Runna, the London-based coaching app that helps runners build personalised training plans, has been snapped up by US fitness giant Strava in a deal expected to deliver a multimillion-pound payday for its co-founders.
Although the terms of the deal remain undisclosed, it is understood that early investors are poised for a windfall—reportedly receiving returns of up to 30 times their original investment.
Runna was founded just over three years ago by university friends Ben Parker and Dom Maskell. What began as a personalised coaching arrangement between the two has grown into a 150-strong team with backing from prominent investors including Jam Jar Investments, the venture capital fund launched by the founders of Innocent Drinks. The app, which launched to the public in March 2022, has raised £8 million to date.
The acquisition marks Strava’s first UK buyout. The company, which has more than 150 million users in 185 countries, was valued at $1.5 billion following a 2020 funding round led by Sequoia Capital. With running now the fastest-growing activity on Strava—over one billion runs were logged on the platform last year—Runna’s technology is seen as a powerful complement to Strava’s expanding ecosystem.
Strava CEO Michael Martin, who took the reins in January 2024, praised Runna’s user-centric approach to coaching “For runners, it’s about their goals—and they want personalised guidance. Strava hasn’t historically been strong in that space. Runna is a standout platform, with best-in-class features and a brilliant team. They’ve achieved incredible results in a short period and have helped runners truly progress.”
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