Strava acquired Fatmap, a mobile app for outdoor enthusiasts, giving its subscribers access to the full offering.
The company said the acquisition is part of ongoing investments to provide a digital experience for consumers looking for an active lifestyle. Fatmap has reportedly built a global proprietary 3D mapping technology that will be enabled in all of Strava’s services, empowering active individuals to holistically discover and plan an outdoor experience with curated local guides, points of interest and safety information.
“In 2022, nearly 10 million routes were saved and recommended by active individuals around the world on Strava. Maps and tools are powerful unlocks to deliver daily value and motivate our active community,” said Michael Horvath, CEO and co-founder of Strava. “We have a shared vision with Fatmap to inspire more people to move by empowering them to discover and experience the joy of the outdoors. For us, the opportunity to reimagine the purpose of maps and how they inspire exploration is an outsized advantage for a differentiated outdoor experience.”
Designed specifically for trails and exploring the outdoor world, Fatmap’s technology enables people to safely discover, navigate and share adventures, even without a mobile connection. Fatmap’s community of hikers, mountain bikers, skiers and trail runners are already active in over 100 countries around the world. Paired with Strava’s data set of more than 8 billion activities, the acquisition will enable a universal map for human-powered experiences whether moving on the slopes, trails, city streets or suburban neighborhoods.
Based in Europe, Fatmap was founded in 2013 by Misha Gopaul and David Cowell and has nearly 50 highly skilled team members that will join Strava’s workforce across the continent including offices in Chamonix, Berlin and Vilnius. Gopaul will shift from his current role as FATMAP CEO to serve as a Strava vice president of product, reporting to Steve Lloyd, Strava’s chief product and technology officer.
Strava also recently announced 9 new sports types, including racquet sports, pilates and HIIT. Now supporting 50 different activity types, the community platform continues to grow subscriber benefits, such as ski area mapping, Recover Athletics pre-hab content, Beacon safety tracking, route recommendations, an online route builder, global and personal heatmaps, and segment leaderboards. With these product upgrades, Strava has enacted a price change to reflect the increased benefits. These updates aim to deliver daily value to active people around the world.
