What fitbox does

fitbox GmbH is a Berlin-headquartered, privately held EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) fitness franchise founded in 2011 by Ingo Huppenbauer (CEO, also CEO of related brand FITOMAT) and co-led by Managing Director Dr. Björn Schultheiss. The company licenses a franchise system of more than 100 studios across the DACH region (Germany and Austria, with German-speaking Switzerland within brand scope), each independently owned but operating under the registered fitbox® EU trademark and a copyrighted "3-ECK Konzept" that combines strength, cardio, and nutrition. The core offering is a 20-minute EMS training session in which electrical impulses activate up to 90% of a member's musculature simultaneously under mandatory personal-trainer supervision, delivered on scheduled appointments with a typical frequency of up to two sessions per week.

The product surface centres on EMS (delivered as either EMS Strength or EMS Cardio) supported by a one-time Startbox onboarding (anamnesis and individual EMS settings profile), recurring Comfort Service add-ons (fresh gear, towels, optional fee-suspension rest periods of up to 8 weeks/year under Comfort Service Premium), and BodyCheck BIA body-composition tracking. Pricing starts at €22.90 per week, varying by studio and contract term (flexible monthly, 6-month, or 12-month). Revenue mechanics span four streams: end-member subscriptions through franchise studios, one-time Startbox onboarding, Comfort Service add-ons, and franchise licensing/royalty fees flowing back to fitbox GmbH as the system headquarters.

The corporate entity operates with 51–100 employees at the registered office (Oranienburger Straße 5c, 10178 Berlin; HRB 183474). Distribution is exclusively through franchisees; marketing runs through a website-led trial-booking flow, HubSpot-managed email, and an Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn/YouTube/TikTok presence, complemented by six consecutive years of "Deutschlands bestes EMS-Fitnessstudio" and five consecutive years of "Deutschlands bestes Fitnessstudio" (FOCUS MONEY / DEUTSCHLAND TEST), a 300+ ProvenExpert review seal, and BILD Kundenkönig 2024. Technology is supplied via partnerships rather than owned IP — EasyMotionSkin (EMS hardware), seca (BIA), EGYM, Matrix (Johnson Health Tech), and Symbiont — and the firm shows no disclosed AI/ML capability, no M&A, no external funding, and no app of its own (a mobile-first booking pathway remains a potential build).

Name

fitbox

Legal name

fitbox GmbH

Website

https://fitbox.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

fitbox GmbH is a Berlin-headquartered German EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) fitness franchise, founded 2011, operating 100+ franchise studios across the DACH region and offering 20-minute, personal-trainer-supervised EMS strength and cardio sessions via subscription, licensing, and one-time onboarding add-ons.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

EMS Fitness Training

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Strength & Conditioning Personal Training (HSADAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Weight Loss & Body Transformation Training (HSADAAAC)

Keywords

• EMS fitness training
• Franchise fitness studios
• Electrical muscle stimulation training
• Personal trainer sessions
• Body composition analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EMS Training Membership: Weekly membership fees providing access to up to 2 EMS training sessions per calendar week (~20 minutes each), with personal trainer supervision, individualized training plans, and BodyCheck body analysis. Members can choose between EMS strength training or EMS cardio training. Entry price from €22.90 per week, varying by studio and contract duration.
2. Comfort Service & Comfort Service Premium: Optional add-on services bundled with membership. Comfort Service includes fresh EMS training gear per session and a towel. Comfort Service Premium adds the option to request rest periods (minimum 2 full calendar weeks, maximum 8 calendar weeks per year), with membership fees suspended during approved rest periods.
3. Startbox (Initial Consultation): One-time onboarding package including an individual anamnesis, introduction to EMS training, and creation of a personal training profile. Charged upon completion, separate from recurring membership fees.
4. Franchise Licensing: Revenue generated from franchise partners who open and operate fitbox studios under the brand's proven business model, contributing to the network of 100+ studios across DACH.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

fitbox sells time-efficient EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) fitness training delivered through a network of 100+ franchised studios across the DACH region. End consumers pay recurring weekly memberships starting from €22.90/week for up to two 20-minute supervised sessions with a personal trainer, complemented by one-time Startbox onboarding and optional Comfort Service add-ons. The central fitbox GmbH also licenses its brand, 3-ECK training concept, and studio operating system to franchise partners who own the individual studios.

Product overview

fitbox is an EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) fitness franchise offering time-efficient 20-minute workout sessions with always-present personal trainer supervision. The core product is EMS Training, available in two modalities: EMS Strength Training and EMS Cardio Training. The 3-ECK Konzept integrates strength, cardio, and nutrition into a holistic approach. Supporting services include STARTBOX (initial consultation and anamnesis), Comfort Service (fresh equipment and towels), and Comfort Service Premium (flexible rest periods). BodyCheck with BIA body analysis scale provides measurable progress tracking. Membership includes up to 2 training sessions per week with fixed appointments, starting from €22.90 per week.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• fitbox 3-ECK Konzept (fitbox 3-Corner Concept): The company's proprietary training approach combining strength training, cardio, and nutrition for comprehensive fitness results.
• FITOMAT

