Hyperice, an industry leader in recovery technology and pioneer of percussion, vibration, dynamic air compression, and thermal technology, has acquired Core, a mental wellness company that invented a meditation training device and app. The acquisition highlights Hyperice’s commitment to mental wellness as a critical pillar to overall health, performance, recovery, and self-care. This marks the company’s third acquisition
The announcement comes about as the conversation around the mental wellness movement is at its peak. After listening to both consumers and the Hyperice roster of elite athletes and experts talk about their own mental wellness and the role it plays in their performance, training, and overall success, company officials decided that the moment to expand into mental wellness is now.
The acquisition comes at a time when the global mindfulness meditation apps market size is expected to reach $4,206.1 million by 2027. The number of people experiencing various mental health conditions have significantly increased over the past two years among nearly all age groups and populations, especially during the isolation and stress of the global pandemic.
“For a decade, Hyperice has focused on helping people move better through a suite of performance technology that helps everyone be at their best. We’ve heard from both our elite and everyday athletes that mental wellness is critical to performance, so it was a natural evolution into the mental wellness category,” says Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice. “Joining forces with Core aligns with our innovative spirit, while investing in the future of wellness and includes a holistic and self-care approach.”
Grounded in science and driven by data, Core is designed to help people find calm, improve focus, and inner strength. Unlike other meditation apps, Core is both an app and a handheld meditation device designed to track heart rate and stress levels. Powered by the Core app, the purposefully designed Core Meditation Trainer uses biometrics to encourage breath control and focus for those navigating meditation techniques. Users enhance their meditation practice from home or the office and track progress with the app. Core Premium subscribers also receive access to a robust library of instructor-led meditation sessions.
“Since our inception, our purpose has been to cement mental wellness as a pillar of modern life,” says Sarah McDevitt, Core founder and CEO. “We chose the name Core to bring to mind the deep, calm confidence we identify with health and happiness—that inner core or resilience and contentment that we want all people to be able to tap into. It’s an important moment to be able to partner with Hyperice to bring our two strengths together to offer a more unified approach to mental and physical wellness. Our companies share similar values and I know together we will be able to provide the right tools and solutions needed to help everyone live their best lives.”
McDevitt has been appointed to head the newly created Mind Technology Division at Hyperice, where she will lead strategy and mind-technology innovation. Brian Bolze, co-founder of Core, will join Hyperice as director of Software Engineering, Mind Technologies. The teams will work collaboratively on a streamlined integration and look forward to new innovation and global expansion.
“Meditation can be a pretty intimidating thing to tackle for the first time, so having a tool like Core is instrumental in bridging that gap and making the practice more accessible to more people,” says Colleen Quigley, Olympian and Hyperice athlete investor. “As a Hyperice athlete, I am pumped to add Core to our team and help more people put an emphasis on mental health and wellbeing.”
Core is currently available in the U.S. and will begin to roll out globally in 2022.
“Mental wellness plays a crucial role in my success on and off the field,” says Christian McCaffrey, NFL running back and Hyperice athlete investor. “There’s never been a more important time to elevate the mental wellness conversation, and together, Hyperice and Core are doing exactly that.”
Athletes aren’t the only ones wanting to bring the mental wellness conversation to the forefront. “The elegant design of the Core Meditation Trainer allows everyday athletes to easily focus on their goal and re-center their thoughts through touch,” says high-performance psychologist and Hyperice mindset advisor Michael Gervais, M.D. “It’s a pleasure to welcome the innovators at Core to the Hyperice family as we continue to ensure mental and physical wellness, alongside recovery, is more accessible for all.”
