{
  "id": 16729624,
  "title": "The secret strategy behind Whoop’s $10.1 billion valuation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/the-secret-strategy-behind-whoops-10-1-billion-valuation",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-27T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91629965/whoop-oura-wellness-healthcare-medical-devices-future"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Will Ahmed, a former Harvard squash cocaptain, conceived the idea for wearable company Whoop in the early 2010s with the goal of optimizing the performance of serious athletes. The wristband tracks activity, sleep, and recovery. However, in August, Whoop CEO Will Ahmed shifted focus to a different demographic: Medicare recipients. The Whoop Connected Care program, offering membership, device, and blood pressure monitor, is currently piloted for Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older with conditions like hypertension, prediabetes, high cholesterol, or obesity. Dr. Ami Bhatt, Whoop's chief medical officer, emphasizes that continuous data is crucial for people to perform and age well. Although at first glance, the elderly may seem disconnected from the athletic image most associated with the brand, women over 60 are among Whoop's fastest-growing customer segments. Wearable companies are capitalizing on this trend by hiring doctors and partnering with clinical entities. Whoop and Oura, two leading wearables, are now valued at $10.1 billion and $11 billion, respectively. The key to attracting a wider audience lies in connecting the data to meaningful medical insights, allowing wearables to tap into Medicare's $1.2 trillion budget. Dr. Bhatt cautions that wearables shouldn't replace clinical care but can complement it by helping individuals understand their baseline and enabling clinicians to monitor patients between visits.",
  "summary": "When former Harvard squash cocaptain Will Ahmed developed the idea for wearable company Whoop in the early 2010s, he was focused on helping serious athletes like himself optimize their performance. The wristband he designed tracks activity, sleep, and recovery. But in August, the Whoop founder and CEO turned his attention to a very different audience: Medicare recipients. The Whoop Connected Care…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}