Enterprise: Vitruvian
Why they stand out: Revolutionising the way we work out has won the Australian-developed app a global following, with a particularly high uptake in the US.
Jon Gregory has a degree in applied physics, and enjoys finding ways to improve and revolutionise things, and make them a bit more techy. For about 10 years, Jon has been working on improving the way we weight train by using technology and metrics that help you continuously progress and improve.
“When I was working as a high-frequency trader, I used to train in my gym during my breaks,” he explains. “It kind of baffled me. Why did I have this whole room dedicated to my weights – essentially basic, ‘dumb’ steel that didn’t actually measure or monitor anything?”
“The new Vitruvian teams function aims to create a strong sense of community.”
This conundrum prompted Jon to develop a machine that allowed you to work your entire body without taking up a whole room. “Imagine a piece of equipment that acts as a spotter and lets you do literally thousands of exercises by using various attachments,” he enthuses. “A machine that’s so smart it can measure your progress and tell you where you should be next time you train, to help you improve and avoid a fitness plateau.”
Once Jon had formulated the idea of how the machine would work, he enlisted the help of renowned experts in the fields of physics, science and strength and, after a lot of in-depth research and trial and error, he created Vitruvian’s initial product – the V-Form trainer – which launched in 2020. “In November 2021, we improved upon that with the launch of the second-generation Vitruvian Trainer +,” Jon recalls. He is proud of how far the business has come, bearing in mind the challenges he faced. “[The year] 2020 was, of course, quite a difficult time to launch,” he says. “I’m very much a face-to-face guy and there are still some members of my team whom I have not worked with yet.”
The Vitruvian Trainer + consists of a slimline carbon-fibre platform, inside of which are two small, powerful motors. These motors use two retractable cables to deliver weight resistance based on adaptive algorithmic technology. The resistance they generate adjusts for each person and can range from 0-200kg.
Vitruvian operates via smart algorithms that constantly respond to the way you move. By reading your range of motion and speed, it adjusts the weight rapidly – up to 50 times per second – to provide the optimal resistance for you on each rep, while also acting as a spotter.
“The first version of the Vitruvian app was very much a tester,” Jon explains. “We’ve since enhanced the app and made it more streamlined. We’ve also welcomed trainers from all around the world to create programs using both the Vitruvian Trainer + and bodyweight exercises, so users have access to literally hundreds of workouts at their fingertips.”
Aside from helping people achieve their health goals and sharing workouts, Jon says that Vitruvian is about connecting people. Through the app, members can connect with one another and share their workout results. There is also a leaderboard for the super-competitive.
Excited about an overwhelmingly positive response from a global audience, with an especially big uptake in the US, the team is now turning to bigger innovations.
“We will be launching a gamified concept this year, called Vitruvian PLAY,” Jon explains. “To begin with, it will have four games, with more to follow once we’ve completed some initial user testing.”
The new Vitruvian teams function aims to create a strong sense of community. “When members share their workouts with each other, they hold themselves accountable,” Jon avers. “This functionality will allow users to build teams so they can work out together and challenge other teams. We will have a new machine launching soon, too. We are extremely excited about these concepts – all taking us towards the future of fitness and continuing to support people to meet their training goals.”
This article first appeared in issue 37 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
