Magnea was founded in May 2015 by Johan Hedevåg, M.D., Henrik Gradin, PhD and Håkan MacLean MSc. Arnrun Thorsteinsdottir, MSc and Kim Westin, MSc was recruited early on and earned their status as co-founders. The need to increase physical activity in the elderly and hospitalized was observed and validated during an eight months project called Clinical Innovation Fellowship, run by CTMH, KI, KTH and SLL, in which the three founders participated. Having seen the massive need and having found something They really burn for, They couldn’t not start this company.

Magnea was founded in May 2015 by Johan Hedevåg, M.D., Henrik Gradin, PhD and Håkan MacLean MSc. Arnrun Thorsteinsdottir, MSc and Kim Westin, MSc was recruited early on and earned their status as co-founders. The need to increase physical activity in the elderly and hospitalized was observed and validated during an eight months project called Clinical Innovation Fellowship, run by CTMH, KI, KTH and SLL, in which the three founders participated. Having seen the massive need and having found something They really burn for, They couldn’t not start this company.

Everyone loses muscle mass with age, which leads to falls, diseases of aging (e.g. type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis), reduced quality of life and ultimately a loss of independence. Resistance training is the most effective strategy for improving both muscle mass and function as we age. However, the fitness marketplace lacks a suitable product to address how to get older adults to participate in resistance training reliably and safely, while having fun with peers and family. Vivo is an online, small group exercise program for older adults focused on building strength. Vivo is delivered live by a certified trainer using Zoom that addresses the unique needs of older adults who cannot or prefer not to travel to a gym. Vivo’s live and interactive small group classes provide an experience that is small enough to give individualized feedback to every participant, but big enough to drive social engagement and community, leading to increased adoption, as demonstrated by Vivo’s 98% monthly retention rate. Vivo also measures outcomes through 1-on-1 assessments every 2 months to measure progress. Members average a 25% increase in strength after just 2 months of participating in Vivo.