• Loading stock data...
Sunday, December 15, 2024

Meta Pushes Into VR Fitness with Within Acquisition

  • Meta made a major investment in VR fitness on Friday with its acquisition of Within.
  • The company may later produce a wearable.
woman_using_virtual_reality
Meta/Design: Alex Brooks

Fresh off its rebrand from Facebook, Meta announced last week it is acquiring VR fitness company Within.

Within makes VR workout app Supernatural, a subscription fitness app for Meta-owned Oculus Quest. The program offers coached workouts, games, music, and VR environments. On Oct. 26, it added boxing to its catalogue.

Within has raised $56.6 million, primarily from its most recent funding round, a $40 million Series B in July 2017. Temasek and Emerson Collective led the round, which was joined by WPP, Macro Ventures, and existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, 21st Century Fox, and Raine Ventures.

The company also lists Endeavor-owned agency WME, LiveNation, and Vice among its investors.

“We believe fitness will be a massive success in VR,” Meta said in an announcement of the Within acquisition.

  • Meta is believed to be working on a smart watch with movement and biometric-tracking capabilities.
  • In June, the company acquired virtual esports company Big Box VR.
  • It acquired Ready at Dawn, maker of movement-focused VR game series “Lone Echo,” in June 2020.
  • In November 2019, it bought Beat Games, maker of the popular VR workout game “Beat Saber.”

Meta plans to release an Active Pack for its Oculus Quest 2 headset next year to make the hardware better suited to intense workouts.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sep 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd running back Ethan Payne (28) dives in for the touchdown during the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory

Portal-Depleted Marshall Bows Out of Independence Bowl

Louisiana Tech (5–7) will take Marshall’s place.
Sponsored

Racing Forward: How SailGP is Redefining High-Performance Sailing and Championing Gender Equality

The most exciting racing on water is making waves by rewriting the narrative of what’s possible for women in high-performance sports.
Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Elon Musk looks on before Super Bowl LVIII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.

Can Elon Musk’s X Fix Its Rampant Fake Sports News Problem?

Little is known about how X will enforce its new policy aimed at parody accounts.
Oct 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) drives past New York Liberty forwards Kayla Thornton (5) and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) during game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center.

Kelsey Plum Backs Out of Unrivaled

She’s skipping the new league’s season, along with Caitlin Clark.

Featured Today

Michigan signee Bryce Underwood smiles during national signing day at Belleville High School in Belleville on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024.

Reader Mailbag: Is the NIL Era Out of Control?

Readers had a lot to say about Ellison and the NIL era.
December 13, 2024

The Top-Secret Operation to Create the Army-Navy Football Uniforms

The two-year process includes dozens of employees, NDAs, and military historians.
Nov 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Detailed view of a Wilson NBA basketball held by a referee during the second half between the Utah Jazz against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena
December 9, 2024

‘Obvious Weak Point’: Refs Remain an NBA Gambling Concern

A season after Jontay Porter, the biggest risk may not be players.
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader runs with a flag before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Michigan Stadium.
opinion
December 7, 2024

College Football’s Billionaire Backer Era Begins

Is this the new normal in CFB recruiting?
exclusive

Talor Gooch Using LIV Golf Fortune to Start Building Sports Empire

The golfer has made more than $43 million individually from LIV.
November 13, 2024

Why Liberty Media Spun Off Assets, Shook Up Leadership

Longtime CEO Greg Maffei is stepping down at the end of the year.
December 4, 2024

U.S. Firm Makes $310M Bet on Soccer by Forming Superagency

The U.S.-based investment company makes a significant play in international soccer.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Oct 27, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) passes against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at Lumen Field.
October 30, 2024

Buffalo Bills in Talks to Sell Stake to PE Firm Arctos: Report

Arctos already has a slice of Paris Saint-Germain and the PGA Tour, among other assets.
Jul 7, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik hoists the Stanley Cup after the Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in game five to win the 2021 Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena.
October 25, 2024

Lightning Sell at $1.8B Valuation, Nearly Double Prior NHL Record

The Lightning unveiled a multistep and multiyear sale process.
May 24, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban celebrates after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in game two of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center.
October 9, 2024

Why Mark Cuban Sold the Dallas Mavericks When He Did

Cuban sold his majority stake to the Adelson family in December 2023.
Young fans look over Michigan State sports equipment on display during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
October 2, 2024

Private Equity Firms Buy Rival Hockey Brands CCM and Bauer

Both brands have been around for decades and changed ownership in the same week.