Tech entrepreneurs Jack Malin and Dave Rushton have teamed up with former footballer Peter Crouch and his business partner James Cox for their new venture.
Earlier this year, Malin and Rushton exited gym software firm Membr after it was acquired by US global platform Xplor Technologies for an undisclosed sum.
Now the two have joined forces with Cox and former Tottenham Hotspur star Crouch, co-founders of Inner Circle, to launch Vytal Ventures, an athlete-backed, founder-led venture studio focused on health, fitness and wellbeing.
Inner Circle is a founder-first investment platform backed by a global network of leading entrepreneurs, athletes and investors.
Vytal Ventures is designed for founders who want more than capital.
Its model combines venture-building support, operator insight and investor access, with an in-house team spanning product, engineering, marketing and commercial support.
Crouch, co-founder of Inner Circle and Vytal Ventures, said: “Elite sport teaches you the value of discipline, coaching and performance under pressure. We want to bring that mindset into venture building and connect founders with athletes and investors who genuinely understand this space.”
Malin, co-founder of Vytal Ventures, said: “When we built Membr, we learned first-hand how hard it can be for good founders to get the right support at the right time.
“Vytal Ventures is built to change that, combining operational experience, AI-native product development and sector knowledge to help founders move faster and build better businesses.”
Rushton added: “Health, fitness and wellbeing are becoming increasingly shaped by technology, data and AI. Founders need partners who can turn that shift into real products and real traction. That’s the gap we’re built to fill.”
Cox, co-founder of Inner Circle and Vytal Ventures, said: “At Inner Circle, we’ve always believed that great founders need more than capital.
“They need experienced people around them who understand the market, can open doors and know what scale really takes.
“Vytal is a natural extension of that belief into a sector we’re deeply passionate about.”
Vytal Ventures is now actively seeking conversations with founders building in health, fitness and wellbeing, as well as investors aligned with the future of the sector.
As well as scoring 107 Premier League goals, Crouch, who is 6ft 7in tall, won 42 England caps. Since retiring, he has become a hugely successful podcast host and is married to model Abbey Clancy.