SportSetter runs a mobile-first marketplace that surfaces local fitness activities and offers free trials and discounted partner products to convert users into paying customers. The company pivoted from a 2013 subscription web play to focus on mobile and trial-driven acquisition. It monetizes by selling class bundles, monthly passes and taking a cut of partner sales rather than charging users a subscription. The platform simplifies partner offerings (examples include 10x single passes and one- or three-month bundles) and aims to avoid being a pure discount site, with average partner discounts around 15%. Activity recommendations are personalized via user input and Facebook signals (70%+ of users connect via Facebook), and the team plans to add more algorithmic recommendations based on app usage. SportSetter reports “tens of thousands” of users, 65,000+ trial visits, more than 300 provider partners (including 150+ in New York) and a 24% trial-to-returning-customer conversion rate. Sportsetter is a mobile-first iOS app that helps users discover and subscribe to local fitness experiences via a monthly pass system. The app uses location and personalized preferences to match users to venues and displays passes on the smartphone. Passes are sold in subscription bundles (starting at $9.99 for two passes) and are typically discounted versus booking directly with the provider. Sportsetter has signed roughly 335 service providers, including partners such as Reebok CrossFit, UFC Gyms, Elixia, and Crunch Gyms, and says it is adding over 30 new providers per month. Currently users can try a specific experience only once, but the company plans to add recurring passes to specific experiences and beef up social features for discovery and finding fitness buddies. The startup was launched in New York and Helsinki and has received grants and angel investment alongside the announced funding. SportSetter offers a monthly subscription to discover sports, activities, facilities and health and wellness services. The company was co-founded in 2012 by Niko Karstikko and Trevor Ferguson and is based in Helsinki, Finland. It recently opened an office in New York as part of its U.S. expansion. SportSetter raised €400k in funding and is using the funds to recruit new staff, close new partnerships, and expand in the USA. Backers remained undisclosed.

Total raised

$2M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Sep 2015