Wellhub Acquires Urban Sports Club
Mindfulness & Mergers: Wellhub has racked up two wins this month, expanding its European reach and deepening its mental health focus through an expanded partnership with meditation app Headspace
Wellhub, the global corporate wellbeing platform, has made a bold move to expand its reach and unlock new opportunities for wellness partners—such as gyms, studios and fitness apps—with its acquisition of Urban Sports Club, a European provider of corporate wellness and employee benefit programs across seven countries.
Urban Sports Club acts as a one-stop shop for fitness, sports and wellness, giving users the flexibility to book sessions at gyms, yoga studios, climbing gyms, sports facilities, online and on-demand classes all under one membership, as long as it’s with a participating partner.
Combined with Wellhub, the two will serve a network of 34,500 corporate clients and 83,000 holistic wellbeing partners—including gyms, boutique studios and digital wellness providers—and meet the growing demand for corporate wellness solutions and employee benefits.
“This acquisition represents a significant milestone in Wellhub’s European strategy,” Wellhub CEO Cesar Carvalho said. “Urban Sports Club’s deep-rooted presence in Europe, coupled with their innovative approach to employee wellness, makes them an ideal partner as we meet the surging demand for holistic corporate wellness solutions and employee benefits. This strategic combination will empower more companies to invest in their employees’ health, ultimately leading to a more engaged and productive workforce.”
As part of the deal, Urban Sports Club co-founders and co-CEOs Moritz Kreppel and Benjamin Roth are reinvesting in the joint venture and joining Wellhub’s global leadership team.
“This is an exciting day for Urban Sports Club—for us and for the entire wellbeing and fitness industry,” Kreppel said. “This acquisition is a perfect strategic fit: while Wellhub brings global reach and a technology platform, Urban Sports Club has a strong presence in Europe with a broad network of local partners. Our shared mission to inspire more and more people to lead an active and healthy lifestyle aligns perfectly. For our partners, members, and corporate clients, as well as our employees, this creates new opportunities for growth, diversity and innovation.”
For now, Urban Sports Club will operate as a separate entity.
As the alliance between the two develops, Wellhub has deepened its ties with mindfulness and meditation app Headspace, bringing Headspace Coaching to employees via corporate benefits programs. Notably, Wellhub experienced a 48% year-over-year growth in its mind category last year, underscoring the importance of mental health support to employees.
The program delivers personalized, text-based support from a mental health coach that can help address everyday challenges, such as assisting employees with managing stress or improving emotional resilience.
“Our research consistently shows that workplace stress has become the primary driver of mental health challenges, with nearly half of employees identifying it as the main cause of their deteriorating well-being,” Wellhub psychologist and mental health expert Ines Hungerbühler, PhD, said. “At Wellhub, we specialize in delivering personalized employee wellness plans that recognize each individual’s unique needs. By partnering with Headspace to offer mental health coaching, we’re combining Wellhub’s comprehensive well-being platform with Headspace’s expertise in accessible mental health support. Together, we’re filling a critical gap in the mental health continuum and transforming workplace well-being.”
Headspace Coaching will roll out through Wellhub’s premium offerings: the Titanium plan in the US, the Platinum plan in the UK, Ireland and Germany and the Diamond plan in Spain, Mexico and Chile.