The creators of an exercise bike geared toward VR said they raised a $5.5 million seed round to expand efforts.
The money raised by VirZOOM will go toward 2nd generation products that can turn any stationary bike into one compatible with the company’s VR exercise program.
Co-founder and CEO Eric Janszen is the largest investor in the company, with new investors including Skywood Capital, partners at Eastham Capital, Fairhaven Capital, and Equity Resource Investments. Greycroft partner Jon Goldman is also said to have invested.
VR exercise is an intriguing prospect. Manufacturers still need to figure out how to handle large amounts of sweat that can build up inside a headset, making it hard to see, but the allure of being entertained by a VR experience to distract yourself from the drudgery of exercising is a tempting prospect. VirZOOM was an early company looking to take advantage of this nascent market and its latest fundraising efforts will help the startup push further.
