A group of Manchester entrepreneurs are using technology to significantly improve accessibility to fitness activities.
Supported by the OpenActive Accelerator, a programme backed by Sport England and the Open Data Institute, these entrepreneurs are committed to promoting healthier lifestyles. Manchester-based start-up GoSweat is at the forefront, designing innovative digital solutions to simplify the discovery and booking of sports and fitness classes locally.
GoSweat functions as a two-sided marketplace that connects providers of fitness classes with individuals seeking to participate. Founded by Stephanie Newport Booth, Alex Hind, and Kent McClymont, the business has received substantial support and mentoring through the OpenActive Accelerator programme. Newport Booth and Hind, previously frustrated by the lack of easily accessible information about local fitness options in Manchester, developed GoSweat as a comprehensive, user-friendly platform for booking a variety of local fitness activities.
Newport Booth remarked, “Being on the OpenActive accelerator has really helped us to develop and grow the business. It has been fantastic to take advantage of the data being made available by leisure operators and sports membership organisations as part of the OpenActive initiative because the sports sessions on offer help to make our product more comprehensive. It is my aim to make the business a global one and we are developing and refining the platform we have created all the time to make it even easier for people to find the exercise class they are looking for locally.”
With Sport England’s Active Lives Survey indicating that over a quarter of the population engages in less than 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, OpenActive aims to simplify the process of finding activities and encourage more people to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines. Hazel Musgrove, a regional champion for OpenActive and part of Greater Manchester’s County Sports Partnership, explained, “As a Regional Champion I work with local sports organisations and sports providers within the Greater Manchester area to encourage them to share information about the sports and fitness sessions that they run. The idea is that this information can then be shared across a variety of different platforms and websites including platforms like GoSweat. It is my role to make sure that leisure operators and sports clubs across the Greater Manchester area understand the potential of OpenActive and the way it aims to open up sport and activity for a whole new audience of people who struggle at the moment to access activities that they are interested in.”
The OpenActive Accelerator programme is an integral part of OpenActive, an initiative funded by the National Lottery through Sport England. Delivered by the Open Data Institute in partnership with Sport England and other sector partners, including ukactive and London Sport, the programme supports ten start-ups in developing new products and services that facilitate greater physical activity. This collaborative effort underscores a comprehensive approach to addressing barriers to fitness and promoting a healthier population.
The efforts of Manchester’s tech entrepreneurs, bolstered by the OpenActive Accelerator programme, represent a significant stride towards making fitness activities more accessible. Through innovative solutions like GoSweat, the landscape of local fitness is poised for transformative change, encouraging more individuals to lead active, healthier lives.
