Fit On Click, a UAE-based online marketplace that aggregates fitness and wellness providers, has raised US$1.5 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Dubai-based investment advisory firm Arrow Capital.

Led by husband-and-wife duo Ben and Neha Samuel, Fit On Click helps corporate employees and residents in the UAE maintain an active lifestyle by incorporating sports and physical activity in their day-to-day lives. Founded in 2015, the startup launched with an offline B2B vertical that aimed to help corporates in boosting employee engagement. “We witnessed interest very early on from various corporates in the country who wanted to encourage employee wellness – both physically and mentally- and would utilize Fit On Click employee engagement programs in order to do so,” says Ben, co-founder and CEO, adding that the company has worked with over 200 corporates to date.

A few years into the business, the startup introduced its B2C online vertical in 2020. This materialized in the form of an app called Fitze, which allows users to swap their steps for various rewards. Though it debuted during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the duo claims the app has still managed to fare well. “The COVID-19 lockdown was a blessing in disguise for us,” Ben says. “We used our existing experience to validate the product, and with minimal marketing, we gained over 20,000 users on our app.” With the app, the startup has partnered with over 100 brands to provide a multitude of reward options to its users, and it has also partnered with 30 corporates to host virtual challenges for their employees. According to Ben, Fitze, in partnership with key reward partners, have given away rewards and prizes worth AED1 million so far

While Fit On Click was initially bootstrapped, the funds it has raised now marks the first institutional funding that the startup has received. Prior to this, the startup had managed to successfully sustain themselves through product launches and user growth, the latter of which rose at an annual rate of 15%, according to Ben. “When we started to view the traction [of the app], engagement, and the number of corporates on board, we knew it was the right time for us to open up this opportunity for investors,” Ben says. The startup’s lead investor, as well as its financial and strategic advisor, Arrow Capital, organized roadshows with investors for Fit On Click’s co-founders.

Fitze app

“This was how we met Modus Capital and were accepted into its Ventures Lab program,” notes Ben. Ventures Lab, developed by Dubai-based venture capital firm Modus Capital in collaboration with Abu Dhabi-based business incubator Hub71, is a venture builder program for early-stage startups, designed to offer hands-on support from the ground up, such as marketing, logistics, technology, talent and more. Being a part of the program was certainly helpful for the startup, says Samuel. With the program, Samuel explains that Modus is working operationally with the team to develop business strategies, refine product offerings, strengthen the platform’s tech, and build out marketing capabilities, among other factors. The company has also been able to gain access to Hub71’s community, which has further boosted its efforts to commercialize the product.

On the fundraising process, Samuel states that it took six months to close the round. “From founder interviews, team interviews, and due diligence, to financial and product audits, we went through it all,” he recalls. “Once everything was approved, we signed the term sheet with both Arrow Capital and Modus Capital. We wanted not just investors, but strategic advisors onboard, and with investment from Arrow Capital, and being a part of Ventures Lab, all of us are now aligned with the same vision and goal.”

Commenting on the firm’s decision to infuse capital in the startup, Sumit Mehta, Managing Director of Arrow Capital, says, “We are thrilled to be investing in Fit On Click, a self-sustaining sports and fitness services business which has recently pivoted and launched a digital app.” He continues, “Fitze highlights Ben and Neha’s ability to shift with market needs and create innovative ways to increase engagement between users and consumer brands, and we look forward to joining them on their journey of inevitable growth.”

With the new funds, the two entrepreneurs plan to enhance the Fitze app, along with improving the startup’s technology, research, and marketing. “Fit On Click is a self-sustainable business, and it will continue to grow and operate in the UAE,” says Ben. “With Fitze, our short-term goal is to become the top app in the UAE that motivates its users to stay active and be on top of their wellness. Our long-term goal is to expand regionally and help users build and sustain an active lifestyle in the region.”

Related: We Got Funded: Bahrain Foodtech Startup Calo Raises US$13.5 Million In Seed Funding Round

Fitze app

“TREP TALK: Tips for entrepreneurs from Ben Samuel, co-founder and CEO, Fit On Click

1. Be clear on why/what you’re building “If you have an idea, the first step is to validate it.”

2. Get the right people around you “Get a team on board who are aligned with your vision, with respect to product, marketing, research, operations and sales.”

3. Stay focused on your vision “Create short-term goals and milestones, and stay focused to achieve them.”

4. Have a proof of concept before fundraising “Once you create a product that is the right market-fit, then look to raise investment.”

5. Never stop the hustle “After raising, you need to work 50x faster to reach your next milestone.”