Indoor Rowing Brands Compete to Become the Next At-Home Fitness Hit

• Curiosity in indoor rowing — each linked machines and studio lessons — is on the rise within the US. 
• The worldwide rowing machine market is predicted to hit $1.8 billion by 2031.
• Traders are taking be aware, by pouring funding into buzzy manufacturers like Hydrow and Ergatta. 
• See more stories on Insider’s business page.

Indoor rowing corporations — each the producers of high-tech, linked machines and the leaders of boutique health chains — are reaping the advantages of a continued rowing increase.

Although indoor rowing had already been on the rise in recent times, the pandemic — and its subsequent impression on demand for at-home and digital health — has propelled the game even additional.

In keeping with Transparency Market Research, the worldwide rowing machine market is predicted to succeed in $1.8 billion by 2031. The sector has additionally turn into one of many fastest-growing segments of the general fitness-equipment market, which was valued at $11.5 billion in 2019.

As rowing takes on an rising quantity of market share, the business’s largest gamers need to strike it massive. Peloton has lengthy been rumored to be rolling out a linked rower of its personal. Nevertheless the corporate has but to substantiate the murmurings, leaving traders on the hunt for the subsequent health hit. 

Final month, the connected-rowing firm Ergatta raised $30 million in a Sequence A funding spherical led by Advance Ventures Companions, bringing the corporate’s valuation to $200 million.

“I have been investing in startups for a very long time and I’ve hardly ever seen a brand new client model acquire traction this rapidly,” stated Ian Sigalow, co-founder and accomplice of Greycroft, discussing Ergatta with Insider final month. Greycroft is without doubt one of the traders who participated within the health firm’s newest funding spherical.

The information got here on the heels of Hydrow saying a 500% year-over-year rise in gross sales in 2020, spurring a further $25 million spherical of funding from enterprise capital agency, L Catterton. 

In the meantime, CityRow — which presents in-studio health lessons in addition to its personal proprietary linked rowing machine — reported gross sales development of 375% year-over-year in 2020. The model’s most up-to-date investor funding spherical got here in 2018, which was allotted for digital growth. Although the quantity was undisclosed, it marked the fourth spherical of investments for CityRow, bringing its total funding to $510,000.

The rise of linked at-home rowing

The rise within the quantity of rowing corporations like Hydrow and Ergatta level to elevated demand for various types of at-home train, which has additionally prompted a rise in funding in classes like boxing, climbing, and weight-lifting, in response to Jake Matthews, senior analyst at CB Insights.

Hydrow and Ergatta — based in 2017 and 2018, respectively — are among the many newest additions on a rising checklist of indoor rowing manufacturers, which already included corporations reminiscent of WaterRower and Concept2, in addition to conventional gear makers Lifecore and NordicTrack. 

Customers trying to purchase a private rowing machine have an array of pricing choices to think about. For instance, whereas a Concept2 rower retails for a median of $900, a Hydrow machine begins at $2,245 and an Ergatta rower goes for $2,199.

A spokesperson for Concept2 stated the corporate has “seen rowing develop steadily through the years,” because it acquired its begin in 1976. Although the corporate declined to share particular gross sales info, the spokesperson stated Concept2 skilled an uptick in demand for its connected-rowing machines through the pandemic. 

Lately, Concept2 has added new built-in tech options like its efficiency monitor, which permits customers to trace numerous measurements after which observe them via a linked app. At present the corporate provides every thing from big-box gyms and health studios like Row Home, to particular person customers. 

Matthews of CB Insights stated such tech options are proving more and more beneficial and engaging to each customers and traders alike. 

“The underlying alternative on this area is much less about the kind of train provided, and extra about how know-how can be utilized to offer a extra handy, customized, and pleasant exercise expertise, and the way the providers embedded in these merchandise may finally turn into mission management for data-driven well being and wellness,” he stated. 

‘Boutique health continues to be rising like loopy’

As native economies reopen and health studios resume indoor lessons, corporations like CityRow and Row Home are additionally seeing vital development, within the type of elevated visits and memberships. 

In keeping with Ramon Castillon, president of Row Home, a boutique studio rowing franchise with greater than 250 places within the US, the corporate has “absolutely recovered” from momentary studio closures early within the pandemic. 

“Now we have studios now which can be outperforming what they have been doing previous to COVID, and in a variety of these conditions, they’re nonetheless not in a position to function at full capability or they’re performing some hybrid of out of doors lessons or possibly even doing full-time out of doors lessons,” Castillon stated.

Whereas Row Home doesn’t promote its personal linked rowing machine, the corporate rented out gear to prospects through the pandemic, whereas providing a digital subscription mannequin. 

“Rowing has been round for some time and it has been rising, however the concept of rowing in a room to music with a fantastic teacher — we as a model have been championing that and actually I feel main from the entrance,” Castillon stated.

Helaine Knapp, the founder and CEO of CityRow, then again, has skilled the very best of each worlds, providing each indoor lessons at its 12 studio places whereas additionally promoting its personal rowing machine. 

CityRow launched its digital enterprise in 2017, with its first machine in 2018 and its newest mannequin in 2020. At present its app is offered in 32 nations. 

“After I first began, I used to be like, ‘Okay, we’ll simply be the subsequent SoulCycle and simply carry on opening places,” she stated. “However then early numbers out of Peloton and seeing my associates take part on this at-home class that was rising like loopy made me resolve to play there.” 

Nonetheless, Knapp stated she nonetheless essentially believes within the significance of in-person health, each for the group component and in addition as a way to market CityRow and its rowing merchandise. 

“In-studio and boutique health continues to be rising like loopy and boutique is rising whereas massive packing containers are slowly declining, as a result of it is the place folks fall in love with health, it is the place folks fall in love with manufacturers.”

The attract of rowing

Leaders on all sides of the rowing spectrum stated elevated entry to and consciousness of the game have performed vital roles in aiding the rising pattern, and subsequently their companies.

In keeping with Hydrow CEO Bruce Smith, customers are more and more gravitating towards rowing as a result of it is an environment friendly, total-body exercise that engages an estimated 86% of muscular tissues in comparison with 44% when biking.

“In case you’re restricted with how a lot time you need to work out, you need probably the most bang in your buck,” Smith told Insider in March. “Rowing is completely the very best train. It makes use of your posterior chain, and also you get core, leg, arm, and shoulder workout routines multi functional.”

Likewise, Castillon of Row Home attributed a part of the rowing increase to its accessibility throughout ability ranges, noting it tends to be gentler on the physique in comparison with different high-impact workout routines like working and biking. 

“Individuals are searching for the best exercise to get outcomes, however on the similar time that does not destroy your physique,” he stated. “Rowing is the proper reply to that as a result of it is extraordinarily accessible to any kind of particular person, whether or not you are a newbie a seasoned veteran.”

In keeping with Nicholas Sheedy — founder and CEO of Stay Rowing, a linked rowing app platform — bootcamp fashion health lessons that use rowing machines like CrossFit have been “an enormous driver in bringing consciousness and most significantly, enablement to the indoor rowing group and customers.”

“We do not develop up studying to row as a ceremony of passage like we grew up driving bikes,” he stated.