Caliber Launches Fitness Coaching Platform with $2.2M Seed Funding

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the fitness industry. Caliber, a company specializing in individualized personal training, is introducing a new digital coaching platform following a $2.2 million seed funding round spearheaded by Trinity Ventures.

Caliber began in 2018 by providing fitness content, including an email newsletter and a collection of instructional materials.

“Our founders initially explored the concept of providing individual coaching, and that’s when we realized the true need,” explained co-founder and CEO Jared Cluff. “We discovered that people primarily require expert direction and a truly customized approach to their fitness regimen.”

This realization led to the development of Caliber in its current form.

When individuals sign up for the platform, they are paired with a Caliber coach. The company maintains a selective process, onboarding approximately five out of every 100 coach applicants to ensure a high standard of quality.

These coaches collaborate with users to understand their objectives and create a personalized fitness plan, beginning with a video or phone discussion. Once the plan—incorporating strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and nutritional guidance—is complete, the coach uploads it to the application.

Users then access their coach’s instructions through the app and record their progress. Notably, these interactions are not live video sessions, but rather an ongoing, asynchronous dialogue with a coach facilitated by the platform.

Users can also connect their Apple Health app to Caliber to monitor nutrition and cardio activity, providing the coach with a comprehensive understanding of their advancement.

In addition to offering feedback and motivation, the coach provides a crucial element of accountability.

This blend of personalized human coaching in a less time-demanding, non-synchronous format allows Caliber to offer its services at a premium price compared to typical workout apps, yet remains considerably more affordable than traditional, in-person personal training.

The majority of Caliber users will pay between $200 and $400 monthly for access to the platform. Coaches, who operate as 1099 contractors for Caliber, receive 60% of the revenue generated from their clients.

Prior to its official launch, Caliber has experienced a more than threefold increase in membership over the past six months and a 150% rise in workouts completed per member, according to the company. Cluff reports that the startup is currently generating over $1 million in annual recurring revenue.

The platform’s 41 trainers comprise 37% women and approximately 25% individuals from non-white backgrounds. The core team, consisting of seven members, includes one woman, and two-thirds of the founding team identify as LGBTQ.

“The primary challenge we face is similar to the one we encountered at Blue Apron, where I previously worked, in that we aimed to establish a new category around meal kits,” stated Cluff. “Our goal is to create a distinct category within the fitness training space, which is currently highly fragmented and lacks a dominant, recognized brand.”