Products and services

• EMS Training Membership Recurring weekly membership providing up to two 20-minute EMS personal training sessions per calendar week with always-present personal trainer supervision and fixed appointments. Members choose between EMS Strength Training or EMS Cardio Training and receive individualized EMS profiles, BodyCheck body composition analysis, and access across the 100+ franchise studio network. Priced from €22.90/week entry with flexible monthly, 6-month, or 12-month contract terms.
• STARTBOX (Initial Anamnesis & Onboarding) One-time onboarding package including a detailed anamnesis consultation, introduction to EMS training, and creation of a personal training profile with individually calibrated EMS settings. Charged separately from the recurring weekly membership upon completion of the initial consultation.
• BodyCheck Body Composition Analysis Body composition analysis service using a BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis) scale to measure and track members' fitness progress, muscle mass, body fat, and other metrics. Provided as part of the fitbox membership and used to substantiate the company's reported outcomes (e.g., 468,234 kg muscle gained, 982,105 kg fat lost since 2011).
• Franchise License (Studio Operator License) B2B franchise offering under which entrepreneurs open and operate fitbox-branded EMS studios using the company's proven operating model, brand, and training system. Franchisees receive support from site selection through studio opening and beyond, and contribute licensing/royalty income to the central fitbox GmbH.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11,546,723 EMS personal trainings completed since 2011
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FITOMATcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFITOMAT is the parent brand and co-development partner behind fitbox. Ingo Huppenbauer is CEO & Founder of FITOMAT. FITOMAT and fitbox operate under a unified brand group as shown at ERFA 2026 event materials, sharing training technology, brand standards, and franchise systems.
• EasyMotionSkincoreTechnology or IntegrationEasyMotionSkin supplies EMS technology integrated into fitbox studios. Dominic Heilig, CRO of EasyMotionSkin, participated in the 'Zukunft EMS' tech panel at ERFA 2026, discussing the future of EMS technology and what studio operators need to know.
• Wellhub (formerly Gympass/Wellpass)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWellhub corporate wellness platform enables employees to access fitbox studios as part of their fitness benefits. fitbox Mülheim Speldorf and Memmingen Amendingen display Wellhub partnership logos.
• Urban Sports ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUrban Sports Club is a multi-gym fitness subscription platform allowing members to access fitbox studios. fitbox Münster Mauritzviertel displays Urban Sports Club partnership.
• HansefitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHansefit is a German fitness studio network allowing members to access partner studios. fitbox Münster Mauritzviertel displays Hansefit partnership logo.
• Me and All Hotel (Hyatt)minorOthersOfficial event partner for ERFA 2026. Located at S-Bahnhof Ostbahnhof, 10 minutes from Sage Beach event venue. Offered group booking rates for ERFA attendees.
• Sage Beach BerlinminorOthersEvent venue for ERFA 2026 (Sage Beach at the Spree river, June 20, 2026). Site of main conference day including keynotes, panels, BBQ, and after-show party.
• Tiotio Berlin (Rooftop Padel)minorOthersNetworking venue for ERFA 2026 Get Together event (June 19, 2026 from 6 PM) featuring rooftop padel sports and socializing.
• Sport AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMartin Bardeleben, Sport Alliance General Manager DACH, participated in the 'Smart Gym' panel at ERFA 2026, representing the broader fitness software and management ecosystem.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Hansefit: German corporate-fitness network aggregator offering employer-subsidized access to partner studios including fitbox. Direct distribution channel whose pricing and member allocation directly affect fitbox studio traffic and revenue.
• Urban Sports Club: European multi-gym subscription platform that grants members access to fitbox studios. Functions as a key distribution channel across DACH and beyond, with overlapping target customers (urban professionals) but a different business model.

Direct peers

• Bodystreet: Largest direct EMS micro-studio franchise competitor in the DACH region, offering 20-minute EMS personal training sessions under a comparable franchise model. Directly competes for both end consumers and prospective franchisees.
• EasyMotionSkin: EMS technology provider and operator of its own EMS studio network. Although also a current fitbox technology partner, it operates competing studios and represents a dual supplier-competitor risk.
• miha bodytec: German EMS device manufacturer and EMS studio operator, also offering franchise and licensed studio concepts. Competes with fitbox on both the technology supply and consumer-facing studio level.

Broad incumbents

• Kieser Training: Established German strength-training chain with subscription-based, supervised 30-minute sessions. Targets a similar health- and outcome-oriented professional demographic with a strength-focused value proposition, though using conventional equipment.
• McFit / RSG Group (John Reed Fitness Club): Europe's largest low-cost fitness operator under the RSG Group umbrella, with extensive German footprint. Represents the broad-incumbent competitive threat as it expands into premium and EMS-adjacent concepts.

Others

• Wellhub (formerly Gympass): Corporate wellness platform that distributes fitbox memberships to employees of partner companies. Functions as a low-CAC distribution channel whose terms and economics directly shape fitbox's member acquisition strategy.
• EGYM: Smart-gym technology provider already integrated with fitbox via Wellpass. Offers digital strength training ecosystems to gyms and corporates, representing both a partnership channel and adjacent competitive pressure in tech-enabled fitness.

Emerging players

• CLEVRLY: Emerging German EMS studio concept offering a digitally-enabled, app-driven EMS training format. Competes for the same time-pressed, results-oriented urban professional segment as fitbox but with a more digital-first positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fitboxDe
• Facebookfacebook.com/fitbox
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/winding-cross
• Instagraminstagram.com/fitbox_ems
• TikToktiktok.com/@fitbox_ems
• Xx.com/fitbox_ems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 fitbox