Championing Wellness: Technogym’s 40-Year Journey Towards Global Fitness Excellence

For over 40 years, Technogym has promoted a wellness lifestyle centered on regular exercise, a balanced diet and a positive mindset, inspired by the ancient Roman principle “mens sana in corpore sano.” Founded in 1983 by Nerio Alessandri, who created his first gym equipment at 22 in his garage in Cesena, Technogym is now a global leader in fitness products, digital technologies, and health services. The company employs over 2,000 people, with half based at its Cesena headquarters, and operates 14 branches worldwide. More than 70 million people with Technogym equipment in 100,000 Wellness centers and 500,000 private homes in the world.

We are delighted to sit down with Nerio to discuss building a global fitness empire, the new store opening in Abu Dhabi, and, most importantly, Technogym’s role as the Official Supporter of the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.

FV: The first Technogym boutique & wellness center in the UAE opened just over two years ago in Dubai, near the Burj Al Arab. Last month, we reached another milestone for Technogym with a new store in the capital city of the UAE. How do you feel about this expansion? Most global companies are looking to grow their business, nowhere is more promising right now than the oil rich Middle East. How much is the UAE and the rest of the Middle East important to the Technogym’s overall business?

NA: We are incredibly proud. The United Arab Emirates is a crucial market for us, where we have been established for over 2 years with a fantastic location in Dubai. We are the go-to brand for the top fitness clubs and premier resorts and hotels. After the success of the Dubai office, we are happy to open our new boutique in Abu Dhabi to continuously adapt our home wellness concept to better serve people’s health and wellness needs.

Technogym Store; Image Source: Technogym

FV: The region holds the highest number of cases of obesity and diabetes, and the number is rising at an alarming rate. We understand the Dubai Fitness Challenge has raised an enormous amount of awareness for the population to take their health seriously. How do you see the new Technogym boutique reinforcing your vision of Wellness in the UAE?

NA: I founded Technogym with a dream in mind: to get the world moving again – and in today’s scenario where obesity as well as other diseases are widespread, this mission becomes vitally important. Technogym is committed to creating a better world and spreading wellness around the world. The Abu Dhabi boutique is not only a retail space but also has a mission to inspire people to embrace an all-round wellness lifestyle.

FV: The residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi live in between apartments, huge villas and mansions. Individuals who live in smaller apartments visit gyms that are furnished with Technogym solutions. Technogym also has the stunning personal line designed by Antonio Citterio and a series of Wellness solutions for homes. How do you feel that Technogym, with its two boutiques in UAE, is bridging the gap between residents who train in public spaces and those who have the means to set up personal home gyms?

NA: Fitness and wellness are increasingly becoming integral parts of people’s lives, with a growing aspiration towards a wellness lifestyle. Nowadays, individuals train both at home and in the gym, and the two are not in competition. Technogym with its unique ecosystem makes it possible to work out anywhere, at home, on holiday, in a hotel, while always having your workout schedule and personal data at your fingertips.

FV: It’s 1983, and a 22-year old industrial designer in his father’s garage is working out how best to combine his design skills with his passion for sport, so he starts sketching designs on scrap pieces of paper. More than 40 years later, Alessandri’s garage has been transformed into a global fitness empire, supplying gym equipment to everyone from celebrities to Olympic athletes. Tell us, how do you feel celebrating 40 years of Technogym?

NA: The best is yet to come, and we still have so much to do. We celebrated 40 years of the brand with the team, community and stakeholders with Design to Move, a unique exhibition showcased during the last edition of Salone del Mobile in Milan. The exhibition featured 40 Technogym Benches revisited for the occasion by 40 artists and designers from around the world.

My approach is less about celebration though and more about focusing on the future, constantly innovating our products to provide the best in the field of exercise and the Wellness Lifestyle, and to stay true to our mission to get the world moving again and improve people’s lives.

Technogym’s President & Founder, Nerio Alessandri; Image Source: Technogym

FV: What is your wellness routine on a daily basis?

