IIT Grads' Wall Gym Wins Patent, Rs 3.5 Crore Funding

Four friends bonded over a shared frustration: finding time and space to stay fit while juggling demanding careers in tiny apartments. Instead of complaining, they built a solution that just earned them a patent and Rs 3.5 crore in funding.

Aman Rai, Anurag Dani, Rohit Patel, and Amal George graduated from IIT-Delhi with big ambitions and bigger fitness goals. Aman ran ultra-marathons but couldn't fit strength training into his schedule at Bengaluru's crowded gyms. Anurag worked late hours that made gym visits impossible.

The engineers saw the real problem: home gym equipment was bulky, expensive, and demanded space most apartment dwellers simply didn't have. Traditional setups required buying multiple weights and bars that cluttered rooms and created safety hazards in small spaces.

So in late 2019, they decided to build something better. Two of them specialized in robotics, which sparked an idea: what if they could replace physical weights with digital ones powered by motors?

They invested Rs 25 lakh of their own money and built 15 prototypes over three years. Working from their hometown of Bhilai during the pandemic, they tested each version on friends and gathered feedback. The breakthrough came when they perfected motor-powered electromagnetic resistance that mimicked real weights.

Their creation, Aroleap X, mounts on any wall in a space just 4 feet by 2 feet, the same footprint as a 55-inch TV. The smart device offers over 150 exercises with 100 hours of curated fitness content from professional coaches. It tracks every movement and personalizes workout plans for beginners and athletes alike.

Getting investors proved tougher than the engineering. Rohit took a chance and messaged Nithin Kamath, CEO of Zerodha, who came to their modest Bengaluru apartment to try the prototype himself. Impressed by what he saw, Kamath became their first angel investor in October 2021.

By May 2022, they launched production from a small Bengaluru facility. Their patented technology is fully manufactured in India, proving that world-class fitness innovation can come from homegrown talent solving local problems.

The Ripple Effect

Aroleap X democratizes fitness for India's urban population squeezed into small living spaces. Renters no longer need to choose between their fitness goals and their security deposits. Parents can train while kids sleep in the next room. Remote workers can squeeze in strength sessions between video calls.

The startup's success shows other young engineers that everyday frustrations can become breakthrough businesses. Their willingness to invest their own money, iterate relentlessly, and bet on themselves created jobs and inspired a new category of Indian fitness tech.

Four friends who just wanted to work out after long days at the office ended up building something that helps thousands reclaim their health without leaving home.