The Portal Raises $5M for ‘Human Flourishing’ Clubs

The startup, which counts Function Health’s Dr. Mark Hyman as an advisor, is opening in downtown Austin this fall, marking its second location

Who doesn’t want to flourish?

Austin’s wellness devotees will get their chance this fall as The Portal, a membership club centered on human flourishing, prepares to open its second location following a $5 million funding round that drew more than two dozen backers spanning tech, venture and wellness.

The new space at 601 Rio Grande joins the club’s original outpost in Marin/San Francisco, which opened in 2024.

At approximately 15,000 square feet, the upcoming Austin spot will feature a rooftop pool, cold plunges, a 30-person sauna, movement studio, restaurant and bar, members’ lounge, coworking space, art gallery, podcast studio and a rooftop stage.

Membership includes access to special events plus unlimited yoga and movement classes, as well as access to 33 partner clubs worldwide, including Club 75 in New York City.

As for who gets in, The Portal says it seeks members living in alignment with their “highest purpose” who are “heart centered” and eager to participate in community. Membership runs on referrals, with the club prioritizing nominations from existing members over cold applications. According to its website, applications will open soon for the Austin club.

“The Portal was created to answer a growing desire for belonging, well-being, and meaningful community,” The Portal co-founder and CEO Anwen Baumeister said. “Austin has become a magnet for creators, entrepreneurs and innovators. We’re excited to create a space where those communities can gather, collaborate and flourish.”

No argument there, as Austin has become a capital of sorts for biohackers and optimization-minded entrepreneurs. Joe Rogan relocated his podcast empire there in 2020, and longevity physician Peter Attia runs his practice, Early Medical, out of the city. Dave Asprey, the self-described father of biohacking, hosts his annual biohacking conference in Austin, which is also home to his Upgrade Labs wellness franchise.

The Portal, for its part, has attracted several well-known advisors, including Function Health co-founder Dr. Mark Hyman, entrepreneur and author Tim Ferriss (also a Portal investor), Thinx and Tushy founder Miki Agrawal and Twitch co-founder Justin Kan.

At its Marin club, membership ran $350 to $500 per month, or roughly $3,570 to $5,100 annually, as of March 2025, according to an archived version of the club’s website.

The Portal’s arrival also fits a larger pattern: a K-shaped economy that is taking hold across fitness and wellness, with low-price gyms and high-end clubs thriving while the middle gets squeezed. Invite-only social wellness clubs sit firmly on the upper arm of that K, selling exclusivity to those who can devote dollars and time to belonging and biohacking, and they appear to be multiplying.

Remedy Place, a membership-based social wellness club, opened its largest location yet in Boston last year, while high-end social wellness concept Bathhouse raised $35 million in May to expand its communal sauna and cold plunge experience nationwide, though it does offer day passes. At the far end of the spectrum sits Continuum Club, a Greenwich Village wellness club where memberships run up to $10,000 a month.

Across the pond, Virgin Active is converting its London Mayfair site into its first U.K. social wellness club, complete with contrast spa, longevity treatment rooms and coworking lounges, with plans to roll the concept out across its portfolio.