- Poland’s SOLO Workout raised EUR 3.5M+ to scale its patented smart gym sensor technology
- The startup develops and manufactures durable, universal retrofit sensors for gym equipment
- Technology validated through patents, pilots, OEM partnerships, and early commercial deployments
- Future plans include AI coaching, US expansion, and becoming gyms’ digital backbone
This July, SOLO Workout—the Polish developer of smart add-on hardware for gym equipment—raised a Seed round of PLN 15M (EUR 3.5M+). The funding came from the European Funds for the Modern Economy program (FENG) through PARP and Supernova Group’s Maciej Zientara as an angel investor.
Business and Engineering Founders Who Saw the Blind Spot
Mateusz Semegen, Co-Founder and CTO at SOLO Workout
Rafał Kasperowicz (CEO) and Mateusz Semegen (CTO) started SOLO Workout in 2017 with a simple observation: gyms were full of machines, but none of them could indicate what really mattered – how much a trainee lifted, how they moved, or whether they were progressing.
‘Wearables gave people data about steps and heart rate, yet the gym floor itself remained a black box.,’ Mr Kasperowicz recalls.
The CEO comes from a background in economics and business with his career built on structuring deals, raising capital, and building partnerships. While working with other ventures, he couldn’t help but notice how fitness technology was lagging behind—gyms were investing heavily in equipment, but missing the opportunity to turn it into data-driven engagement.
Mr Semegen, in turn, is an engineer and inventor. Passionate about digitalizing training and performance, he began experimenting with sensor technology that could capture what accelerometer-based devices missed. It is his work that led eventually to SOLO Workout’s patented sensors — durable, universal, and precise enough to track every rep, weight, and motion.
The Birth of SOLO Workout
The duo realized that, together, they could solve the problem of the technological staleness in the fitness industry, uniting the technology and the business strategy to scale it. The two were firmly convinced that they were the right team to bring intelligence to the gym floor.
‘People want to go to Mars, but at the gym, they are using paper and pencil – let’s change it,’ Mr Semegen said at the time. That’s how SOLO Workout was born: from a frustration with the lack of training data, a vision of smarter gyms, and the belief that the founding duo were uniquely positioned to make it happen.
From Patents and Prototypes to Partnerships and Global Scaling
Between 2018 and 2024, the SOLO Workout team built a strong international patent portfolio around motion detection, workout tracking, and gym equipment integration, creating a defensible foundation for growth.
From 2021 to 2024, the company built and tested working prototypes in real gyms, validating their accuracy, durability, and member engagement. A major challenge during this period was designing universal retrofit sensors that could work across all pin-loaded and cable machines. In 2023–2025, SOLO Workout expanded pilots with gyms and fitness clubs, refining the hardware for reliability, simultaneously developing dashboards and apps to ensure a seamless user experience for both members and trainers.
By 2024–2025, the company was forming strategic partnerships with equipment manufacturers and management software providers, integrating SOLO technology via its SDK and API, and securing early business traction to prepare for OEM-level scaling. In 2025, SOLO achieved fully validated, market-ready technology and began commercial deployments, successfully navigating supply chain challenges and positioning itself for global expansion.
‘SOLO’ is an abbreviation that stands for ‘See, observe, learn, optimize.’ Today, it is a comprehensive instrument for capturing every rep, weight, and movement as precise, real-time data. The system allows users and trainers to see and observe performance with accuracy, learn from the insights, and optimize training for better results.
‘Soon, our AI coach agent will take this further – transforming raw data into personalized recommendations, guiding users like a virtual trainer, adapting programs automatically, and helping them progress more effectively,’ Mr Kasperowicz envisions.
SOLO Workout’s long-term value is self-apparent:
- Members stay motivated by measurable progress.
- Trainers deliver smarter, data-driven coaching.
- Gyms unlock stronger retention and new digital revenue streams.
‘SOLO isn’t just about tracking workouts — it’s about redefining how fitness is measured, improved, and scaled for the future,’ the CEO adds.
Universal and Brand-Agnostic Design
Rafał Kasperowicz, Co-Founder and CEO at SOLO Workout
SOLO Workout was designed from the ground up to be universal and brand-agnostic. Its patented sensors attach directly to the rigid parts of weight-stack and cable machines, avoiding moving components. This makes them durable, low-maintenance, and compatible with equipment from any brand, model, or production year—regardless of stackplate size, load type, or mechanical design.
Compatibility is ensured through a universal mounting system that adapts to different machine dimensions, extensive field testing across a wide range of gyms, and continuous validation with each new installation. Gyms and operators receive a certification checklist to confirm proper setup and calibration, while equipment manufacturers can integrate еру technology at the OEM level with guaranteed compatibility.
By digitalizing existing machines rather than replacing them, SOLO unlocks data and connectivity for millions of legacy machines already in use, with proven and certified hardware that works everywhere.
Built to Last, Built Sustainably
The team underscores that SOLO Workout was designed for durability, low maintenance, and sustainability. The sensors are mounted on the rigid parts of gym machines, avoiding electronics on moving components, which reduces wear and extends their lifespan. This design leads to fewer replacements and less waste compared to typical accelerometer-based systems.
