While fitness tech has been on the rise for well over a decade now, COVID certainly accelerated that push. With the catastrophe that it brought along with itself, it made people realise even more, the importance of staying fit, healthy and specially keeping cardiovascular fitness intact. That led to a phenomenal rise globally, in number of startups trying to capitalise on the trend, with India seeing an even greater acceleration.
Once such startup, which is combining the use of both hardware and digital to create a ‘smart mirror’, is Portl. And having secured investment via Shark Tank India for its ‘Portl Studio’ smart mirror last year, the startup has now raised $3Mn in a fresh round, led by Bharat Innovation Fund. This round also saw participation from existing investor Kalaari Capital and new investor T-Hub Foundation. Portl will deploy this additional capital to accelerate product development, market expansion, and enhancement of its cutting-edge AI systems.
Founded in 2021 by Indraneel Gupta, Vishal Chandapeta and Armaan Kandhari, Portl biggest differentiator from other fitness companies is its 43 inch, 4K display smart mirror. Called ‘Portl Studio’, this smart mirror is embedded with bio-sensors, HD cameras, and edge-AI processing with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, offering real-time form feedback, health monitoring, and seamless telemedicine integrations as well. Users can perform their entire exercising routines in front of the mirror, getting near real-time feedback on form, current fitness levels and AI-powered suggestions on improvements.
“At Portl, we are dedicated to reimagining personalized fitness through state-of-the-art technology,” said Indraneel Gupta, Founder and CEO of Portl. “By integrating advanced AI and innovative hardware, we aim to empower individuals to achieve their wellness goals seamlessly and effectively, delivering personalized experiences at scale and afford people the opportunity to adopt healthier lifestyles with ease”, he added.
The startup claims to have a proprietary AI Personalization Engine, which is at the heart of its smart mirror product. This engine is responsible for providing users with customized workout plans that adapt to their fitness levels, daily performance and preferences in real-time. By the virtue of being interactive, it also ensures engaging and effective workouts, promoting long-term user retention. The technology is designed to function seamlessly across various hardware platforms, from smartphones and tablets to smart TVs, ensuring all users can access its fitness solutions regardless of their preferred devices.