TEMPO

Moawia Eldeeb and Josh Augustin founded Tempo (originally called Pivot) in 2015. Eldeeb had a background in computer vision and 3D sensing.

The insight was that depth-sensing cameras had become cheap enough to build into consumer products, and AI had advanced enough to analyze human movement in real-time.

They built a home gym system with a 42-inch touchscreen, built-in 3D sensors (Microsoft Time-of-Flight cameras), and a set of weights. The AI could track 25 body joints simultaneously, detecting posture, range of motion, and rep counting with near-perfect accuracy.

The product launched in 2020, right as COVID locked everyone out of gyms. Timing could not have been better for the launch.

Or worse for the long-term business.

Originally hardware + subscription. The Tempo Studio cost $2,495 and required a $39/month subscription for classes and AI coaching.

The hardware was the hook, the subscription was the recurring revenue.

After pivoting to app-only in 2023, the model became a pure subscription. The Tempo app uses the iPhone's camera and LiDAR sensor (on Pro models) to provide form tracking without proprietary hardware.

The subscription costs $10-20/month.

Tempo Move app (current product) uses iPhone cameras and AI to track form during strength training. The original Tempo Studio was a 42-inch touchscreen with built-in 3D sensors, barbell, dumbbells, and weight plates.

Tempo classes cover strength training, HIIT, yoga, and mobility. The AI form correction system tracks 25 body joints in real-time.

COVID was the growth engine. With gyms closed, people spent thousands on home fitness equipment.

Tempo competed with Peloton, Mirror, and Tonal for the premium home gym market.

The 3D form-tracking was the key differentiator. Peloton offered cycling and classes but no form correction.

Mirror offered classes but no AI. Tempo was the only product that could actually tell you if you were doing the exercise wrong.

Celebrity partnerships (Dwyane Wade) and strong reviews from fitness publications drove awareness.

The post-COVID fitness correction. When gyms reopened, demand for expensive home equipment collapsed.

Peloton's stock dropped 95%. Mirror was sold by Lululemon at a massive loss.

Tempo faced the same headwind.

The hardware price point ($2,500) limited the market to affluent consumers. Most people who wanted home workouts opted for cheaper alternatives: YouTube, apps, or basic equipment.

In 2023, Tempo discontinued hardware and pivoted to an app that uses iPhone cameras for form tracking. The pivot preserved the AI technology but abandoned the revenue model.

Tempo raised approximately $300 million from investors including SoftBank Vision Fund, Norwest Venture Partners, General Catalyst, and others. The company was valued at over $500 million at its peak.