SFIA Member Spotlight — Activbody
Mike Hershkovitz and Dan Furey talk about Activbody’s exercise product, Activ5, and its innovative, high-tech approach to improving overall health, strength and fitness through simple isometrics.
What is Activ5?
Activ5 is a personal fitness device that is connected to our mobile Training App via Bluetooth and features over 100 different 5-minute workouts. Our exercises are based on isometrics, which uses your own body’s muscle force against itself, and are highly efficient. Because there are no weights involved, Activ5 is safe for all ages, from kids to seniors.
Working out with Activ5 3 times per day for 5 minutes over 6 weeks has proven to deliver a 30% increase in strength. These were the results of an independent study we commissioned prior to launch in 2017.
Because Activ5 is portable, people can exercise virtually anywhere, including at their desks, on the couch, and even while traveling. I just returned from a trip to Europe and I worked out with it during the flight and gave it to other people to try, so it’s very comfortable. For people who pay $40 or $50 per month at a gym, but find themselves often too busy to use their membership, Activ5 is a great $139 one-time cost to exercise throughout the day.
We launched with our consumer fitness app and are about to launch our Physical Therapy and Sports Performance platforms. The Pittsburgh Steelers have adopted our sports platform and have integrated it into every player’s daily training schedule. We’ve also got several case studies underway with physical therapists and will be announcing new products in this category shortly.
How did you get the idea for Activ5? What is your background?
Activbody was born out of founder Dr. Kosta Yanev’s desire to create fitness solutions that could help him integrate regular exercise into his daily life. The demands of work, family and travel made it difficult for Dr. Yanev to regularly attend a gym, and the fitness products he tried weren’t truly portable or flexible, so he invented Activ5, a pocket-sized smart device that enables you to get a full body muscle workout virtually anywhere in just a few minutes.
When and where was the company founded?
It was founded about 8 years ago in Bulgaria.
What types of packages do you sell with the Activ5?
You can purchase Activ5 online at activ5.com and on Amazon, as well as select retailers throughout the world (which can be found at Activ5.com). You can buy one, or in units of 5, as well as a yoga package that includes a yoga mat and yoga towel. We’ll also be in Fry’s soon.
What is your most popular package?
There are two. The yoga package and the base fitness package.
Who do you find to be your biggest audience?
Physical therapy is a sweet spot for the company. This sector currently leverages isometric exercise and doesn’t have an accurate way to quantify muscle function or track patient compliance. We solve for both, as well as provide a platform to remotely assign and track results of PT exercises.
I know you sell through various online retailers and on your website — Do you sell in and brick-and-mortar locations?
We’re online, as well as in brick-and-mortar. In Europe, we have around 15 different brick-and-mortars. In the U.S., we’re about to launch in Fry’s.
On a global scale, where does Activbody do business?
In addition to the US, we’re in Canada, the UK, Germany, Spain, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Italy, Cyprus and we’re about to get into Croatia and Israel. We are starting a partnership in Japan, as well, and in discussions to enter China.
Do you have future plans to create other products?
Yes. We have new products in the pipeline in the senior wellness, corporate wellness and personal trainer categories, in addition to physical therapy and sports performance.
Where do you see Activbody in the next 5 years?
Everywhere. Everywhere you look, you see somebody who needs it. People from the age of 5 to the age of 80 need it. It works well with physical therapy, with surgeons who want to give their patients a chance to recover faster. It can work well with organized sports, of course, to help them gain muscle and be better prepared for any activity. Also, the elderly, senior wellness, definitely, is something that would be a great fit.
