WHOOP Health Platform Gets Glitzy Investors, Makes Big Promises
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is just one of the high-profile investors in the new round of funding for the WHOOP personal health platform.
If ESPN married the Wall Street Journal, the guest list might read like the list of the investors who just gave the artificial intelligence-powered WHOOP health platform more than a half billion dollars.
The company’s wearable connects to an analytics platform that promises its data will do nothing less than help users “extend healthspan, optimize performance and prevent disease before it begins.” This potential has won WHOOP a Series G investment of $575 million and a valuation of $10.1 billion from, in the company’s words, “the world’s most sophisticated investors, leading health institutions and iconic global athletes.”
Among the impressive names on the investor list are LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Rory McIlroy on the sports side, while the finance side includes the Qatar Investment Authority, the Mubadala Investment Company, and Abu Dhabi’s giant 2PointZero Group. The health care industry’s support is evident with Abbott Laboratories and the Mayo Clinic also joining the investment round.
The Collaborative Fund led the entire round, with a mission “to identify and support companies that live at the intersection of for-profit and for-good.”
Right now, the “for-good” part requires an asterisk. The WHOOP press release says its biometric monitoring system “has become an essential platform for those committed to performing and living at their highest level.” However, it remains less clear the extent to which the platform will be adopted by those for whom performing and living at the “highest level” is less of a concern that simply having adequate health and wealth to enjoy life with family and friends.
The WHOOP device tracks “optimal sleep” and monitors resting heart rate and heart rate variability, as well as key metrics “scientifically proven to make the most significant impact on your health.” Powered by more than 24 billion hours of physiological data and purpose-built AI models, it provides “predictive, personalized health insights” for users.
There are mixed reviews on the device, with some enthusiasts praising its capabilities while others remain more restrained in their endorsement. A study examined nearly a million days and nights of longitudinal data from WHOOP subscribers and concluded there was “real-world evidence that sustained wearable engagement may support healthier habits and improved physiological outcomes over time.”
Last October, Oura raised $900 million in a Series E round that valued it at $11 billion. Both WHOOP and Oura significantly raise the profile of patient-reported health data by demonstrating the potential of AI to improve the relevance and actionability of this type of information.
While there are still improvements to be made in the accuracy and consistency of measured metrics and wearability comfort, the potential for these health platforms to revolutionize personal and clinical health data is promising. Just like LeBron, Ronaldo, and McIlroy didn’t start off as world champions, these platforms have the potential to evolve and make a significant impact in the health and wellness industry.
