The Fit Tech Summit, Europe's first startup and innovation conference on the topics of fitness technologies, digital health, active lifestyle and mindfulness, gathered around 1000 participants in Munich.
The Fit Tech Summit, the conference on fitness technologies, digital health and active lifestyle, will take place in Munich at Beach 38° on 4 June. Top-class speakers and exciting startups present and discuss the latest products and trends in the field of Fit Tech. Natalia Karbasova, founder of the Fit Tech Summit and Head of Burda Bootcamp, talks in an interview about the highlights of the event.
What future developments do you expect in the Fit Tech sector?
In recent years, boutique fitness concepts inspired by various disciplines such as Soul Cycle and Rumble Boxing have become increasingly popular. We are observing some global trends such as community driven fitness and home fitness offerings. Motion Sensing is becoming more and more important. Round-the-clock monitoring with the help of wearables will also lead to a more holistic approach to fitness by giving the physician access to all data and activities to better evaluate the current health status - the Apple Watch ECG app is one of the recent examples.
What can participants look forward to at the Fit Tech Summit 2019 on June 4?
The Fit Tech Summit will grow to an all-European event with more than 1000 participants from industries dedicated to people’s health. These include sectors such as sports retail, fitness studios, pharma and health insurance, but also tech giants like Polar or Huawei as well as investment and VC companies and start-ups. There will be three stages: The Main Stage, the Activity Stage and the Founder Stage, where founders share their learnings and insights. It’s not only about business, but also about having fun and experiencing the latest trends yourself. At the Activity Stage everyone will be able to try out the trending products and get coached by professional trainers and influencers in short guided workouts. We will also intensify the networking and socializing factor so that every participant will develop useful strategic connections along the way - from Speakers' Reception and Investment Breakfast the day before to an app with which the participants can network directly.
Which speakers are you looking forward to?
Michael Horvath is clearly one of the highlights. As co-founder of the fitness app Strava, he has managed to bring together 35 million people from 195 countries in one community. Mike Lee is also a real "business heavyweight" on our stage, the sale of his startup "MyFitnessPal" to Under Armour for half a billion Euro has caused a big stir. But I'm also looking forward to Dr. Christine Theiss who, as publisher of the fitness and lifestyle brand Fit For Fun and former kickboxing world champion, will not only provide valuable insights with her expertise, but will also perform an exclusive boxing workout. Other top speakers include Magdalena Neuner, the most successful biathlete, and Joe De Sena, CEO and co-founder of the infamous extreme obstacle race “Spartan Race”.
And which startups are you looking forward to?
A total of almost 50 start-ups will be exhibiting at the Fit Tech Summit and presenting their products and applications to a professional audience, including numerous investors such as HV Holtzbrinck Ventures and well-known companies such as Adidas.
From specific nutrition supplements and technological sun protection to digital fitness coaches that not only train muscles but also the mind, we have a wide range of fitness & sports, digital health and active nutrition products. In collaboration with BurdaPrincipal Investments we selected ten start-ups who will compete in the pitch competition. The winner has the chance to receive a media budget of over one million euros from Prosiebensat.1, access to the Burda network with its relevant brands and the opportunity to use our co-working space here in Munich for free for four months.
This year there will also be a room for meditations, the Mental Zone - why?
The Fit Tech Summit is about well-being in all its forms and mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness. On our Activity Stage, participants have the opportunity to really work out and sweat, our rest area, the Mental Zone, offers the ideal balance. Darkened and noise-protected, we offer the most modern workouts, which promote optimal mindfulness and relaxation. On a hectic day at a conference, this might be a welcome change for the participants. We also want to promote more mindfulness in the everyday work life.
What was your conclusion of the first Fit Tech Summit last year?
I am more than satisfied with the successful start of the Fit Tech Summit. With Burda Bootcamp we regularly network in the startup field to identify the latest trends in the market and make them accessible for Burda. A huge trend that will define the next few years is health and fitness. Just a small example: Aside from the popularity of lifestyle fitness trackers like Fitbit, the market for medical wearables is also growing rapidly. According to forecasts by Transparency Market Research, this market will grow to a significant $10 billion by 2023, with an average growth rate of 18 percent per year. With the Fit Tech Summit, we at Burda have created a platform for international tech pioneers in the areas of fitness, health and wellness. At that time there were 800 participants, and the positive response from attendees to the then two stages and 30 startups exceeded our expectations. With speakers like Ben McAllister (Director Product, Map My Run), Marcus Gners (co-founder Lifesum) and Marco Suvilaakso (Chief Strategy Officer Polar), we have initiated an open discussion about the future of fitness and technology and brought many relevant stakeholders together. Last year, Fit for Fun supported us and we are very happy that the fitness and lifestyle medium will again be the main media partner at the Fit Tech Summit 2019. Once again, we are bringing the most exciting insights, the most successful experts in the industry and well-known sports celebrities to Beach 38° in Munich to further expand the event format Fit Tech Summit.
We are very proud of the support of such well-known partners as Lufthansa Flying Lab, Deloitte, Icaros, Rogon Sportmanagement, PWC, W&W brandpool, Go Cardless, Life Fitness, BurdaPrincipal Investments and Urban Sports Club - Without them this conference would not be possible.
Further information about the Fit Tech Summit and ticket purchase here.
