Playlist and EGYM Merge in $7.5B Deal to Build the AI Backbone of Global Wellness

What’s Happening

Playlist—the parent company of Mindbody, ClassPass, and Booker—has merged with connected fitness and wellness tech leader EGYM, valuing the combined company at $7.5 billion.

The transaction includes $785 million in new equity funding, earmarked primarily for AI initiatives designed to help gyms, studios, and wellness operators grow more efficiently and sustainably.

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Why It Matters

This is one of the most consequential consolidation moves in fitness and wellness history. Together, Playlist and EGYM span:

• Business software and payments
• Consumer booking and discovery
• Connected hardware and AI-driven training
• Corporate wellness and employee benefits

The combined platform generated $800+ million in net revenue last year, positioning it as core infrastructure for the global in-person wellness economy.

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Inside the Deal

The new investment round is led by Affinity Partners, with participation from existing backers including Vista Equity Partners, Temasek, and L Catterton.

Playlist will continue operating its brands independently, with EGYM functioning as a subsidiary. The merger also accelerates geographic expansion:

• EGYM gains scale across North America and Asia
• Playlist strengthens its footprint in Europe and EMEA

Fritz Lanman and Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer will serve as co-founders of the new organization, with Roesch-Schlanderer joining Vista’s Monti Saroya as co-chairman.

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The AI Angle (and the Human One)

The combined company is betting heavily on AI—not to replace coaches or operators, but to augment them.

Lanman has been clear on the vision: AI will unlock deeper analytics, smarter personalization, and better marketing—while keeping human-led, in-person experiences at the center.

EGYM’s platform already supports AI-driven training prescription and corporate wellness via Wellpass, while Playlist brings unmatched reach across studios, gyms, and consumers.

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The Bigger Picture

This merger follows a broader wave of consolidation, including the Orangetheory–Self Esteem Brands deal, and lands amid a funding rebound that saw $2B flow into fitness and wellness startups last year.

The signal is clear:
Fitness is no longer fragmented software and hardware—it’s becoming an integrated, data-driven health infrastructure.

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The Playbook Take

Playlist x EGYM isn’t just a merger—it’s a blueprint. By unifying software, hardware, AI, consumer booking, and workplace wellness, the combined company is building the operating system for preventive health at scale. The future of fitness isn’t digital or physical—it’s intelligently connected.