CLMBR, the Peloton of Climbing Machines, Signs Jay-Z and Novak Djokovic as Investors
Hip-hop star Jay-Z and tennis champion Novak Djokovic are among the wealthy individuals betting that people want CLMBR, a lightweight climbing machine for the home.
CLMBR, which hopes to be to stair machines what Peloton has become to stationary bicycles, has signed on two high-profile investors: Tennis champion Novak Djokovic and hip-hop mogul Jay-Z.
CLMBR’s vertical climbing machines, with built-in video monitors at eye level, are available for preorder. The CLMBR Connected for home is available for $2,699 with free standard delivery included ($200 value), while you need to get in touch with the company to know the price of the CLMBR Pure for gyms and businesses with your required customization and programming option. The Pure features a 10-inch touchscreen with metrics and instructional programming, 8-hour battery power (wired connection optional), and optional integrated audio with stereo connectivity, while the Connected comes with 21.5-inch touchscreen, a standard 3-speaker built-in sound system with wired power connection, and access to a large on-demand library of pre-recorded classes & challenges.
Of course, high-end home fitness equipment is a hot industry as people avoid gyms and in-person classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those who have already invested in CLMBR are YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley and personal fitness consultant Marco Borges.
Borges may have been the link that connected Jay-Z, the billionaire rapper. He is the personal health consultant to Jay-Z and wife Beyoncé, who made her own foray into the home fitness equipment market, by lending her name and music to Peloton for a series of themed classes. There’s no word if he will take part in programming, but one can hope their $2,699 purchase allows them to sweat it out to “Big Pimpin’”
For anyone not hip to Jay-Z’s career beyond ubiquitous ’00s hits, the man behind “99 Problems” and “Empire State of Mind,” Mr. Beyoncé has an extensive investment and business profile, that includes liquor and clothing brands, his sports and music career management company Roc Nation and stakes in companies like Tidal and Uber. He also once had partial ownership of the New York Knicks.
Djokovic currently holds the number-one rank of the Association of Tennis Professionals and has for about six years. The 33-year-old Serbian’s career accomplishments are multifold: He has won 17 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, he has won all nine modern ATP Masters 1000 tournaments and 81 ATP singles titles.
Aside from hard cash, Jay-Z’s involvement will no doubt add some star power to the new climbing machine company and Djokovic’s put some weight to its claims of health benefits, including the promotion of climbing as a posture-improving, spine-bettering exercise.
