Fittar, the interactive mirror that is already moving thousands of people, is finding increasingly eager customers. Thanks to new funding, the company can push the growth pedal even harder.
An advanced 3D camera, a touchscreen, an app and an ever-growing number of videos and games, all hidden behind a mirror. That's the Fittar smart mirror, a device increasingly seen in gyms, hotels, people's homes and more places to work out.
''I sometimes compare our interactive mirror to an enormous iPad,'' explains director Robert Ranzijn. ,,Behind the reflective glass hides a whole virtual world in which your own body is the controller.'' On the Fittar mirror, your virtual trainer encourages you, you play a game of shadow boxing or you engage in fitness battles with friends or colleagues.
New markets
The interactive mirror came to fruition last year, after years of investment and development. The corona pandemic forced the company to set its sights on markets other than gyms. ''We saw that people started working out at home en masse, but our professional Smart Mirror was too big for that.'' Also, with so many people working from home, the quick arrival of a compact Smart Mirror was a must. So a smaller home model hit the market late last year. ''It gets the whole family fit in a playful way.''
The task now is to grow and develop quickly, further professionalize the organization and enter international markets. To do that, Fittar knocked on the door of the NOM (Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands), which decided to take a stake in the company. That allows Ranzijn and his team to push the accelerator button, develop new products and spread their wings abroad.
Smarter and healthier
''The strength of the concept lies in gaming and the huge number of videos on demand,'' says investment manager Klaas Kooistra. ''You can already choose from thousands of different training courses and games, but more are constantly being added. Apart from that, we are impressed by the team that is there now.''
The 'personal trainer' in the mirror is now proficient in five languages and getting smarter. Ranzijn: ,,He puts together workouts specifically tailored to your body.'' The Smart Mirrors have a great future, he thinks. ''This is a new way of training that people are getting used to. We are in large hotels, vacation parks and also at companies, just on the shop floor. There you see whole competitions developing between colleagues. That's a wonderful way to get fitter while playing.''
In this white paper you will learn:
- What you have to deal with when you start working with investors
- Differences and similarities between bank funding, subordinated loan and equity capital
- In what ways NOM as an investor can help you
Please note that this whitepaper is only available in Dutch at the moment. We are in the process of translating this whitepaper.
- Klaas Kooistra
- Investment Manager FOM
