Crew by True Rowing said the company has landed $5 million in seed capital to bring a connected indoor rowing machine to market. Olympian and Indoor Rowing World Record Holder Richard M. Cashin and avid rowing enthusiast P. Andrews McLane, both private equity executives, are among those funding Crew by True Rowing to deliver the special benefits of on-the-water rowing to consumers worldwide.
Crew by True Rowing daily creates inspiring live content broadcast straight from the cradle of American rowing, the Charles River in Boston, MA. Instructors inspire home workouts with compelling music, real-time feedback and daily stories from their journey to the National Team, all delivered on Crew’s proprietary, patent-pending broadcast-and-delivery system.
Crew by True Rowing noted that rowing is long-recognized as the best whole-body workout, working nearly twice as many muscles as cycling.
“We are extremely pleased with the support from investors,” said Bruce Smith, CEO of True Rowing. “We are taking the extraordinary experience that rowers have cherished for a century and a half on the water and delivering it for the first time to homes everywhere. We will broadcast live on the water to the 22-inch screen on the Crew rowing machine. Consumers get a better workout in half the time on our rower, and we focus on the rhythm and skill of world class rowers who are eager to share their passion for this uniquely beneficial sport.”
True Rowing makes the experience of rowing on the water accessible to millions for the first time, leveraging new technology to transmit the complete rowing experience to Crew’s connected rowing machine. Rowers at home will experience the rhythm and the environment of being out on the water, transforming the experience of working out on an indoor rower.
Dani Hansen, Crew’s lead instructor, said: “Rowing in time with another person transforms the experience of working out. Rowing leaves you feeling strong and integrated because it uses your core, legs, back and arms, and we could not be more excited to share this with the world.”
Crew by True Rowing has attracted a group of National Team rowing instructors and enthusiasts, led by Smith, a former U.S. National Team Coach and executive director of Community Rowing, a worldwide leader in rowing that has been instrumental in the growth and development of the sport in the U.S.
“Rowing used to be something that was reserved for the top 1 percent,” Smith said. “Crew by True Rowing is dedicated to bringing the special benefits of this sport to the rest of the world.”
“Rowing uses 86 percent of the body’s muscles compared to about 44 percent used in cycling,” he said. “With Crew’s live and on-demand workouts, we will provide a more complete experience for people to get great workouts in the convenience and privacy of their home.”
Smith said Peloton has done a great job of providing a new experience for people interested in cycling. Rowing can deliver even more to the connected fitness experience.
Rowing is one of the few exercises that uses both the upper and lower body. Rowing burns calories, is an effective method for weight loss and offers both strength training and a cardio workout.
“We built a machine that belongs in the living room, not the basement, because we want whole health to be a part of our customer’s daily life,” Smith said.
True Rowing estimates there are between 175,000 and 250,000 rowers in the U.S. However, there are also approximately 4.3 million people who use indoor rowing machines on a daily basis.
“Our goal is to bring rowing to millions of people,” Smith said. “I’ve seen what rowing can do for thousands of people at Community Rowing and am looking forward to how True Rowing can connect people to this great activity.”
True Rowing expects to begin accepting orders for Crew machines in the coming weeks.
Photo courtesy Crew by True Rowing
