Upstate Studios

What Upstate Studios does

Upstate Studios is an Australian boutique fitness studio chain founded in 2009 by sisters Gail Asbell and Charelle Cuolahan. The company operates 16 studios across Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales, with a class portfolio anchored in Reformer Pilates, Hot Pilates, Boxing, and Yoga. Mature locations run high-density class schedules, with flagship sites in the Geelong region operating 200+ classes per week and multiple Melbourne studios running 150+ classes per week, signaling strong local utilization. The business is backed by Cotton On Group's Innovation Fund, which provides capital for the multi-state expansion observed in 2025.

Name

Upstate Studios

Legal name

Upstate Balaclava Pty Ltd

Website

https://upstatestudios.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Upstate Studios is an Australian boutique fitness chain operating 16 studios across Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales, offering Reformer Pilates, Hot Pilates, Boxing, and Yoga to predominantly female members, backed by Cotton On Group's Innovation Fund.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Fitness Studio Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Private 1:1 Yoga/Pilates & Small-Group Sessions (HSADACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fitness & Movement Retreats (Pilates, Barre, Dance, Bootcamps) (THAJAHAG)

Keywords

• Group fitness classes
• Reformer pilates studios
• Hot pilates classes
• Boxing fitness classes
• Pilates instructor training

Headquarters

HQ city

Geelong

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Recurring weekly or monthly membership fees providing unlimited or limited class access. Includes intro offers ($59 for 30 days), Weekly Unlimited ($59/week all classes or $39/week mat only), and 12-month upfront memberships ($2600). Member perks include bring-a-friend-free and late cancel waivers.
2. Class Packs and Casual Passes: One-time purchase of class credits. 10 Class Pack ($260), Casual Drop-In ($29), 10 Day Unlimited Pass ($89 at Ocean Grove). All passes expire within 6 months of purchase.
3. Instructor Training Courses: Pilates instructor certification programs. Mat Pilates Course ($2,300-$2,500), Reformer Pilates Course, and Comprehensive Mat+Reformer Course ($4,300-$4,500). Includes online and in-person training components.
4. Retreats: Fitness retreats including accommodation, classes, meals and activities. International retreats require $700 deposit plus staged payments. National retreats require balance 30 days prior.
5. Merchandise (Upstate Sport): Activewear brand Upstate Sport sells workout gear and apparel through upstatesport.com.au

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upstate Studios is a multi-location boutique fitness studio chain operating across Australia, offering group fitness classes in Reformer Pilates, Hot Pilates, Boxing, and Yoga, alongside Pilates instructor certification courses, fitness retreats, and branded activewear. Members access unlimited or limited class packages via subscription memberships or one-off class packs purchased through the company's mobile app and the MindBody booking platform.

Product overview

Upstate Studios is a multi-location fitness studio chain operating 14+ studios across Australia (Melbourne, Geelong, Torquay, Ballarat, Brisbane, Sydney, and Gold Coast). The core offering is group fitness classes built around four main modalities: Reformer Pilates, Hot Pilates, Boxing, and Yoga. Class bookings and membership management are handled through the Upstate App and Mindbody Online platform. The company also operates adjacent services including a Pilates Instructor Training certification program, fitness retreats (national and international), and a branded merchandise line (Upstatesport). Memberships range from introductory 30-day offers to annual commitments, with cross-studio access available at most tiers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Upstate Sport: Australian active streetwear brand selling activewear designed for workouts, from gym to track, with planet-conscious and long-lasting pieces.

Products and services

• Reformer Pilates Classes Group fitness classes conducted on reformer machines, offering a full-body low-impact workout. Upstate offers five distinct reformer class styles designed to be completed in 45 minutes, available to members and casual drop-ins across 16 Australian studios.
• Hot Pilates Classes Heated-room Pilates workouts using infrared heat panels, including styles such as Hot Pilates Burn, Hot Pilates, Hot Pilates Strength, and Hot Pilates Box Strength. Available across all Upstate Studios locations.
• Boxing Classes High-energy boxing fitness classes delivered in a dark studio with neon lighting and beat-pumping music, including styles such as Box, Box Explode, and Box Strength.
• Yoga Classes Yoga offerings including Power Flow, Warm Deep Stretch, Warm Yin, Sound Bath Meditation, and Hot Power Yoga, designed for both energizing and relaxation purposes.
• Upstate App Mobile application for iOS and Android providing seamless class booking, waitlist management, membership tracking, friend connections, and access to All Studios Access across all Upstate locations. Integrated with MindBody booking platform.
• Pilates Instructor Training Certification courses for aspiring Pilates instructors including Mat Pilates Course ($2,300–$2,500), Reformer Pilates Course, and Mat and Reformer Comprehensive Course ($4,300–$4,500). Combines online pre-work with in-person weekend or week-long intensives.
• Upstate Studios Retreats Fitness retreats offered at national Australian locations and international destinations including Greece. Includes accommodation, classes, meals, and activities, with $700 deposit plus staged payments for international retreats.
• Upstate Sport Activewear Branded Australian activewear and streetwear sold through upstatesport.com.au, designed for workouts with planet-conscious and long-lasting pieces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most popular ClassPass livestream in Australia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MindBodycoreTechnology or Integration

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fernwood Fitness: Established Australian women's-only fitness chain with 70+ clubs nationally. Broader incumbent offering group fitness, Pilates, and yoga within a multi-service club model rather than a boutique single-brand experience.
• F45 Training: Global functional training franchise founded in Australia with thousands of studios worldwide. Broader incumbent offering overlapping group-fitness experiences at scale, though focused on HIIT rather than Pilates/yoga modalities.
• Fitness First Australia: One of Australia's largest premium gym chains with full-service clubs in major metros. Broad incumbent offering Pilates, yoga, and group classes as part of a wider facility portfolio, competing for the same general-fitness member wallet.
• Goodlife Health Clubs: Major Australian fitness chain with 90+ clubs nationally. Broad incumbent with group fitness and Pilates programming, competing on convenience and value rather than boutique experience.

Others

• Lululemon: Global activewear brand with a strong Australian presence and ambassador/instructor ecosystem. Adjacent competitor to Upstate Sport on the merchandise side and a broader community/fitness brand that competes for member mindshare.
• ClassPass: Global fitness subscription platform where Upstate is the most popular livestream in Australia. Distribution and discovery partner — not a direct operator competitor but a channel that influences member acquisition and digital reach.

Direct peers

• KX Pilates: Australian-born Reformer Pilates franchise operating dozens of studios across Australia and internationally. Closest direct competitor — same reformer-led, group-class model with similar membership tiers and pricing, competing head-to-head in Melbourne and other Upstate markets.
• Body Fit Training (BFT): Australian group fitness franchise offering 50-minute strength and conditioning programs across a national network. Comparable multi-modality, membership-based studio model and similar member demographic targeting Australian fitness consumers.
• Humming Puppy: Premium Australian hot yoga studio chain with locations in Melbourne and Sydney. Direct competitor in the heated studio / yoga segment using a similar brand-led, design-forward boutique positioning.
• Barre Body: Australian barre, Pilates and yoga studio chain with multiple locations across Sydney, Melbourne, and other major cities. Direct competitor in the boutique Pilates/barre segment with similar membership-based, multi-modality positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/upstate_studios
• Facebookfacebook.com/upstatestudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upstate-yoga

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Upstate Studios