McIlroy-backed Whoop aims for Ireland
WHOOP, a Boston-based sports wearable company backed by Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, is set to open its first European office in Dublin.
Following questions from the Sunday Independent, the company, which raised $100m in Series E Funding at a $1.2bn (€1bn) valuation last October, confirmed its plan to set up its Irish base.
Alex Jacobs, a senior manager of PR and communications for Whoop, said: “Following a year of hypergrowth, Whoop plans to open its first European office in Ireland and further invest in global expansion.
“Dublin is a natural launching point with its proximity to Whoop headquarters in Boston, a deep well of international talent, and a strong community of top tech businesses.
“We are excited to build our team locally and grow it alongside increases in our global membership,” he added.
Whoop offers a monthly subscription for health monitoring across sleep, recovery and excercise.
The membership includes a wearable Whoop Strap 3.0, a coaching platform designed to optimize behaviour, and access to a community of high performers.
McIlroy has been a Whoop member for several years and has previously invested in the company. In a statement following its Series E round last October, the golfer said he had “always loved” the brand.
“I’m proud to be investing again in this round of financing and very excited about the company’s prospects,” he said.
The funding round was led by venture capital firm IVP, which will get a board seat with Whoop.
Other participating investors include SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Accomplice, Two Sigma Ventures, Collaborative Fund, Thursday Ventures, Nextview Ventures, Promus Ventures, Cavu Ventures and D20 Capital.