Maintenance is minimal, with firmware updates delivered wirelessly and the hardware requiring little servicing once installed. The hardware is also modular, allowing individual components to be replaced or upgraded rather than discarding entire units. The company is developing a take-back and recycling program to ensure responsible handling of end-of-life electronics, in line with WEEE and RoHS standards.
By retrofitting existing machines instead of requiring gyms to invest in new ‘smart’ equipment, SOLO extends the life of gym assets, reduces waste, lowers resource consumption, and consequently cuts CO2 emissions across the industry.
Expanding Revenue Streams
Beyond its core hardware sales, per-unit licensing, and SaaS subscriptions, SOLO Workout has a clear roadmap for additional revenue streams that expand both value and margins:
- AI Coach Subscription: Personalized training guidance delivered through the announced AI coach agent. Members will be able to subscribe for advanced, adaptive programs that act as a virtual personal trainer – creating a direct B2C revenue channel on top of the B2B model.
- Premium Analytics Packages: Gyms and operators can unlock advanced insights into member performance, machine usage, and predictive maintenance through tiered SaaS subscriptions.
- AI SDK & API Licensing: Opening SOLO Workout’s AI and data analytics engine to third-party fitness apps, wearables, and gym management platforms creates a new revenue channel via licensing and integration fees.
- Branded Digital Content: Potential to deliver training plans, educational material, and branded fitness content within the SOLO app environment, either directly or via partnerships.
- Data-Driven Partnerships (in the more distant future): Aggregated, anonymized training and equipment usage data could power insights for manufacturers, health insurers, and wellness providers (while remaining fully GDPR-compliant).
Mr Kasperowicz emphasizes that SOLO Workout’s approach to data privacy and security is built upon a foundation of compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as Poland is a member of the EU.
R&D: The AI Coach
The core of SOLO Workout’s AI is developed in-house, supported by the startup’s R&D team and software developers. The development of the proprietary innovative automated coaching software is the main objective of SOLO Workout’s current R&D project. As part of the recent round of investment, a grant from the European Funds for the Modern Economy program (FENG) through PARP is specifically for this purpose.
The direction of this development is focused on creating an advanced, fully automated AI personal coach that operates in real time. The new AI system is intended to go beyond basic data collection and will:
- Verify exercise form and technique based on data from the proprietary SOLO sensors.
- Generate and dynamically modify personalized training plans based on the user’s progress and goals (e.g., strength, muscle hypertrophy, or fat reduction).
- Provide real-time feedback to the user during their workout.
This new AI functionality is being developed as a new service for the existing SOLO Workout system. The project aims to create a new market for personal training by offering a low-cost virtual trainer that is accessible to a wider audience, which can also provide data and analysis to professional trainers.
Investor Perspective
Speaking of new markets, the other part of the new investment round, the one that comes from angel investor Maciej Zientara, is meant to fuel SOLO Workout’s US expansion.
‘What prompted me to invest – the unique technology, the potential of the fitness market, and the team – a combination of all these factors, combined with my personal passion. The more I heard about this project, the more I felt it was such an attractive event that I wanted to support it not only financially, but also personally and intellectually. As a user, I understand this solution, the concept, and the technology. It sparked my enormous enthusiasm because that’s exactly what I, as a user, was missing,’ Mr Zientara shares.
‘Most gymgoers don’t use personal trainers due to the cost, and the SOLO Workout solution introduces interactivity and a focus on the quality of training, not just the quantity. And this company isn’t at an early stage at all, as it’s already undergone technological validation, patents, and verification that this product actually works on a large scale. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to invest in this company now, when it has the opportunity to reactivate after the difficult period of the pandemic,’ the investor continues.
Cracking the US Market and Expanding Beyond Strength Training
Maciej Zientara, Angel Investor, Founder and Managing Partner at Supernova Group
SOLO’s U.S. go-to-market strategy focuses on partnerships, pilot programs, OEM integrations, and SaaS scaling to drive rapid adoption and sustainable growth in the world’s largest fitness market. The first step is securing a software partner already serving thousands of gyms and integrating SOLO through its SDK and API. This allows gyms, trainers, and members to access SOLO’s workout data directly within a platform they already use. In this model, SOLO acts as the data engine, delivering real-time insights from gym equipment, while gyms benefit from a seamless, plug-and-play upgrade without needing to adopt a new system.
Beyond strength training, SOLO Workout’s patented sensors are adaptable not only to stack-weight and cable machines but also to cardio equipment, where they can capture movement cycles, speed, and distance.
The Bigger Picture
‘We see SOLO becoming the standard digital backbone of the gym floor, much like Android became the platform for smartphones. By retrofitting legacy machines and embedding in new equipment, SOLO will be present in every corner of the gym – from strength to cardio to rehab. SOLO is evolving from a smart sensor solution into a comprehensive AI-powered fitness data platform – redefining how gyms operate and how members train,’ Mr Kasperowicz concludes.
Addressing one of the biggest gaps in fitness technology: the lack of meaningful data from gym equipment, SOLO Workout is transforming legacy machines into connected, intelligent systems. This empowers members, trainers, and operators with insights that drive motivation, engagement, and smarter decision-making. In doing so, SOLO Workout is not only redefining how workouts are measured and optimized but also shaping the future of data-driven fitness worldwide.
Kostiantyn is a freelance writer from Crimea but based in Lviv. He loves writing about IT and high tech because those topics are always upbeat and he’s an inherent optimist!
