Growl has raised $4.75 million to create an AI-powered interactive boxing coach to punch up your family workouts.
The Austin, Texas and Paris-based connected fitness startup emerged from stealth to tout its fitness coach product for the whole family. It focuses on being a personal, at-home boxing and fitness coach. The product goes beyond traditional fitness devices, offering an immersive, gamified and AI-enabled experience designed for the whole family. Presales are expected in April 2025.
Growl raised the round from a group of investors, including lead investor Skip Capital, along with KimaVentures, Teampact Ventures, and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane.
With its approach, Growl enters the $322 billion global fitness industry, targeting the $110 billion U.S. fitness market in particular. The U.S. market has been growing at 7% annually amid increasing demand for premium health and fitness solutions.
Purpose-built with AI-capabilities, Growl said it will deliver a high-intensity, immersive boxing and fitnessexperience directly into the home. Equipped with high-resolution projection and edge-AI computing,Growl offers a life-sized, interactive coach that feels like having a personal trainer right by your side, the company said.
Multi-camera 3D motion tracking captures users’ every move, delivering real-time, personalized feedback, while infrared time-of-flight sensors transform the bag’s surface into a responsive touch interface that adapts instantly to every punch. Moreover, its sleek, wall-mounted design is as compact as a wall shelf, allowing Growl to fit seamlessly into the home.
Designed for the whole family, Growl offers a wide range of workouts for all fitness goals, skill levelsand ages. From technical boxing and strength training to yoga and flexibility exercises, Growl adapts toevery mood and ambition.
In a statement, Adam Cook, investment partner at Skip Capital, said, “The versatility of Growl is what convinced us to invest: it goes far beyond boxing, evolving into a complete, immersive at-home fitness experience, with limitless possibilities for future content and workouts – whether for adults, kids or anyone in between.”
Core product features
Growl brings a full-sized coach to life into your home, offering the guidance, motivation and energy of having a personal trainer right by your side.
Growl also replicates the resistance of a heavy bag, enabling users to harness the raw power of boxing for a full-body, high-intensity cardio and strength workout every time.
It also has Unreal Engine-powered gaming. Its immersive gaming experience lets users competeand fight through electrifying content, developed entirely in Unreal Engine.
It also offers AI-driven real-time feedback, using multi-camera 3D motion tracking and edge-AI computing. It provides real-time, personalized insights to sharpen your form and technique with everyround.
And it has family-friendly workouts. Growl offers workouts for ages 10 and up, bringing everyone—kids, teens and adults—together to train solo or side-by-side, whatever their age, skill level or fitness goal.
The company said it is creating a fitness experience that captivates users, making workouts feel more like gameplay. Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane said in a statement, “Growl is something else entirely. Every session feels like a game, drawing you back for more. It makes boxing fun and accessible without sacrificing any of the thrill.”
Flipping the script on connected fitness
Growl said it set out to create something radically different from the start, flipping the script on a connected fitness industry dominated by cycling, strength and rowing options.
Sam Bowen, former VP of hardware engineering at Amazon, Peloton and Tonal, and one of Growl’s senior advisors, said in a statement, “Growl has succeeded in blending both cardio and strength training in a way that no one else has been able to accomplish. While Peloton has set the standard for engaging and challenging cardio workouts, and Tonal offers robust strength training, Growl stands out by combiningboth into an intense, fun and engaging workout experience that feels remarkably immersive andrealistic.”
Growl said it is coming into the market as boxing surges in popularity. Over the last few years, fitness boxing has redefined the sport’s image, shedding its niche, intimidating and aggressive associations to become one of the most accessible and empowering workouts available, with endorsements from countless A-list celebrities.
Today, boxing ranks as the No. 1 fitness discipline Americans ages 18 to 45 want to try, the company said.
Origins
Founded in 2022 by Léo Desrumaux and Nicolas de Maubeuge, Growl combines immersive projection, precision sensors, advanced AI and cutting-edge gaming technology to deliver a full-body, high-intensity workout that is both thrilling and accessible; in a form factor compact enough to fit seamlessly into any home.
The company’s advisers come from industry leaders like Peloton, Fitbit, Amazon, Meta and Tonal.
Nicolas de Maubeuge, cofounder and CTO, said in a statement, “Boxing holds universal potential—if you make it fun and accessible. It’s no surprise that 70% of clients of upscale boxing studios are women. With Growl, we are combining this momentum with the latest sensor-perception and rendering technologies to create a powerful and accessible boxing and fitness experience, for everyone at home.”
Léo Desrumaux, CEO and cofounder, said in a statement, “Boxing is more than a workout; it’s a force for building confidence, resilience and unwavering focus.”
Desrumaux discovered this at 16, when boxing helped him integrate into a new country and transition from a troubled teenager to a successful entrepreneur.
“I found myself through combat sports and boxing. Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t made out of glass – that I could take a punch but also hit back,” Desrumaux said. “I discovered my potential and, more importantly, learned the tools to execute on that potential—a powerful gift for any young person. There’s a saying, ‘Once you’ve boxed, everything else in life is easy.’ That’s the power we’re bringing into homes with Growl.”
Visual storytelling
“The first impression users get from discovering Growl is extremely strong visually. The life-size coach, locking eyes with you, captivates you to your core. This gives GROWL the unique power to create engaging, content-driven storytelling on social media and forge authentic creator partnerships, amplifying its message and reach”, said Becca Valle, senior advisor to Growl and former marketingleader at Aescape, New York Knicks and Meta.
The company said it is positioned at the higher end of connected fitness equipment, following the likes of Tonal among others. The product is priced at an anticipated $150/month on a 48-month plan or $190 on a 36-month plan (hardware and subscription included), for unlimited family access.
With most connected fitness users spreading the upfront hardware cost using BNPL, Growl delivers a premium product and experience at an accessible monthly price.
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