- | 3:55 pm
Preity Zinta, Shubman Gill invest in gym chain fusing cricket with fitness
Zinta also offered a glimpse of the collaboration on Instagram, sharing a short clip from the promotional shoot featuring her and Gill
![Preity Zinta, Shubman Gill invest in gym chain fusing cricket with fitness Preity Zinta, Shubman Gill invest in gym chain fusing cricket with fitness](https://pressinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DriveFitt.jpg)
Bollywood actor Preity Zinta and Indian cricketer Shubman Gill have joined hands to invest in Drive Fitt, a fitness startup that aims to fuse cricket training with fitness.
Zinta, the co-owner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Punjab Kings, took to Instagram to share the news.
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“Hi everyone, I’m very excited to share my new project with all of you. Stay tuned for @drive_fitt where cricket meets fitness – coming soon,” said Zinta.
She also offered a glimpse of the collaboration on the platform, sharing a short clip from the promotional shoot featuring her and Gill alongside Australian entrepreneurs Mark Sellar and Deke Smith, who are also the company’s co-founder and chief executive, respectively.
Zinta’s new investment is the latest in a long line of Bollywood celebrities investing and collaborating with startups.
Drive Fitt is targeting 300 India franchises in three years, with 20 initial locations set, Mint reported.
Their flagship location is set to open in Gurgaon this October, with Noida following shortly after. These first facilities will be retained under company ownership.
Following this initial launch, the company plans to expand through franchising across India, aiming for a quick sale of the first 20 locations.
The Indian fitness market, particularly in gyms and fitness centers, has seen a significant growth in recent years.
It reached $1.9 billion in revenue for 2022, according to Market and Research, growing by 16.3% annually since 2017.
This strong performance has positioned India as a significant player, holding a 14.7% share of the Asia-Pacific market in 2022.
The number of people attending gyms and fitness centers in India has been increasing, especially young people, driven by a rising health consciousness and the growing prevalence of lifestyle-related health issues.
“Data suggests we could potentially have up to 800 locations in India, given the population and affordability. Our facility is open to everyone, not just aspiring cricketers,” Sellar told Mint.