FitXR, the studio behind VR fitness app BoxVR, today announced that it has raised $7.5 million to expand its operations and VR fitness offerings.

Following its first raise of $1.25 million at the end of 2018, FitXR has just added another $7.5 million worth of runway to its VR fitness aspirations. The total comes in the form of a $6.3 million Series A investment and a $1.2 million loan through a government-based UK innovation fund.

The Series A investment was led by Hiro Capital; the fund has also invested in VR startup LIV which focuses on mixed reality capture for VR experiences (including BoxVR). BoostVC, Maveron, and TenOneTen Ventures also participated in the round.

Available on Oculus Quest, Rift, Steam, and PSVR, the $30 BoxVR app is presently the company’s only product offering. It’s a rhythm-based boxing game designed specifically for fitness. Its track-based levels—which include punching, crouching, leaning, and blocking—range from the length of a typical song to longer endurance-focused levels going as long as 60 minutes.

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FitXR says it plans to use its latest investment to expand its European and North American operations, and to “accelerate [the] launch of several exciting new products and services for people to keep fit in virtual reality.”

While BoxVR is currently structured as a one-time purchase (with optional DLC), we wouldn’t be surprised to see this investment used to transition the app (or its successor) to a subscription-based model to capitalize on recent digital fitness trends and the app’s never-ending replayability.

Competing VR fitness app Supernatural made waves earlier this year as the first VR fitness app to be fully built around a subscription model.

While BoxVR doesn’t have the same popularity as, say, Beat Saber, the latest investment suggests that the app is seeing promising usage metrics (like consistent usage and long sessions) that have investors excited.

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • TechPassion

    It is a total bs path, by people who do not understand VR even.
    Workout with crap on your face. Even strong fan will not help preventing your face from boiling. Unhealthy, not natural, just stupid idea with these VR fitness experiences.

    • Raphael

      If your face is that hot then you’re probably using crappy neoprene face pads that are default with some of these HMD’s. I replaced my neoprene Vive ones with shiny vinyl, In any case I can also fit cooling fan if it’s that hot. BoxVR is a good workout especially when you add 1.5kg wrist weights. I’ve been using VR since 2006.

    • Have you tried it?

      • Zack71

        I don’t think he tried it.
        Everyone tring Box VR (or Beat Saber) on Quest knows that It is a great experience.
        The problem isn’t the VR device or the game: the problem is time and resistance!

  • Ad

    This app isn’t really that good, and it’s weird in a way since none of them sell new face foam or anything to protect either the headset or your hygiene. This seems like one of those things that is VC for VC’s sake.

  • It is not as popular as Beat Saber because it is very fitness-oriented and less game-y. But as a fitness program, BoxVR is great. This money is well deserved

  • As someone who has been actively using BoxVR over the past few months on my Oculus Quest, it is totally worthy of that investment. I’m just eager to see them develop the product more as it feels like the features and experience has stayed very similar since it first launched. New songs are alright, but I’d love to see them expand it more and increase the difficulty a bit for regulars like me.

    I’ve gotta disagree with the comments below that say it isn’t very good. I’ve got a VR Cover that makes life easy when it comes to wiping it down afterwards and keeping it hygienic. I think there’s a lot more to this and a much longer path for exercise like this to take. VR exercise will only get better and more personalised. VR headsets are only going to improve, get lighter, improve tracking… etc. All that research and experience will then feed perfectly into augmented exercise experiences.

    Not stupid. Not at all VC for VC’s sake. There’s way more potential here and it’s already a great option for exercising (especially right now during lockdowns).