What Hydrow does

Hydrow is a Boston-based connected fitness company founded in 2017 that designs and sells premium indoor rowing machines and, since its 2024 acquisition of Speede Fitness, an AI-enabled isokinetic strength training platform called LYQUID. The company's core products—the Hydrow Arc Rower and Hydrow Wave Rower—integrate proprietary electromagnetic resistance systems, a 24-inch HD display on the Arc, and the HydroMetrics performance tracking platform, all connected to a subscription-based content library of live and on-demand workouts led by Olympians and world champion trainers filmed in scenic global locations including Rio de Janeiro, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Alaska, and Turks & Caicos.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model combining upfront hardware sales (Arc, Wave, and LYQUID equipment) with recurring monthly membership subscriptions for content access, supplemented by one-on-one personal coaching services. Hydrow sells primarily direct-to-consumer through its e-commerce site hydrow.com, with secondary channels including a retail store finder, a commercial Hotel Finder B2B program placing equipment in hospitality venues, and seasonal promotional events. The company reached over 200,000 users by March 2022, when it closed a $55 million Series D led by Constitution Capital with participation from L Catterton, RX3 Ventures, Liberty Street, Activant Capital, and Sandbridge Capital, followed by a $32 million+ exempt offering later in 2022.

Hydrow's strategic positioning has shifted from a rowing-only premium hardware brand to a 'Fluid Strength' full-body fitness platform spanning cardio and strength. This repositioning is anchored by the Speede Fitness acquisition in May 2024 (coinciding with CEO Bruce Smith's departure) and the September 2025 launch of the flagship Hydrow Arc Rower. The company remains privately held under Delaware incorporation with operational headquarters in Boston and a workforce of 101-250 employees.

Name

Hydrow

Legal name

Hydrow, Inc.

Website

https://hydrow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Hydrow is a Boston-based connected fitness company that designs premium indoor rowing machines and the LYQUID AI-enabled strength platform, selling hardware plus a subscription content library of live and on-demand workouts led by Olympians to at-home fitness consumers and select hospitality partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Connected Fitness Equipment

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Remote Personal Training & Programming (HSADAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Home Gym Systems & Smart Fitness Equipment Retail (Connected Mirrors, Smart Bikes, All-in-One Gyms) (CRAMADAG), Endurance & Running/Cycling Training (HSADAAAG)

Keywords

• Connected fitness equipment
• Home rowing machines
• Strength training equipment
• Fitness subscription content
• Interactive workout platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of connected fitness equipment including rowing machines (Hydrow Arc, Hydrow Wave) and LYQUID strength training platform. One-time purchase model with upfront equipment revenue.
2. Subscription Membership: Monthly or annual subscription for access to live and on-demand workout classes, expert trainers including Olympians and world champions, and progress tracking features.
3. Personal Coaching: One-on-one coaching services for personalized fitness guidance and training programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hydrow designs, manufactures, and sells connected indoor fitness equipment—primarily premium rowing machines (Hydrow Arc and Hydrow Wave) and the LYQUID AI-enabled isokinetic strength training platform—paired with a subscription-based workout content platform offering live and on-demand classes led by Olympians and certified trainers. The company also offers personal coaching services and distributes equipment commercially to hotels and hospitality venues.

Product overview

Hydrow offers a connected fitness platform centered on two exercise modalities: rowing and strength training. The product lineup consists of three main hardware products: the Hydrow Arc Rower (flagship premium rower with 24-inch screen), the Hydrow Wave Rower (streamlined entry-level rower), and the LYQUID strength platform (isokinetic resistance-based weight trainer). The company was founded in 2017 and expanded into strength training through the acquisition of Speede Fitness in 2024, rebranding the AI-enabled strength machine as LYQUID. All products integrate with Hydrow's membership subscription providing live and on-demand workouts led by Olympians and certified trainers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LYQUID: Strength training platform featuring AI-enabled isokinetic resistance training equipment, positioned as a countercurrent strength solution complementing Hydrow's rowing machines.
• Hydrow Arc
• Hydrow Wave

Products and services

• Hydrow Arc Rower Premium flagship connected rowing machine featuring a 24-inch HD screen, electromagnetic resistance, and HydroMetrics performance tracking. Designed for individual consumers seeking an immersive full-body rowing experience at home, with workouts filmed in scenic global locations.
• Hydrow Wave Rower Streamlined connected rowing machine with a small footprint, designed in five bold colors. Offers individual consumers a full-body cardio workout with the feel of being on water.
• LYQUID Strength Platform Freestanding connected strength training platform featuring AI-enabled isokinetic resistance technology. Designed for individual consumers as a weight training complement to Hydrow's rowing machines under Hydrow's Fluid Strength philosophy.
• Hydrow Membership Monthly or annual subscription membership providing Hydrow equipment owners access to live and on-demand workout content spanning rowing, strength, yoga, pilates, stretching, circuit training, and mobility, with progress tracking and milestones.
• Personal Coaching One-on-one coaching services for individual Hydrow users, providing personalized fitness guidance and customized training programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue growth of more than 3x from 2020 to 2021

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Speede FitnesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2024Hydrow acquired a majority stake in Speede Fitness, maker of the AI-enabled strength training machine that became the LYQUID platform. This acquisition expanded Hydrow's offerings into strength-focused experiences. The acquisition coincided with CEO Bruce Smith's stepping down.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cityrow: Cityrow sells connected rowing machines paired with subscription workout content, competing in the same smart rower category as Hydrow.
• Echelon Fitness: Echelon offers connected fitness equipment (bikes, rowers, mirrors) at multiple price points with subscription content, competing in the same connected equipment + membership model as Hydrow.
• Tempo: Tempo offers a connected home gym with strength training equipment, 3D sensors, and live/on-demand classes—overlapping with Hydrow's connected strength training expansion via LYQUID.
• Tonal: Tonal is a connected smart strength training system with subscription content—the most direct competitor to Hydrow's newly acquired LYQUID strength platform.
• Peloton: Peloton is the most direct competitor in connected fitness, offering connected cardio equipment (bike, treadmill, rower) bundled with a live/on-demand subscription workout library—the same core business model Hydrow pursues.
• Ergatta: Ergatta is a direct competitor in the connected home rowing market, offering a smart water rower with subscription-based gamified workouts—overlapping head-to-head with Hydrow's rowing proposition.
• Aviron: Aviron sells a connected home rowing machine paired with a subscription content library focused on gamified fitness, directly competing with Hydrow's flagship rowing offering.

Broad incumbents

• WaterRower: WaterRower is an established premium water-resistance rowing machine manufacturer; while not a connected fitness platform, it competes for the same premium home rowing buyer Hydrow targets.
• iFit (NordicTrack/ProForm): iFit powers connected fitness content across NordicTrack and ProForm cardio and strength equipment, representing a larger, broader incumbent competing across multiple equipment categories that overlap with Hydrow.

Emerging players

• CAROL Bike: CAROL Bike is an AI-powered smart bike focused on time-efficient cardio workouts; an emerging connected fitness player with subscription content that intersects with Hydrow's premium positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hydrow_by_Crew
• Facebookfacebook.com/hydrow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hydrow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hydrow