Growl Raises $4.75M for Boxing Bag That Puts a Coach in Your Living Room
The French-American startup is on a mission to bring the benefits of boxing fitness to the masses through virtual coaching and gamification
Connected fitness startup Growl has emerged from stealth mode, raising $4.75 million in seed funding for an exciting new product: a wall-mounted, AI-powered punching bag that projects a life-sized virtual boxing coach into people’s living rooms.
Skip Capital led the seed-funding round, which included participation from Kima Ventures, Teampact Ventures and highly ranked UFC heavyweight fighter Ciryl Gane.
An Austin, Texas-based startup with ties to Paris, France, Growl on Wednesday unveiled its debut product, which uses 3D motion tracking to capture punches and AI computing to project virtual coaches directly onto the bag’s surface. Growl will also offer boxing-inspired games developed by Unreal Engine, the software powering titles like Fortnite and Gears of War.
Léo Desrumaux, Growl’s co-founder and CEO, told Athletech News that he and fellow co-founder Nicolas de Maubeuge created the brand to “make boxing and its power accessible to everyone at home.”
“Our belief is that boxing has this uncanny, universal touch and potential,” says Desrumaux, who fell in love with the sport after moving to the U.S. from France at 16 years old. “You can realize that universal touch if you make it fun and accessible.”
To make boxing fun and accessible, Growl’s virtual coaches will provide guidance on which punches and moves users should make while motivating them to keep working out. A video trailer for the upcoming product shows users sparring with their virtual coaches and also taking part in a boxing game that involves punching moving targets to gain points.
Besides boxing, Growl also coaches users on fitness movements like bodyweight squats, push-ups and even dumbbell exercises. The product is targeted for users aged 10 and above.
“The versatility of Growl is what convinced us to invest: it goes far beyond boxing, evolving into a complete, immersive at-home fitness experience with limitless possibilities for future content and workouts – whether for adults, kids or anyone in between,” Skip Capital investment partner Adam Cook said in a statement.
The startup also counts former Amazon, Peloton and Tonal hardware guru Sam Bowen among its advisors.
Coming to a Home Near You
Growl aims to begin taking pre-sale orders in April 2025 and ship its first batch of boxing bags around 12 months later, putting the brand on track for a launch in Q2 of 2026.
Growl initially plans to sell its product in the U.S. market only, eschewing retail partnerships in favor of a direct-to-consumer model. Desrumaux says the goal is to get Growl into the hands of as many affluent American homes as possible, particularly families.
“When you’re in a connected fitness business, your customer is the household,” he says. “That household could be a person of one, it could be an early couple in their 30s advancing their careers, (or) it could be a family with kids. Our goal is to serve the whole family.”
Growl will cost an anticipated $4,500 at launch, plus a $60/month content subscription, placing it on the higher end of pricing for connected fitness products, in line with Tonal and above Peloton. Alternatively, customers can opt for a buy-now, pay-later plan, which is anticipated to cost $150/month for a 48-month plan or $190/month for a 36-month plan, including hardware and a content subscription. Those who place an order during the pre-sale period will receive discounted pricing, the company says.
A New Type of Connected Fitness Product
For Desrumaux, Growl will be worth the relatively high price tag by providing an immersive, engaging user experience that’s unlike anything currently available on the connected fitness market, including in other connected boxing products like FightCamp and Bhout.
“Experience is everything in connected fitness,” he says. “We recreate a life-size personal trainer who’s going to literally engage you physically, motivate you and push you as if (they were) right there with you.”
Citing the rising popularity of boxing fitness, especially among women, Growl is confident it’s striking while the iron is hot. Desrumaux believes the product will play well on social media, thanks to its striking visuals and unique functionalities. It could also be a hit at family gatherings and parties, driving word of mouth.
“I think one of the most powerful things will be our own customers in their own homes, having a product and being able to show it off to their friends, neighbors or family members,” Desrumaux says.
Over the next couple of years, Growl will focus on getting its product to market and refining its virtual coaching system. Looking even further ahead, Desrumaux believes the possibilities are endless when it comes to using AI to create an engaging and effective personal training experience.
“The long-term goal is to be able to have a fully personalized, interactive training session that’s entirely AI-generated,” he says.
Update: This article has been updated with additional information on Growl’s anticipated pricing