Fitness platform Dajim raises pre-Series A funding from Strong Ventures

Stonei, operator of the fitness membership O2O platform Dajim, announced on the 22nd that it had raised a pre-Series A investment from U.S.-based venture capital firm Strong Ventures. The amount was not disclosed.

Dajim provides information, user reviews, and payment services for more than 1,000 fitness facilities nationwide. The app has been downloaded more than 300,000 times, and is growing rapidly: despite the impact of COVID-19 this year, transaction volume has risen more than fivefold from the same month last year.

Dajim aims to address information asymmetry between sellers and consumers in the fitness market by transparently disclosing detailed facility information and discounted prices. It also offers the Dajim Integrated Membership, which gives users discounts of up to 80% when they use multiple facilities, catering to modern consumers’ interest in trying different types of exercise.

This year, Dajim also launched a trainer-matching service that lets users consult with more than 300 trainers via chat. Its video advertising products for fitness facilities have delivered an average return of 20 times their cost, helping the platform become essential to both consumers and facilities.

Unlike day-pass services that have struggled to expand beyond fitness, Dajim has differentiated itself with a user experience built specifically for fitness memberships, along with specialized services to help facilities attract customers, promote themselves, and manage operations.

“We were impressed by the team’s execution and cohesion in turning a crisis into an opportunity, even during the difficult period caused by COVID-19. We invested because we believe Dajim can lead the growing fitness market as a platform that addresses the frustrations of both users and sellers,” said Joyoon Cho, an investment manager at Strong Ventures.

“The fitness facility market has enormous potential, but it also faces many issues that need to be resolved, including frequent refund disputes and high business closure rates. We aim to grow Dajim into a platform that addresses structural problems in the market and maximizes consumers’ exercise experience,” said Jeon Hyuk-jin, CEO of Stonei.

Dajim said it will use the investment to add partner facilities in underserved areas, enhance its trainer services, and accelerate development of solutions to help fitness facilities operate more efficiently.