Draft:Cult.fit

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Cult.fit
TypePrivate
IndustryHealth and fitness
Founded2016
FoundersMukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
HeadquartersBengaluru, Karnataka, India
ParentCurefit Healthcare Pvt. Ltd.
Websitewww.cult.fit

Cult.fit (formerly Cure.fit) is an Indian health and fitness company headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Founded in 2016 by Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori, the company operates fitness centres, sports facilities, digital fitness programmes and wellness services across India. The company has received investments from investors including Tata Digital, Temasek, Accel and Zomato, and has expanded through acquisitions including Gold's Gym India.[1]

History

Cult.fit was founded in 2016 by Mukesh Bansal, co-founder of Myntra, and former Flipkart executive Ankit Nagori. The company was established to combine fitness, nutrition, and preventive healthcare services through a technology-enabled platform.[2]

The company launched multiple consumer-facing brands, including Cult.fit for fitness services, Eat.fit for healthy food delivery, Mind.fit for mental wellness, and Care.fit for healthcare services.[1]

In 2018, Cure.fit announced plans to expand its operations into additional Indian cities, including Hyderabad, as part of its strategy to broaden its fitness and wellness network across the country.[3]

In 2019, The Hindu described Cult.fit's group-workout model and expanding network of fitness centres, noting its growing popularity among urban consumers and its focus on making fitness more accessible through technology-enabled services.[4]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company expanded its digital offerings, including online fitness classes, personal training, and nutrition programs. In 2020, Cure.fit launched its digital fitness services in the United States, marking its first international expansion.[5][1]

In 2020, the company was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and implemented workforce reductions as part of a broader restructuring effort while expanding its digital fitness offerings.[6]

Funding and ownership

Cult.fit has raised funding from investors including Accel, Kalaari Capital, Temasek, Zomato, and Tata Digital.[7]

In 2021, Tata Digital announced an investment of up to US$75 million in Cure.fit as part of its expansion into digital consumer services. [7]

According to The Economic Times, company executives stated in 2022 that Cult.fit was preparing for a potential public listing while continuing to expand its fitness and sports businesses.[8]

In 2024, CNBC-TV18 reported that the company had revived plans for an initial public offering after previously postponing the proposal.[9]

Acquisitions

Cult.fit has expanded through acquisitions and strategic partnerships within the fitness industry. In February 2022, the company acquired a majority stake in F2 Fun & Fitness, becoming the master franchise partner for Gold's Gym in India.[10][11]

The company also acquired businesses including Fitternity, Fitkit, and RPM Fitness as part of its expansion strategy.[12]

Operations

Cult.fit operates fitness centres, gyms, sports facilities, and digital fitness services across India. Its offerings include group workouts, gym memberships, sports coaching, personal training, and fitness-related consumer products.[13]

The company expanded its consumer-products business through Cultsport and later broadened its offerings into lifestyle, health-tech, and Pilates-related services.[14]

According to Mint, Cult.fit undertook a consolidation of its fitness-centre network while focusing on profitability, subscription-led growth, and operational efficiency.[15]

In 2021, the company launched Cult Gyms, a gym format aimed at expanding its presence in the fitness-centre market and complementing its existing group-workout offerings.[16]

In 2024, Cult.fit undertook another round of workforce rationalisation, with reports stating that more than 100 employees were laid off as part of efforts to streamline operations and improve profitability.[17]

In 2025, The Ken published an investigation examining injury-related concerns associated with some of Cult.fit's group workout programmes. The report cited physiotherapists and customers who raised concerns about training practices and workout-related injuries as the company expanded its fitness operations.[18]

In 2026, Fortune India profiled Cult.fit and discussed its expansion strategy, acquisitions, and fitness business.[19]

See also

References

  1. "India's top fitness and well-being startup Cure.fit expands to the U.S." TechCrunch. 22 July 2020.
  2. "By Hook or by Cook, This Duo Is Trying to Build a Healthy Food Empire". Forbes India. 24 May 2018.
  3. "Cure.fit announces expansion plans". The Hindu. 24 August 2018.
  4. "Cult of Fitness". The Hindu. 2019.
  5. "We always envisioned that health would go digital: cure.fit exec". Forbes India. 9 December 2020.
  6. "Cure.fit fires 1,000 employees". The Hindu. 14 May 2020.
  7. "Indian giant Tata Digital to invest $75 million in fitness startup CureFit". TechCrunch. 7 June 2021.
  8. "Fitness startup Cult.fit shaping up for public listing in 12–18 months". The Economic Times. 19 October 2022.
  9. "Zomato-backed Cult.fit revives shelved IPO, eyes up to ₹4,000 crore". CNBC-TV18. 2024.
  10. "Cult.fit acquires majority stake in Gold's Gym fitness chain across India". Mint. 14 February 2022.
  11. "Cultfit acquires Gold's Gym fitness chain across India". Business Today. 14 February 2022.
  12. "Fitness startup Cult.fit shaping up for public listing in 12–18 months". The Economic Times. 19 October 2022.
  13. "Cult.fit's e-commerce arm to drive growth, profitability by 2025". Mint.
  14. "Cult.fit bets on Pilates, consumer products and lifestyle expansion". Mint.
  15. "Cult.fit's path to profitability". Mint.
  16. "Cult.fit launches Cult Gyms". The Hindu BusinessLine. 7 September 2021.
  17. "Cult.fit takes profit call, terminates over 100 employees". The Economic Times. 24 January 2024.
  18. "First, Cult.fit's group classes got everyone's attention. Now, "Cult injuries" do". The Ken. 6 March 2025.
  19. "India's Biggest Unicorns: Cult.fit is betting on acquisitions, disciplined expansion, and community-led programming for sustainable growth". Fortune India. 29 March 2026.

Category:Companies based in Bengaluru Category:Health care companies of India Category:Health clubs Category:Indian companies established in 2016 Category:Indian brands Category:2016 establishments in Karnataka Category:Medical and health organisations based in India