Whoop: The Wearable That’s Going Beyond Fitness Tracking

Whoop, a health wearable company co-founded by Harvard alumnus Will Ahmed, has revolutionized the fitness industry with its innovative approach to tracking physical performance. With over 200 countries of operation and revenue growth exceeding 100%, Whoop has become a staple among elite athletes such as LeBron James, Michael Phelps, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, the company’s next chapter is focused on shifting its mission from performance enhancement to life-saving capabilities. Ahmed aims to make Whoop a continuous health monitor that can detect potential health risks, such as heart attacks, and provide users with personalized insights. This new direction has led to the launch of medically cleared features like ECG monitoring and atrial fibrillation detection.

In addition, Whoop has partnered with Quest Diagnostics for blood testing, allowing members to upload their biomarkers directly into the app for analysis by clinicians. The company’s Health Span feature calculates biological age and has become its most popular feature since its launch last year.

Despite being a private company, Whoop’s popularity stems from its ability to appeal to high-performing professionals who approach their bodies with rigor. The company’s device is designed to be worn discreetly, without a screen or notifications, making it an attractive option for those who prioritize functionality over fashion.

Whoop faces stiff competition from Oura, a Finnish company that has built a loyal following among similar professionals. However, Ahmed remains confident in his approach and notes that the key to success lies in building great technology and growing the business sustainably.

Under Ahmed’s leadership, Whoop has become more inclusive, with women now making up its fastest-growing segment. The company ships to 60 countries and has formal partnerships with Ferrari, the PGA Tour, and UCI mountain biking. With its strong brand ambassadors like Aryna Sabalenka, Whoop is poised for continued growth in the wearable technology market.

Ahmed’s journey as a founder began in 2011, when he was studying economics and government at Harvard. He had a personal experience with overtraining and sought to solve this problem by building What would become Whoop. Despite the challenges of entrepreneurship, Ahmed believes that starting a company is an extraordinary experience for the right person and recommends it to aspiring founders who are obsessed with solving real-world problems.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/27/whoop-has-lebron-now-it-wants-your-mom