For health enthusiasts, one indispensable device is wearable technology, whether it be smartwatches or fitness trackers worn during exercise or continuously on the body. One of the most popular tools recently is "WHOOP" a smart wristband that can monitor our body's health 24 hours a day.
WHOOP is designed as a minimalist wristband without a screen, eliminating concerns about screen light disturbing the eyes and without notifications unless desired. Simply wearing it stylishly, the sensors on the wrist continuously track and analyze the wearer's body data—not only during exercise or training but also monitoring sleep, recovery, stress, and heart health.
The person behind WHOOP is "Will Ahmed" a former Harvard student and sports team captain who did not know his body's training limits. He sought tools to prevent overtraining, which led to the creation of this smart wristband embraced by professional athletes and people worldwide. Beyond health, it supports wellness, aligning with today's longevity trend.
This article from Thairath Money'sHow to Make Moneycolumn introduces Will Ahmed, the mind behind WHOOP's success—from designing the wristband himself to creating a sought-after tool, evolving from a near-bankrupt startup into a business valued over $3.6 billion.
Back in 2012, while Will Ahmed was captain of Harvard's squash team, he faced unexplained body pain despite no sports injuries. He discovered he was overtraining beyond his body's limits, caused by the pressure of his captaincy role, which negatively affected his body.
Will Ahmed, an only child, grew up in Long Island, New York. His father, an Egyptian immigrant, settled in the U.S., while his mother was an American writer. Growing up biracial in a big city, he was diligent in socializing and made friends mainly through sports.
Will Ahmed loved sports from a young age, playing sailing, golf, tennis, hockey, football, and more. He graduated from St. Paul’s School, where he studied math and science, and was a dedicated athlete, captaining both the squash and tennis teams.
He then studied Government and Economics at Harvard University starting in 2008. According toLinkedIn,he not only studied law, government, and economics but also co-captained Harvard’s squash team, leading them to a national third-place finish.
"I was unaware of how my body was being affected during training. Many athletes are the same—some overtrain, some undertrain, or don’t know their optimal point and don’t understand the importance of recovery or sleep," Will Ahmed said.
At Harvard, he realized his body couldn’t handle heavy training. He began seriously studying physiology because, despite adjusting training, rest, and diet, no technology existed to comprehensively track his body's data.
In 2012, the WHOOP smart wristband emerged from Will Ahmed’s dedicated research, which he described as "a passion for studying the body and solving my own problems." He reviewed over 500 research papers and wrote reports on human physiology while still at Harvard.
The main goal in creating WHOOP was to use technology to monitor the body. Will Ahmed tested it himself from day one, aiming to help both professional and amateur athletes track their health—from training to everyday life. His primary target was elite athletes from the start.
The wristband without a screen, featuring only sensors to monitor and analyze the body, was rejected by many investors at first. WHOOP was seen as just another strap and a new product in a market dominated by established brands like Apple Watch, Fitbit, and software from sports equipment giants Nike and Adidas.
WHOOP’s difference lies in its minimalist design with no screen and in-depth body data analysis. It does not focus on selling hardware but offers detailed, medical-grade data analysis, enabling wearers to understand their body's activities and needs.
Its unique subscription software model allows users to pay annually for detailed data analysis. WHOOP features include recovery, fatigue, sleep, and stress analysis, motion and step tracking, assessment of true healthspan with WHOOP Age, and in-depth blood pressure analysis.
Will Ahmed said he pitched to over 143 investors but was rejected every time. By 2015, the company reached a dead end and was close to bankruptcy. One day, exhausted and stressed after three years without success and facing imminent bankruptcy, he was flipping TV channels and stopped at a KIA commercial featuring LeBron James. That day changed everything because the basketball star was wearing WHOOP on his wrist.
WHOOP did not market through professional athletes, send products for use, or hire celebrities as endorsers. Instead, its potential spread by word-of-mouth inside the community. Since LeBron James started wearing it, the business turned around completely.
Today, WHOOP is used by professional athletes worldwide, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Aryna Sabalenka, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy. Besides expanding B2B operations, WHOOP partners with various sports leagues such as the NFL Players Association and MLB, the top professional baseball league in the U.S., to reach more athletes.
![Will Ahmed และ Cristiano Ronaldo หนึ่งในนักกีฬาระดับโลกที่ใช้ WHOOP [ภาพจาก LinkedIn: Will Ahmed]](https://static.thairath.co.th/media/Dtbezn3nNUxytg04ayyiKiLxDc9ICnDVm051sEfGh6uJCs.webp)
Later, WHOOP expanded beyond athletes by partnering with the U.S. Navy SEALs and eventually reaching the general public. Currently, WHOOP is valued at $3.6 billion (nearly 120 billion baht) with a global customer base. Will Ahmed stated the company could expand to over 125 million more customers by offering services in multiple languages.
Will Ahmed remains CEO, continuously developing the underlying technology with his team to maintain WHOOP as the smart wristband people worldwide use for their health, based on the core idea of helping everyone "unlock their potential and achieve long-lasting good health."
Source: WHOOP [1][2],NoGood,,CNBC,,Men’s Health,,Harvard,,Business Insider
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