Last fall, we told you about how a former CEO of Gold’s Gym co-founded Dallas-based Lumin Fitness, which features wall-to-wall LED screens and the latest advances in AI, digital display, motion tracking, and object detection. It’s all aimed at creating an immersive, hyper-personalized fitness experience. And now the startup has taken a big step of its own.

Lumin Fitness announced that it has signed a 13-unit development deal with it first franchise partner, Verge Fit Holdings. Lumin, which calls itself The World’s Smartest Fitness Studio, said the agreement outlines expansion plans for key Texas markets over the next three years—including Dallas, Austin, and Houston.

“Verge isn’t just our first franchise partner; they’re a testament to our commitment to cultivating a network that values quality over quantity,” Lumin Fitness Chief Development Officer Craig Sherwood said in a statement. “Our goal is to create an exclusive club of strong multi-unit operators who are as invested in our success as we are in theirs.”

Lumin Fitness Co-Founders Brandon Bean, a former CEO of Dallas-based Gold’s Gym, and Omeed Shams, previously chief executive at Coppell’s gaming app Kwest [Photo: Lumin Fitness]

Verge Fit Holdings aspires to ultimately own ‘over 100’ Lumin franchise locations

Lumin said the Houston-based Verge team brings extensive business acumen and franchising expertise to its network. The investment group, founded by Raheel Suria, Syed Shah, Jawad Rawra, Malik Kheraj, and Ali Lakhany, currently operates nearly 200 franchise locations across the U.S. with such brands as Marriott and Hilton Hotels, and T-Mobile.

“We were actively exploring opportunities to diversify our portfolio, seeking a concept that not only aligned with our investment criteria but also presented a substantial growth opportunity,” Verge Partner Raheel Suria said in a statement. “When we were introduced to Lumin Fitness, it immediately resonated with us. The uniqueness of the business model and technology, the experience of the team and the potential for scalability were exactly what we were looking for.”

“This initial venture into Lumin Fitness is just the beginning,” Suria added. “Our aspirations go far beyond just a handful of units; we have every intention of expanding our footprint to own and operate over 100 units.”

Gamifying fitness with AI-infused, ‘hyper-personalized’ workouts

Lumin Fitness said it’s revolutionizing the boutique fitness industry with an AI-infused fitness concept that uses the latest advances in technology to deliver a gamified and hyper-personalized workout experience in a group fitness setting.

Since its launch, the brand has snagged attention from the BBC, Entrepreneur, MIT Technology, and more.

In September, Lumin opened its first fitness studio in Irving’s Las Colinas, a 2,600-square-foot space with wall-to-wall LED screens that immerse members in a highly interactive fitness environment. The location was designed as a prototype for the brand, which is seeking partners to grow the concept through franchising.

With a team of fitness, franchising, and gaming industry veterans at the helm, Lumin Fitness said the concept was created not only to change the game for fitness consumers, but also to introduce an entirely unique new franchise opportunity with minimal staffing, improved automation and operational efficiencies.

Lumin said that it’s seeking more prospective owners and views the partnership with Verge as a reflection of how the brand wants to continue growing.

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