NA: I train regularly 3 or 4 times a week and I like to alternate at-home training with some training sessions at the Technogym Wellness Center situated at our Technogym Village. Plus, I like a variety of activities, from more intensity-oriented sessions to some functional workout with our Kinesis Personal, to stretching with our Flexability stations…and on the weekends I also love to cycle outdoor with my family.

FV: What are the lessons you have learnt building a global fitness empire that you can share with our readers?

NA: Maintain consistency in brand culture as part of a long-term strategy, and be prepared to decline opportunities or situations that may offer short-term results but fail to ensure long-term consistency.

I still feel like when I was in my garage. Every day for me is like the first day…and this start-up approach is what I try to share every day with my team. Today, thanks to the work we have done over the years, we are a big company, we are present in many countries, we have investments, we have marketing…. but what is still to be done is a lot bigger than what we have accomplished already. This means being humble, not taking anything for granted and being willing to listen.

Technogym Checkup; Image Source: Technogym

FV: Technogym has been appointed Official Supplier to the Paris 2024 Olympics for the ninth time. How do you feel being a part of such a prestigious sporting event that celebrates fitness and wellness at its peak of global sportstars?

NA: I believe the expertise of the company and the reliability of the brand in the world of sports has made the difference and it makes us all very proud. For decades, we helped athletes all over the planet seize the highest achievements by leveraging our most advanced technology and knowledge of physical exercise. This historical involvement with professional athletes and a variety of sporting disciplines has proved fundamental to Technogym’s ability to constantly innovate and evolve the fitness industry by offering innovative, reliable and effective solutions for everybody.

FV: What, according to you, makes Technogym the ideal partner for the prestigious global sporting event?

NA: Technogym is The Wellness Company, and its mission is to help people live better and longer through physical exercise, healthy lifestyle and positive mental approach. At the same time, the Olympic Games are committed to creating a sport culture for everyone, and now more than ever, this is something central in our lives. This close relationship, spanning almost two decades, is the result of closely matching values. In fact, Technogym’s commitment to the Olympic Games goes far beyond the supply of equipment and technology. Our association with the Olympics has become a powerful communication platform through which we can leverage sports to achieve our ultimate mission: to involve the global population in physical activity.

Plus, Technogym has been appointed Official Supplier to the Paris 2024 Olympics for the ninth time for 4 reasons:

1. Due to its worldwide presence, the brand is recognized by athletes and teams globally. This allows champions to train during the Olympics using equipment they are already familiar with, ensuring a high level of performance and results.

2. Proven reliability and safety. 

3. Digital ecosystem: allowing trainers to prescribe precision training protocols for athletes and to track training data.

4. Legacy: Alongside the competitive aspects, the Olympic Games increasingly emphasize strong legacy projects to promote sport and health culture within communities. Technogym, with its steadfast commitment to promoting wellness, serves as an ideal partner in this regard as well.

Technogym Olympics Gym; Image Source: Technogym

FV: Innovation has always been the driving force behind the growth of Technogym, anticipating industry trends over the years: from its 1996 launch of the first software in the fitness industry, to the launch of the first internet-connected equipment in 2006, to premiering the first cloud based industry platform in 2012, and the recent launch of Technogym Live, the on-demand video training platform dedicated to fitness, sport and prevention. As a wellness icon, how important is innovation for any global brand?

NA: Innovation is the key in each sector. Our motto is “when it works, it’s obsolete”. This means that, to always stay ahead, when a product or a technology is at its top, it’s time to change…waiting until it starts declining would be too late to change. Innovation has always been the engine that drives Technogym’s growth.

FV: Who are your favorite sport stars that you will be watching at the Olympic games?

NA: Thanks to our global presence, we have forged many friendships in the world of sports. I will mostly be supporting Gianmarco Tamberi, a close friend of mine, and Nadal, among others, during the Games.

As we celebrate the ongoing success and expansion of Technogym, we look forward to their participation in the Olympics in just over two weeks and their upcoming ventures in the Middle East and other global regions.