among our female members. However, I feel that Strava is more fun when you have lots of friends and followers also on Strava.
come about? The two founders, Michael Horvath and Mark Gainey, met at Harvard in the early 90s. They were in the rowing team together and came up with the vision of creating a virtual locker room: invoking inspiration, motivation and camaraderie. However, the technology wasn’t there at the time, so the idea was put in a bottom drawer and they started another software company instead. Fast forward to the mid-2000s: they had moved from
rowing to running and cycling, and wanted another venture. With GPS being so accessible, they figured now could be a good time to dust off their original idea. They started off with one hill and gave GPS devices to some friends to test the concept. The feedback was great and Strava was born.
now, and how quickly did it grow? We don’t say a figure, because as soon as we do it’s out of date. However, it’s in the substantial millions and growing by
May 2015 © Cybertrek 2015 How many users does Strava have When and how did Strava
Strava has turned a small hardcore
following in the US into millions of global users
100,000 each week. On the cycling side, there are more men than women, but the split is fairly even for running. Initially, in 2009, it was small and reliant on
a Garmin, but it still won a small, hardcore following in San Francisco, US. Exponential growth came in 2011, when the mobile apps
launch made Strava accessible to anyone with a smartphone. It grew quickly in English-speaking markets from day one.
We didn’t go into a second language until last year, when we launched in France. Now we’re in 15 languages. It spreads via a network effect: starting with small
communities, who tell their family and friends, who tell their family and friends, and so on.
Who’s your target market?
Passionate athletes: not necessarily the most able, but definitely the most keen – those who have a real desire to get out there and be active. So we cut across both sexes and all ages: we have teens and septuagenarians using Strava. We’re not about getting anyone to their first 5k, or getting
them off the couch – there are others aiming at that market. We’re more about enhancing the experience for the guys who are really into their cycling and running. That said, although we were adopted by the pro cyclists in the early
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 51
PHOTO: JERED GRUBER
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