SweatPals Builds Gen Z’s ‘Third Space’ With Fitness & Flexibility
With new features like tracking links and Klarna-powered payment plans, SweatPals is giving fitness organizers smarter tools to grow while making it easier for attendees to commit
SweatPals, an Austin-based social fitness startup, is expanding its platform to meet the growing demand for community-driven wellness.
The app, which connects users to local fitness events, wellness meetups and group activities, is rolling out new tools to help individuals discover and join shared experiences, such as run clubs, yoga classes, boot camps and more. The platform also includes enhanced backend tools for trainers and organizers, offering digital ticketing, waiver signing, participant management and group communication to streamline operations.
The startup raised $3 million in a funding round led by a16z Speedrun and Pear VC last October.
SweatPals users can search by location to discover everything from rooftop yoga socials in Denver to Wednesday night run clubs in Chicago, free virtual meditations or casual pickleball meetups in Tampa. Users can filter by activity, whether it’s strength training, hiking, mindfulness or dance, and sort by price to find free or paid options that match their interests and budget.
Earlier this month, SweatPals released two new features: Tracking Links and Payment Plans, which are meant to help trainers grow their events more strategically while removing financial barriers for attendees.
Tracking Links gives hosts a clearer picture of which marketing efforts are driving real results. Organizers can generate unique URLs for campaigns across Instagram, email, or other channels and track performance metrics, such as views, conversion rates, tickets sold and revenue. The feature also supports team-level insights and allows for auto-applied discounts tailored to specific promotions.
The second feature, Payment Plans, is powered by Klarna through Stripe and allows attendees to split the cost of high-ticket events, such as $2,000 yoga retreats, into four installments. Organizers still receive full payment upfront, while Klarna manages the rest, including collections and any missed payments.
SweatPals co-founder Salar Shahini launched the platform after moving to a new country and struggling to form connections while navigating language barriers. Everything shifted when he joined a local run club, an experience that revealed movement as a universal language and inspired the idea for a fitness platform built around community.
“As fitness evolves, it’s becoming less about isolated workouts and more about social connections,” Shahini said. “SweatPals was built to make it simple for trainers to host events and for participants to find and join them. The goal is to create spaces where fitness and connection can thrive together – in neighborhoods, parks, and studios across the country.”
His vision is shared by co-founder Mandi Zhou, who emphasized the growing demand for real-world connection through movement.
“People want more ways to connect beyond digital spaces, and fitness has become a key way to build those connections,” Zhou said. “We’ve built SweatPals to give trainers and organizers the tools to host activities, manage sign‑ups, and build communities – making it simpler for people to find and participate in activities that match their interests and schedules.”