What SUM does

SUM (also branded as "sum." or Sum Hydration) is a Birmingham, Alabama-based company founded in 2020 that operates a B2B2C personalized hydration platform for the fitness industry. The company places its connected Smart Fountain beverage dispensers in partner gym and fitness facility locations, where end-user athletes and gym members use a Bluetooth-enabled mobile app to customize and dispense performance beverages with over 6,500 possible ingredient combinations. The platform has been deployed at named partner locations including OTM Fitness, X4 Fitness, Nexus Fitness, Tinsley Performance, Redefine Fitness, and Meta Fitness, as well as at an NFL team training facility.

The platform consists of three primary components: (1) the SUM Smart Fountain, a connected hardware dispenser that purifies, mineralizes, chills, and blends beverages on demand in 20-, 24-, or 32-oz volumes; (2) a proprietary Smart Cartridge system containing all-natural flavors, electrolytes, natural caffeine, whey protein, nitric oxide, and BCAAs that mixes on demand without single-use packaging; and (3) a mobile application distributed on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store that handles beverage customization, payment processing, Bluetooth connectivity to nearby fountains, and storage of personalized drink blends. There is no published evidence of AI/ML functionality, third-party integrations, or patent protection for the underlying technology.

SUM generates revenue through three streams: placement of Smart Fountain hardware in partner facilities (which the company installs, maintains, and automatically restocks), recurring consumable cartridge sales that flow through the mobile app at the point of dispensing, and per-transaction in-app payments. Pricing for individual beverages is not publicly disclosed, but the partnership model provides free purified water to gym members and two free beverages per day to gym staff, with paid consumption driven by cartridge-based customization. The company is privately held (SUM, LLC, a Delaware LLC) with 1-10 employees, has raised approximately $1.9 million in disclosed funding across multiple rounds since a December 2021 SEC Form D filing, and operates exclusively in the United States.

Name

SUM

Legal name

SUM, LLC

Website

https://sumhydration.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sum Hydration (SUM) operates a B2B2C personalized hydration platform placing connected Smart Fountain dispensers in partner gyms and an NFL team facility. A Bluetooth-enabled mobile app enables athletes and fitness members to dispense customized performance beverages from a proprietary Smart Cartridge system offering 6,500+ combinations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart Hydration / Connected Beverage Dispensers

NAICS

Soft Drink Manufacturing (312111)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Hydration & Electrolyte Water Production (AFAFAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beverages-to-Go (Coffee, Smoothies, Juices, Fountain/Dispensed) (CRAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Smart hydration dispensers
• Connected fitness fountains
• Customizable performance beverages
• Electrolyte dispensing systems
• Mobile app beverage platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Smart Fountain Hardware: SUM places Smart Fountains in partner gym and fitness facility locations. While the partnership model suggests gym partners may not bear the full cost, the fountain hardware represents a capital investment and potential revenue stream for SUM through equipment placement agreements.
2. Smart Cartridges (Consumables): Proprietary beverage cartridges containing flavors, electrolytes, caffeine, and functional ingredients are consumed and reordered. The automated restocking system ensures recurring consumable revenue. Partners receive free water but pay for cartridge-based beverages through the app.
3. Mobile App Transaction Payments: Users pay directly through the mobile app when creating and pouring a customized beverage at a SUM Smart Fountain. Payment is processed in-app, creating a per-transaction revenue stream tied to beverage volume and ingredient customization level.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SUM provides a connected, customizable hydration platform consisting of the Smart Fountain hardware device, a proprietary Smart Cartridge consumable system, and a Bluetooth-enabled mobile app that together deliver on-demand, personalized performance beverages with over 6,500 combinations. The fountains are placed at partner gyms and fitness facilities where end users download the SUM app, customize drink volume, natural flavors, electrolyte levels, and functional add-ons, and pay per pour. The system eliminates single-use waste and automates restocking and maintenance for facility partners.

