2024 has been a year marked by innovation and accelerated growth for ESX, a platform aggregating fitness, sports, nutrition, and wellbeing activities. The app currently offers a subscription with unlimited access to over 650 gyms and fitness centers across Romania, following the addition of 180 partner clubs this year alone.
“In the past three years, the number of gyms and fitness centers nationwide has grown from approximately 1,100 to over 1,600 clubs, and we anticipate a similar increase over the next three years. We’re delighted that through ESX, we can support partners who wish to open new fitness centers,” said Andrei Trofin, CEO & Founder of ESX.
ESX provides a wide range of advantages, including access to multiple partner locations, flexible schedules, a variety of activities and services, improved cost-efficiency, corporate offers, training and nutrition programs, and additional benefits such as the simplicity of managing subscriptions directly through the app.
PTN: A New Business Line by ESX
This fall, ESX launched the beta version of its new platform, PTN (Personal Trainers Network), giving users quick and free access to hundreds of fitness and nutrition specialists nearby.
With this new business line, ESX is expanding its impact on health and wellness by offering personalized solutions tailored to each user’s needs. Currently, the network includes almost 500 specialists—20% of the 2,500 active fitness and nutrition professionals in Romania. By next year, over 1,000 trainers and nutritionists are expected to join the platform.
The main objectives behind PTN’s launch include increasing accessibility to fitness and wellness specialists through an extensive network of personal trainers and nutritionists, simplifying the process of finding the right expert, and fostering a connected community driven by shared interests in sports, nutrition, and wellbeing.
Supporting professionals in the industry is another key goal, providing them with a dedicated platform to promote their services, enhance visibility, and expand their client base. Additionally, the platform aims to promote healthy lifestyles and improve users’ physical and mental health, especially as Romania ranks first in Europe for obesity rates. Lastly, PTN seeks to drive digitalization in fitness by setting new innovation standards in the industry.
Benefits for ESX Partner Fitness Centers
Partner gyms and fitness centers gain access to a larger community of users and a database of over half a million potential clients, including individuals who might not have otherwise discovered their facilities.
Key benefits include enhanced customer retention through the diversity of clubs and activities available, which reduces churn rates. Clubs gain steady, motivated clients who appreciate the flexibility offered, resulting in consistent participation. Furthermore, they enjoy predictable, recurring revenue with guaranteed payments from ESX for services provided, leading to better financial forecasting.
Administrative costs are also reduced as ESX handles registration, payments, and subscription management, saving partners time and resources. Additionally, partner clubs benefit from increased visibility through ESX’s outsourced marketing efforts, including campaigns, social media promotion, and collaborations with public figures.
“In the ESX network, we have sports centers generating over €50,000 in monthly revenue per location”
“While revenue per user entry might seem lower compared to direct subscriptions, the higher volume of clients brought in by ESX and their loyalty offset this. Partnering with ESX provides a steady stream of members and support from marketing, management, and feedback departments, allowing clubs to focus on delivering high-quality services. In the ESX network, we have sports centers generating over €50,000 in monthly revenue per location,” said Andrei Trofin.
Maintaining Market Leadership and International Ambitions
Looking ahead, ESX aims to consolidate its position as the local market leader by continuing to innovate and add new features to enhance user experience.
Currently, ESX subscriptions can also be purchased as an employee benefit, with a focus on expanding the business-to-business segment. Companies such as Huawei, Amazon, Teilor, Inditex, Sphera Group, KPMG, Bitdefender, OTP Bank, Fan Courier, Vodafone, Groupama, OMV, Oracle, Autonom Services, Cora, and Helpnet have partnered with ESX to provide employees with access to fitness and wellness services.
ESX plans to expand into Central and Eastern Europe, targeting countries such as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Moldova, where language barriers are minimal. The company is also exploring opportunities in Western Europe, including Spain, and plans to test the market in the Middle East, where demand for digital solutions in fitness and corporate wellness is rising. Expansion strategies include localizing services and forming partnerships with fitness centers and local networks.
Award-Winning Performance
At the 14th edition of the Business Days Gala, ESX was named Startup of the Year, recognizing its innovation, excellence, societal impact, and contribution to accelerating digital processes in sports. “This award is a testament to the efforts and extraordinary passion of the entire ESX team,” representatives said.
Earlier this year, the company hosted the first edition of the ESX Fitness Trainer Awards (EFTA), celebrating top fitness and nutrition professionals. The competition offered €6,500 in prizes and gathered 150 top specialists who received over 40,000 votes from their communities.