• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, February 18, 2026

The Startup that Makes Fitness a Video Game

  • Ergatta, a connected rowing machine maker, gamifies the workout experience instead of streaming live instructor classes.
  • The startup brought in $30 million in a Series A round.
person_on_rowing_machine
Ergatta/Design: Alex Brooks

The gaming craze and at-home fitness come together in Ergatta’s rowing machine.

The connected rowing company gamifies workouts, with its machine effectively acting as a controller, allowing people to race and compete on a screen as they work out.

Just a month after its first birthday, the startup raised $30 million at a $200 million valuation in a Series A round led by Advance Venture Partners. The company will use the funds to create new games, develop live competitions, and grow its membership base and supply chain.

Other connected rowing machines have attracted investor attention as well, though Ergatta’s competitors generally follow Peloton in offering live classes with instructors.

  • LIT Method, whose machines cost $1,750 plus a $25/month subscription fee, announced an investment this week from Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners.
  • Last June, connected rowing startup Hydrow raised $25 million in a round led by L Catteron, a private equity firm backed by LVMH. Hydrow’s machines cost $2,199. 

An Ergatta machine also costs $2,199, and subscriptions run $29 per month.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Bruce Meyer and Tony Clark of the MLBPA

MLBPA Elects Meyer As Interim Executive Director

He’s known as someone not afraid to ruffle feathers.
Feb 17, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell (28) poses for a photo during media day at JetBlue Park.

Red Sox Change Their Tune on Fanatics Jersey Issues

The MLB club takes responsibility for a jersey design error.
Feb 18, 2026; Milan, Italy; Mitch Marner of Canada celebrates with Macklin Celebrini after scoring their fourth goal in overtime to win the match against Czechia in a men's ice hockey quarterfinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

IOC Once Again Cracking Down on Olympic Social Media Clips

NHL teams have gone to extreme lengths to work around IOC restrictions.

Mahomes Reworks Deal, Clears $43.6M for Cap-Strapped Chiefs

The quarterback’s contract is restructured for the fourth straight year.

Featured Today

Max Valverde by Ron Winsett

How Ski Mountaineering’s Hype Man Went From TikTok to NBC

Max Valverde’s gushing over the niche sport vaulted him to Olympic broadcaster.
Feb 11, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Jaelin Kauf of the United States during freestyle skiing women's moguls final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park
February 13, 2026

The Surprise Hit of the Winter Olympics: First-Person Drone Views

Tiny drone cameras have reshaped the Olympics viewing experience.
Feb 11, 2026; Milan, Italy; Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena.
February 13, 2026

Olympic Figure Skaters Pay Out of Pocket for $9,000 Costumes

For four minutes on ice, stakes are high—and prices even higher.
February 11, 2026

Epstein Emails Show His F1 Ties Ran Deep

The sex trafficker’s circles included many of the biggest names in F1.
Sponsored

Trailblazer Cal Calamia Is Racing for ‘Advocacy, Storytelling, and Performance’

The marathoner wants excellence—not just inclusion—to be the goal for non-binary athletes.
Sponsored

‘Run With the Competition’: Ultra Trail Runner Lotti Brinks Is Back With..

Ultrarunner Lotti Brinks is ready to make her first Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix podium in her HOKA Mafate 5s.
Sponsored

Top Esports Athletes Will Compete for National Glory in the Esports Nations..

The new biennial event, starting in 2026, kicks off a monumental next era for esports.
Sponsored

From MLS to AUSL: Jon Patricof on Building Sports Leagues

Jon Patricof on athlete equity, fan-first strategy, and how women’s sports can reshape the future of league building.
Sponsored

Win. Advance. Repeat: The Professional Fighters League’s Rise to Prominence 

As of 2025, PFL has introduced a World Tournament format, where every fighter must battle through a high-stakes bracket to reach a championship.
The 2018 Ragin' Crossfit Games are held at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette.
March 14, 2025

CrossFit for Sale After Years of Drama and Attrition

The intense fitness workout got popular in the early 2000s.
Sponsored

How On Location is Redefining the Olympic Winter Games Hospitality Experience

As the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 approaches, On Location—the Official Hospitality Provider—is redefining luxury hospitality.
Sponsored

How On Location is Redefining the Olympic Winter Games Hospitality Experience

As the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 approaches, On Location—the Official Hospitality Provider—is redefining luxury hospitality.