Insider Brief
- TRAIT, a Berlin-based AI training app for runners, raises €1 million in seed funding from HTGF, better ventures, and private investors to enhance its personalized and empathetic training platform.
- The app, rebranded from “Twaiv,” provides individualized running plans and virtual coaching, emphasizing flexibility and social support to help users achieve their training goals.
- The funding will support TRAIT’s mission to combine sports science with AI and community, aiming to revolutionize fitness by focusing on both physical and mental well-being.
PRESS RELEASE — BONN, Germany/July 22, 2024 — TRAIT, the innovative training app, has raised around 1 million € in seed funding from HTGF, the angel club better ventures and other private investors. The funding will support the further development of its AI training platform, which aims to provide a more personalized and empathetic training experience for runners.
The Berlin-based start-up’s mission is to help people achieve their individual training goals and lead a more sustainably active and fulfilling life. At the heart of the company is the desire to marry science-based training with a sense of community. The team’s research indicated that people weren’t reaching their goals due to a lack of statistics or workouts, but because either their plans lacked flexibility, or they didn’t have the support network when they needed it. These are two key issues that TRAIT is addressing, so that when life gets in the way, nobody gets left behind.
Rebranded as “TRAIT”, the start-up has relaunched its training app for runners today. The previous version of the app achieved significant growth — the downloads increased by 178% annually — by convincing with highly individualized running training plans and a virtual coach. Building on this, the team around founders Raphael Jung and Matthias Ettrich aims to provide runners with even more tailored support.
The seed funding enables TRAIT to realize their vision of an empathetic and adaptive training environment that is not only focused on performance, but also on the well-being of the runners. The founders want to set a new industry standard by emphasising the importance of human interaction and social support.
With TRAIT, we have developed an app that is as empathetic and understanding as a human coach would be. We help people get back into sport. We combine sports science and AI training with real social, mutual supportiveness. With the help of HTGF, selected business angels from better ventures and other private investors, we are ready to revolutionize the way people think about being fit.
Raphael Jung, Co-Founder and CEO of TRAIT
We are excited about TRAIT’s vision and approach to creating an empathetic and adaptive AI training platform for athletes. It’s designed to strengthen individuals not just physically, but also mentally.
Johannes Dierkes, Investment Manager at HTGF
The latest version of the app can be downloaded for free now from both the Android and iPhone app stores.
About TRAIT
TRAIT is based in Berlin and was founded by Raphael Jung and Matthias Ettrich. Since 2021, the company operated under the name “Twaiv” and focused on AI-generated, adaptive training plans, before relaunching under the name TRAIT in July 2024. Since its inception, the company has experienced rapid growth with an annual increase in downloads of 178%. Trait has raised around 1 million € in seed funding from HTGF, the angel club better ventures and other investors.
Media Contact
Rhys Howell, Press Manager
[email protected]
www.trait.club
About High-Tech Gründerfonds
The seed investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) finances tech start-ups with growth potential and has supported more than 750 start-ups since 2005. In its four seed funds, HTGF has about 1.4 billion euros under management. Its team of experienced investment managers and start-up experts support young companies with expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and passion. HTGF’s focus is on high-tech start-ups in the fields of digital tech, industrial tech, life sciences, chemistry and related business areas. To date, external investors have injected about 6 billion euros of capital into the HTGF portfolio via more than 2,000 follow-on financing rounds. In addition, HTGF has already successfully sold shares in more than 180 companies.
Fund investors in this public-private partnership include the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, KfW Capital and 45 companies from a wide range of industries.
Media contact
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Tobias Jacob, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
T.: +49 228–82300–121
[email protected]