Product overview

SUM offers a personalized hydration platform consisting of the Smart Fountain hardware device and a companion mobile app. The system uses Smart Cartridge technology to deliver customizable performance beverages with 6500+ combinations including electrolytes, caffeine, protein, and natural flavors. Users control the experience through the mobile app, which connects to fountains via Bluetooth for touchless dispensing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SUM Smart Fountain Connected beverage-dispensing hardware placed at partner gyms and fitness facilities that, when paired with the SUM mobile app and Smart Cartridges, lets users dispense customized performance beverages (volume, flavor, electrolyte level, functional add-ons) on demand with no single-use waste. Aimed at partner gyms and sports facilities serving end-consumer athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
• SUM Smart Cartridges Proprietary consumable cartridges containing all-natural flavors, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium), natural caffeine, whey protein, and functional add-ons (BCAAs, nitric oxide) that slot into the SUM Smart Fountain to enable 6,500+ beverage combinations. Delivered and restocked automatically for partner locations, generating recurring consumable revenue.
• SUM Hydration Mobile App Free iOS and Android companion application that connects via Bluetooth to nearby SUM Smart Fountains, lets users select volume, flavor, electrolyte level, and functional add-ons, processes in-app payment per pour, and saves personalized blends for repeat ordering. Distributed via the Apple App Store (id6479608313) and Google Play Store (com.bhighintensitylabs.sumhydration).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,500 possible beverage combinations from a single Smart Fountain
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• OTM FitnesscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOTM Fitness operates as a gym partner hosting a SUM Smart Fountain on-site. The gym owner (Nick B.) serves as a testimonial advocate, praising the product for its superior quality, lower customer price point, ease of use, and self-managing operations. OTM Fitness members use the SUM fountain for customized post-workout hydration.
• X4 FitnesscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorX4 Fitness, with locations including X4 Homewood and X4 Downtown, hosts SUM Smart Fountains. Founder Chris W. provides testimonials highlighting the seamless integration of SUM into the facility, the high quality of water and electrolytes, and the member convenience. Members love the easy hydration before, during, and after workouts.
• Nexus FitnesscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNexus Fitness hosts SUM Smart Fountains at their gym locations. Owner/Coach Jake K. describes SUM as a game-changer for athlete hydration, noting the convenience of quick refills with customized ingredients, eliminating the need for members to bring their own hydration solutions or deal with powder mixes.
• Tinsley PerformancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTinsley Performance, a performance training facility, hosts a SUM Smart Fountain. Founder Cal T. describes SUM as integral to their athlete performance optimization program, praising the ultra-purified, re-mineralized water combined with all-natural caffeine, flavor, and electrolytes.
• NFL (Team Nutritionist)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSUM has placed Smart Fountains at an NFL team training facility. The team's nutritionist (Steve B.) uses SUM to manage individualized hydration strategies for athletes during the most demanding conditions of an NFL calendar. SUM's research-backed electrolyte formula with natural flavors and low-calorie formula meets the variety and nutritional requirements of professional athletes.
• Apple (App Store)coreTechnology or IntegrationSUM's mobile app is distributed through the Apple App Store, enabling iOS users to download the app, connect to Smart Fountains, customize beverages, and pay/pour. The App Store listing (app ID: id6479608313) is featured on the website and mobile app pages.
• Google (Google Play Store)coreTechnology or IntegrationSUM's mobile app is distributed through the Google Play Store (package ID: com.bhighintensitylabs.sumhydration), enabling Android users to download the app and access the SUM Smart Fountain experience including beverage customization and app-based payment.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bevi: Bevi makes smart, app-connected water and flavored beverage dispensers for offices and commercial spaces. It is the closest direct competitor to SUM's connected Smart Fountain model, differing mainly in venue (offices vs. gyms) and ingredient scope (flavored water vs. performance hydration).
• FloWater: FloWater operates smart water refill stations, including in gyms and fitness facilities, with multi-stage filtration and optional flavor/electrolyte add-ons. It overlaps with SUM on smart-dispenser-in-gym distribution and electrolyte-enhanced hydration, but uses refill rather than cartridge-based dispensing.

Broad incumbents

• Liquid I.V. Liquid I.V. is the dominant functional hydration powder/stick brand competing for the same end-consumers (athletes, fitness enthusiasts) that SUM targets. It is a broad incumbent that competes on the hydration efficacy and convenience story without SUM's zero-waste dispenser hardware.
• Gatorade / Gatorade Water Plus: Gatorade (PepsiCo) is the established incumbent in sports hydration, sold across every gym, store, and sports facility. It competes with SUM for the same end-user occasion (pre/during/post-workout hydration) and has unrivaled distribution, brand, and athlete sponsorship assets.
• BODYARMOR: BODYARMOR (Coca-Cola) is a premium sports hydration brand positioned against Gatorade with a cleaner ingredient profile. It overlaps directly with SUM's "no preservatives, dyes, or sugar" positioning and competes for the same premium, performance-oriented athlete consumer.
• Celsius Holdings: Celsius is a fast-growing functional energy/fitness beverage brand marketed around exercise performance and clean ingredients. It is a broad incumbent competing with SUM for the same gym-goer occasion, differentiated by retail-packaged cans rather than on-site dispensing.
• Primo Water Corporation: Primo Water operates water dispensers, refill services, and bottled water delivery for offices, retail, and commercial customers. It is a broad incumbent in the connected water-dispenser category, sharing SUM's venue-based dispenser distribution model but lacking the performance/customization angle.
• Culligan Water: Culligan is a large water treatment and dispenser company with bottleless water coolers in offices, gyms, and commercial spaces. It is comparable to SUM as a venue-anchored dispenser operator and could move into flavored/functional SKUs that compete with SUM's cartridge platform.
• Waterlogic: Waterlogic sells connected bottleless water dispensers and coolers for offices, hospitality, and fitness facilities globally. It overlaps with SUM's connected-dispenser commercial model and represents the type of scaled incumbent that could enter SUM's performance-beverage niche.

Emerging players

• DrinkBev / Bevi-style smart dispenser startups: Beyond Bevi itself, a small cluster of emerging smart beverage dispenser startups target offices, hotels, and fitness venues with flavored or functional beverage hardware. They are early-stage comparables testing similar connected-dispenser economics in adjacent venues to SUM's gym footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SUM