The US healthcare system is riddled with inefficiencies. We spend far more per person and as a share of GDP than any other developed country, yet we have the lowest life expectancy and the highest death rate for avoidable or treatable conditions.
Consumers are fed up. They report declining trust in institutions, and are increasingly willing to pay for services that offer quality and optionality.
This change in sentiment brought forth numerous consumer-focused companies who differentiate by offering personalization, superior user experience, a data-driven approach, and on-demand access to health data, insights, and recommendations. From sleep to nutrition, and full-body diagnostics to fitness, we can now track and optimize nearly every aspect of our health (far beyond what traditional insurance covers.)
Despite its growth, our new connected health paradigm overlooks a major system: our muscles. Muscle health is essential for movement, metabolism, injury prevention, and aging — yet remains largely unmeasured. We have no practical way to track muscular function: form, pacing, symmetry, fatigue, or mind-muscle connection. As a result, even informed health decisions often ignore what muscles need most.
Fort is changing this, pioneering the first wearable dedicated to strength training and rehabilitation.
We believe that strength is wellness. Far beyond aesthetics, muscles are a dynamic organ system supporting everything from metabolism to cognition.
In short, muscle is not just biomechanical: it's one of the most powerful levers for extending quality years of life.
Muscle's biomechanical role is just as critical. Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders causing poor movement patterns and weak musculature drive back pain, joint degradation, and mobility loss. These are trillion-dollar problems that sap quality of life and productivity worldwide. Despite the scale of the problem, we still lack meaningful tools to proactively monitor and manage musculoskeletal health. It's like managing diabetes without a glucose monitor; we're flying blind when it comes to movement and strength.
Outside of healthcare, strength is having a cultural moment. Tech titans and business leaders are signaling success with might, and celebrities tout the benefits of lifting. But the current movement is more than just a fitness fad—it's also a claim on personal agency and a rejection of fragility against a backdrop of global uncertainty.
It's also brought lifting further into the mainstream. From TikTok teens to busy parents and seasoned executives, the squat rack is the new common ground.
Our Thesis: Building the Future of Muscular Health
Fort isn't just a gym tool. It's the gateway to a new category of personalized health infrastructure, starting with strength and expanding to how people move, live, and age.