AMAZING COMPANIES, POWERFUL TRENDS

This is my 50th Cool Insight. Over the past three years, I’ve interviewed about 150 Thought Leaders. Here’s my take on the companies that have impressed me the most, selected for their explosive growth potential and their ability to reveal underlying trends.

1. I interviewed Silicon Valley’s Steven Webster, CEO of Asensei. “Companies of all kinds use our software to motion-capture their customers and analyze their movements so they can offer personalized health and fitness solutions that onboard, engage, and retain customers.” The most exciting part of Steven’s story, to me, is the rise of the AI Super Coach. This AI Super Coach coaches human trainers in front of their gum classes on their ground floors in real time. Supported by Asensei’s advanced computer vision technology.

2. Also from Silicon Valley: EatLove. The platform starts simply by providing meal recommendations—easy recipes, smart restaurant choices, and grocery lists with optional delivery—tailored to your personal goals, preferences, and exercise routines. You can even integrate your personal trainer into the process, and perhaps later, your general practitioner and other healthcare providers. There’s a lot of talk about the Rise of the Big Arena and future gyms’ place in it. Here you see it under construction, surely a part of it..

3. In the UK, EXI impresses me. I’ll keep it short here—no Cool Insight should exceed 800 words. Their aim is for everyone to leave a doctor’s office with TWO ?prescriptions. The usual one for medication and a second one for lifestyle changes, guided by fully customized AI.

4. Expect the rise of next-generation, top-tier wellness-health-fitness institutes. I’m not referring to places like Aman or Six Senses, which focus on Exquisite Escape. Pillar Wellbeing in the UK is paving a broader path, linking movement, nutrition, and recovery at the intersection of luxury hospitality, corporate wellness, and digital health. Pillar Wellbeing focuses on preventive health and personal optimization, supported by performance-based metrics. It’s high-end, based in two of London’s finest hotels, and even helped bring Boris Johnson back to health. The company also recognizes its social responsibility, working to ensure their best techniques are accessible to more people.

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What makes these companies particularly cool is not only their future growth potential but also the broader trends they reveal—trends that could go awry.

5. Expect the rise of 360-degree, 24/7 monitoring. Many tools already exist, but the ultimate “killer” tool hasn’t emerged yet. Expect debates on which health indicators are most essential to track and monitor and for which target groups—heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep patterns, blood glucose management, body movement flexibility, or even breathing control? My Zone, EGYM, and Pillar Wellbeing each have different perspectives. Consensus will be hard to reach but essential. Manufacturers of apps and tools, along with big fitness chains, will have complex yet lucrative discussions.

6. Expect increasing distrust—both from environmentally conscious people, who worry about the disposal of old equipment. But also from those questioning the fitness industry’s business model, which often profits most from members who don’t show up. This raises concerns about the sector’s claim of improving public health, making it seem: shallow. In today’s Culture of Distrust, there’s a rising risk of being "outed" in the press or, more likely, on social media. Also, expect new payment models based on “pay-per-result,” facilitated by AI-driven monitoring. While apps and tool manufacturers will embrace this, big chains will likely be more hesitant.

7. The fitness industry has long wanted to partner with the insurance sector, but progress will be slow and fraught with challenges. One key issue is the need for really convincing, reliable monitoring. Another is the potential cost of success—too many subscribers. SweatCoin from Portugal is an innovative player in this space with the slogan, “It pays to walk. Healthier planet. Healthier, wealthier you.” They leverage virtual currency, rewarding users for their daily steps with a new generation of currency, which can be spent on products or donated to charity. SweatCoin already boasts over 170 million subscribers. Ortē Life (UK) is a younger but possibly even cooler competitor. Ortē’s data-driven models ensure fair, competitive insurance rates based on actual behavior and lifestyle choices. In addition to cheaper premiums, they reward users with unique products, moving beyond one-size-fits-all insurance.

8. Finally, in China, we see the rise of luxury container gyms—including showers—that can pop up in various locations and for special occasions. Similar initiatives are emerging in France, Portugal, and Poland.