Fitness app hits the ground running with backing from Olympic gold winner

Fitness entrepreneurs and Leeds University graduates, Will Turner and Phil Steele, are celebrating investment by double gold Olympic medallist Alistair Brownlee in their start-up – GoJoe.

The co-founders have outlined expansion plans to deliver innovation and motivation to the multi-billion pound fitness market globally, as they embark upon their second investment round in quarter one 2022.

The pair met at Leeds University in 2003. They were average sportspeople who struggled to stay fit, but their love for competition and sport drove them to create an annual team-based sporting event between friends involving an athletics stadium and friendly social rivalry.

Results were documented, winners were rewarded, and ultimately, an idea was born.

Turner and Steele took the essence behind this physical event and created a digital product to help ‘ordinary Joes’ like them get motivated and help exercise become enjoyable.

GoJoe combines modern incentives for participants through things like Non-Fungible Token (NFT) rewards and the ability for people to participate in virtual fitness alongside celebrities and sportspeople they follow. The app encourages everyday virtual fitness through both individual and corporates challenges.

The app has grown, with global users joining the GoJoe community including ambassador and investor Brownlee, as the technology looks to change the way that people view exercise.

Even before formally launching, GoJoe secured global clients, running staff engagement challenges for the likes of Diageo, PwC and Capita, as well as running mass participation consumer events alongside charities and brands.

Additionally, as a result of its innovation during the pandemic, GoJoe is one of 22 companies to secure a grant from the Future Innovation Fund.

Demonstrating its digital innovation, the app announced its first event to feature NFTs, while also securing land in the metaverse where it will begin work on a virtual pavilion.

Turner said: “It’s about transforming boring solo exercise into social virtual experiences with people you know in order to supercharge motivation levels.

“Our focus on personalisation and innovation has enabled us to grow much faster than expected, and is why we’re now looking to open another investment round this quarter.

“Our goal is to get people enjoying exercise, and while there are data-led fitness apps that help fitness enthusiasts develop as an individual in their fitness journey, we’ve always felt an added social element will not only help people start but will encourage people to continue to exercise.

“To have the backing of a sporting legend like Alistair Brownlee is fantastic for us.”

Brownlee added: “I invested in GoJoe because I’m absolutely passionate about the role technology can play in inspiring and motivating us all to be healthier and fitter and live more active lifestyles.

“I think GoJoe is a novel way of encouraging people to live a healthier life. The social aspect of motivation is important for everyone.”