January 22, 2015 – San Francisco, CA – GOQii Inc., the digital health platform that is dedicated to enabling a permanent shift to a healthier lifestyle, announced today that its exclusive U.S. Beta trial will launch in February. GOQii (“GO-KEY”) is the only company built on the foundation of human-centric, one-on-one health coaching combined with wearables, health apps, big data, and Karma.
The GOQii Beta will be limited to 500 participants. Those selected to join the Beta will receive 12 months of personalized health coaching to help them with goal setting, habit change, accountability and motivation. GOQii coaching features unlimited daily chats and monthly video calls through the mobile app.
Included in the Beta’s subscription is the GOQii Band activity tracker and app to measure and track sleep, activities, nutrition and Karma Points, GOQii’s exclusive gamification system that converts daily goal achievement into real monetary donations for worthy causes. The exclusive price for the 12 month Beta is $99. Participants will be asked to provide regular feedback on the product as they use it. People can apply to join the Beta beginning on January 22 at GOQii.com.
Research has shown that fitness trackers alone do not make people healthier. GOQii’s integration of actual health coaches differentiates it from existing fitness applications, trackers and online services. Often unrealistic or unattainable goals are set to change bad habits, leading to a vicious cycle of disappointment and personal failure. Wearable devices that do more to effect behavior than simply present data can directly address the elements of habit change and trigger the sequences that lead to the establishment of new, positive habits.
With an inherent focus on personalized mentoring, GOQii coaches will interact individually with every user on a one-on-one basis as they endeavor to attain positive, long-term results through habit changes. GOQii Beta participants will communicate with their coaches via unlimited daily text messages and scheduled video chat sessions.
The U.S. GOQii Beta will include feature and service enhancements to the first version of GOQii released last year in India including: in-app video chats; integration with other popular health and fitness tracking apps, including Apple’s HealthKit; and an expanded global coaching network with U.S. based coaches.
“GOQii’s philosophy is driven by our passion for healthy and meaningful living,” explains GOQii Founder and CEO Vishal Gondal. “After using a number wearables, I felt that something was missing. They were just data-collecting gadgets and apps all of which lacked sustained engagement, motivation, customized advice and a human connection. I was looking for the complete solution for a more fulfilling way of life. With GOQii we have created that solution.”
The program takes a triple-pronged approach that focuses on the body, mind and soul. Coaches inspire users to maintain proper nutrition, activity levels and exercise, while monitoring the user’s sleep and health habit changes. And GOQii rewards users with Karma Points that translate into funds for reaching fitness goals by donating to global causes, fostering positive energy within the community. GOQii is currently partnered with Oxfam International—the global confederation of 17 organizations in 94 countries whose aim is to end poverty throughout the world.
Along with a team of internationally-renowned health experts, GOQii is expanding its network of certified health coaches to the U.S. Participants in the Beta will have the opportunity to select the coach who best suits their personal health and fitness goals.
“GOQii enhances and influences affirmative goal-oriented choices in building a better lifestyle. The best way to reach your potential and achieve your wellness goals is with a coach,” says Gondal. “Quality one-on-one health coaching has been prohibitively expensive for the average consumer. GOQii’s scalable platform allows us to deliver the same quality service at a fraction of the traditional price.”
ABOUT GOQii Inc.
GOQii Inc. is a digital health platform dedicated to enabling a permanent shift to a healthier lifestyle through a combination of one-on-one health coaching, activity tracking technology and Karma Points, GOQii’s exclusive points system that results in donations to worthy causes. At the heart of the system are the GOQii coaches who are driven by a passion for healthy sustainable living and believe in the boundless potential of their users.
Founded by one of India’s leading tech entrepreneurs, Vishal Gondal, GOQii has generated an overwhelming response during its trial launch in India and resulted in strong customer validation as well as partnerships with Microsoft, Oxfam International and Reebok.
GOQii is funded by leading angel investors, such as Amit Singhal (Google), Anil Godhwani (Habitera), Bharat Vasan (MyBasis), Marco Argenti (Amazon), Deepak Shahdadpuri (DSGCP), Dr. Shriram Nene, Esther Dyson (EFF), Gautam Godhwani (Simply Hired), Kanwaljit Bombra (Dell), Madhuri Dixit-Nene (Bollywood Actress), Mahesh Samat (Epic), Mike McNamara (Flextronics), Prashant Gulati (TiE), Sanjay Parthasarthy (Indix), Sanjay Vaswani, Steve Luczo (Seagate), Taher Khorakiwala, Vijay Vashee (Microsoft), Rajan Anandan (Google) and S. Somasegar (Microsoft) .
For more information, visit www.goqii.com.
