 proved wellness evolved from aspiration to infrastructure. Consumers want measurable results, community, and longevity science in accessible formats.
For operators: gym-as-clinic accelerating. Diagnostics, coaching, recovery, and community under one roof. Contrast therapy is no longer optional.
For brands: science-backed claims and personalization are table stakes.
For individuals: fundamentals haven't changed: sleep, movement, nutrition, stress, connection. The tools to optimize them have.
Thanks for a great year. See you in 2026!
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