Training app TRAIT, previously twaiv, has raised €1 million in seed funding from HTGF, the angel club better ventures and other private investors. The funding will support the further development of its AI training platform, which aims to provide a more personalized and empathetic training experience for runners.
The Berlin-based startup’s mission is to help people achieve their individual training goals and lead a more sustainably active and fulfilling life. At the heart of the company is the desire to marry science-based training with a sense of community. The team’s research indicated that people weren’t reaching their goals due to a lack of statistics or workouts, but because either their plans lacked flexibility, or they didn’t have the support network when they needed it. These are two key issues that TRAIT is addressing, so that when life gets in the way, nobody gets left behind.
Rebranded as TRAIT, the startup has relaunched its training app for runners. The previous version of the app achieved significant growth – the downloads increased by 178% annually – by convincing with highly individualized running training plans and a virtual coach. Building on this, the team around founders Raphael Jung and Matthias Ettrich aims to provide runners with even more tailored support. Since 2021, the company operated under the name twaiv and focused on AI-generated, adaptive training plans, before relaunching under the name TRAIT in July 2024.
Raphael Jung, CEO of TRAIT, said: “With TRAIT, we have developed an app that is as empathetic and understanding as a human coach would be. We help people get back into sport. We combine sports science and AI training with real social, mutual supportiveness. With the help of HTGF, selected business angels from better ventures and other private investors, we are ready to revolutionize the way people think about being fit.”
The seed funding enables TRAIT to realize their vision of an empathetic and adaptive training environment that is not only focused on performance, but also on the well-being of the runners. The founders want to set a new industry standard by emphasising the importance of human interaction and social support.
Johannes Dierkes, Investment Manager at HTGF, added: “We are excited about TRAIT’s vision and approach to creating an empathetic and adaptive AI training platform for athletes. It’s designed to strengthen individuals not just physically, but also mentally.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2024/07/berlin-based-fitness-app-trait-snaps-e1-million-for-empathetic-ai-training-platform/
