Much of the industry continues to fail when it comes to elevating women. Kath Hudson asks what can and should be done

Bioniq, which supplies subscribers with personalised nutritional supplements based on their blood test results, has acquired smart mirror company Vaha.

Lumen, a health tech company that analyses people’s metabolism based on the CO2 and oxygen in their breath, has raised US$62m in Series B funding. The round was led by Pitango Venture Capital, with participating investors including, Hanwha Group, Resolute Ventures, RiverPark Ventures, Unorthodox Ventures, Almeda Capital and Disruptive VC.

Aescape, a tech company building automated, data-driven massage tables that mimic human touch, has announced a US$30m (£24.9m, €28.9m) Series A funding round.

Blok has launched a fundraising campaign on Crowdcube. The company’s goal is to reach £500,000 – ahead of a possible funding round in 2023.

Kevin Yates, founder and CEO of Trib3 has been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. He joined eight other winners in the health and beauty section, which includes the fitness industry.

Martyn Allison reviews the recent Chiles Webster Batson Commission report which casts light on the economic challenges faced by young people when it comes to getting access to exercise

The director and founder of Sport for Confidence believes operators can change lives by working with occupational therapists to provide for people from marginalised populations

Corporate wellbeing platform Gympass has released a new report called the State of Work-Life Wellness.

Onvy HealthTech has launched the AI Health Coach, an AI-powered app-based platform, with its roots in preventative healthcare, that is designed to keep users physically and mentally balanced.

Therabody has launched eight product innovations and closed a growth equity round with backing reaching US$165m. The investment was led by North Castle Partners, with additional financing from Kevin Hart’s venture capital firm HartBeat Ventures and Rx3 Ventures.

The Humanity app puts the focus on ageing, letting users see the repercussions of their habits

Sency's motion analysis technology is allowing users to check their technique as they exercise

The founder of the Bristol Co-operative Gym shows us how his club model is creating a more inclusive approach to community health and fitness

Fast-growing tech business Orbit4 is empowering gym operators to optimise the value of their most expensive assets

Inverclyde Leisure is on a mission that has boosted attendance by 60 per cent. We talk to the CEO about how a community-centric approach is driving success

Digital fitness provider Funxtion has raised €5.8m (£5m, US$5.7) from Lexar Partners and company shareholders. The capital will be used to develop its B2B SaaS platform, particularly in the areas of data science and AI, as well as driving European and international expansion.

At-home rower maker Hydrow is one of the latest connected-fitness companies to announce staff cuts. The tech company which won celebrity backing from the likes of Justin Timberlake and actor Kevin Hart – who is also on board as creative director – confirmed it would be cutting 35 per cent of its workforce, just four months after raising US$55m in Series D funding.

Researchers examined the impact of £2.2bn of school sports funding following London 2012 and find the majority has gone to private contractors, with little upskilling happening in schools

The UK’s National Audit Office has published findings of its investigation into the sector, indicating new policies are needed. Martyn Allison does a review

Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging, reveals new research highlighting the need for a more effective approach to fitness and ageing

Alfonso Jimenez of Think Active is driving a global data programme to prove the impact of the sector, while Quest is launching new inclusivity assessments

The founder of kickboxing franchise 9Round and IKF Light Middleweight Kickboxing Champion has expanded a single site to 20 countries and 600 locations

Nowatch, a new contender in the expanding biometric fitness tracker market has developed a wearable device, in partnership with Philips, which measures cortisol levels and alerts users about their stress load up to 60 minutes in advance..

Tonal, the at-home strength-training startup backed by Amazon and athletes such as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Mike Tyson, has announced a restructuring, reducing its workforce by 35 per cent as part of a move to sustainable growth and profit.

Mindbody and Class Pass have released their 2022 Mid-Year Wellness Trends Report which reveals their predictions following two years of pandemic upheaval.

The fitness entrepreneur and founder of Circuit Society tells us how he plans to bring a new style of neighbourhood-based micro studios to the market

As a result of the pandemic, the fitness sector is presented with a massive opportunity to make friends with the healthcare sector to improve the health of the nation and drive up penetration. Kath Hudson reports on what is happening and where the opportunities lie

There are a number of populations who don’t feel truly welcomed, or catered for, in fitness settings. Yet it doesn’t have to be this way.

The global pandemic has dwarfed the impact of any recession, but how is the UK market bouncing back? LeisureDB does a deep dive into the numbers for businesses with members on Direct Debits, with the latest State of the Fitness Industry Report 2022