MOBILEe internet is already gaining a lot of traction from people across age groups in India. According to a study by Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB International, the number of mobile internet users stood at 173 million at the end of December 2014 and the number is expected to reach 213 million by June 2015. Driven by affordable smartphones and affordable data plans, mobile and internet together are reaching a huge chunk of the Indian population which is altering their consumptions habits. Today, it has become the primary mode of access to sharing, infotainment, collaboration and commerce amongst others.
For the most part of my life I have thrived on internet. What I am today, I may not have been without the internet. Gaming was my childhood passion. I started making games for corporates and gaming enthusiasts; and later started India Games concentrating on mobile gaming. After India Games, I was thinking of starting something that was very close to my heart. Globally, 31.1% of adults are inactive; in India alone, 18% of adults (between 18-60 years) are inactive. At one point – despite being a volleyball champion I put on a lot of weight as I was not exercising or eating correctly. I bought fitness bands and fitness apps but it didn’t seem to help me in the long run. Data suggests more than 40% of users tend to discontinue usage after a few months.
Then I met a coach who began asking me for my fitness data—what I do and how I do it, etc.,—and the interaction used to happen over SMS and WhatsApp. This brought about a change in my life because even without meeting the coach everyday, I still remained committed to my goal. And thus thought that if the power of technology, internet and human touch come together —it can help a lot of people who stay true to their goal of living an active, healthy lifestyle. And this led to the invention of GOQii.
What is interesting about GOGii is that it operates on a subscription-based model which means we have integrated the coach with the fitness band. The subscription based model works in a way where users pay for getting tips from qualified coaches who can access the entire data generated by an user through various technologies like accelerometers, GPS, mobile network, etc. Being platform agnostic, it allows users’ designated coach to access their fitness data using the GOQii band and also inter-operate with various bands and fitness Apps.
Imagine you have a fitness band on your wrist and an app on your phone which is all connected to each other. So whatever you eat or whatever exercise you do will be constantly accessed by your coach who will then keep guiding you how to continue with your healthy lifestyle. GOQii’s coaches have the ability to remotely vibrate the band to motivate users. That’s the power of technology and internet coming together. To take things to the next level, GOQii recently launched the world’s first ‘coach’ marketplace model to connect fitness enthusiasts with the world’s best coaches using their wearable devices and fitness data. The marketplace model aims to revolution-ise fitness coaching by empowering a coach based in India or abroad to offer services to users irrespective of their location. Coaches work on a revenue share and engagement model with GOQii and can make considerable amounts of additional income using the GOQii platform. Independent coaches will need to take tests based on a GOQii-prescribed curriculum and will be certified on completion to provide services on the platform.
Satyajit Chaurasia, a Bollywood celebrity coach known for training Aamir Khan in Ghajini, has become the first independent pro coach to join GOQii under the marketplace model. Keeping that in mind, GOQii charges subscription plans for access to its coaches rather than charging only for the hardware.
GOQii launched its commercial operations in India mid-2014, and has close to 10,000 paying users in less than a year. It is expanding operations to the US, South East Asia and Middle East markets in Q1 2015. This is one example. There will be a lot more entrepreneurs like me who will continue to work towards launching digital/e-commerce ventures with an aim to create solutions for customers to not only enhance their lives but bring about a positive change.
The author is CEO of California based fitness technology venture Goqii that offers a wearable fitness band paired with personalised coaching.Oxfam.