Football star Cristiano Ronaldo has signed up as an investor in wearable technology start-up Whoop, which is boosting its international growth by expanding into the GCC.
The investment from the Portuguese footballer was not disclosed, but is "one of the largest if not the largest investment he's made in a company", Whoop chief executive Will Ahmed told The National on Monday.
"[Ronaldo] actually reached out to us for a partnership" after he researched the company and its products, "showing his belief in us", Mr Ahmed said.
"We've certainly seen a lot of interest due to the remarkable growth we've had over the past year, and the growth that we're seeing internationally."
Ronaldo's investment comes at a time when Whoop is expanding into Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, in addition to Hong Kong, Israel, South Korea and Taiwan.
The company, which already has a warehouse facility in the UAE, is also extending its shipping services to Brazil, India and Mexico. Whoop is also focusing on adding Arabic support to its devices next.
The new investment will be used to develop new products and services, as well as to boost its engagement with users, Boston-based Whoop said.
Whoop, which was founded in 2012, provides training, health, sleep and recovery services, and has so far raised about $405 million across eight funding rounds, according to start-up tracker Crunchbase.
Among its most notable investors are Japan's SoftBank Vision Fund and UAE71 Capital, which invested $200 million and $25 million, respectively, Crunchbase data shows.
Whoop is currently not actively seeking more capital at the moment, but options will be revisited in the coming year, Mr Ahmed said.
"Right now we're comfortable with our own balance sheet and potential for growth," he said.
Ronaldo, 39, currently playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, gained international status during his stints at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
He is a five-time winner of both the Uefa Champions League and Ballon d'Or, as well as a holder of a number of records at club and international levels.
Ronaldo joins high-profile Whoop investors, including American football quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Eli Manning, four-time golf majors champion Rory McIlroy and swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian.
He is one of the most recognisable athletes and celebrities, and this has allowed him to secure a number of lucrative endorsement and sponsorship deals. He was the highest-paid footballer in 2023, according to Forbes estimates.
Companies that are able to secure the services of highly popular figures are most likely to boost their branding and reputation.
“People are more likely to choose products that are endorsed by a celebrity rather than a non-celebrity, and they make that choice faster,” according to the Knowledge at Wharton business journal.
Choosing a product advertised by a celebrity has a psychological effect, with consumers spending less time deliberating their choice and more confident about their decision, it said.
Ronaldo's most high-profile endorsement deal is with US athletic gear maker Nike, which gave him a lifetime contract worth $1 billion, similar to what it gave to NBA icons Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
He earns $24 million a year from Oregon-based Nike, which also gave him a $100 million bonus when he signed the deal.
Among Ronaldo's key endorsements include those with high-street fashion brand Emporio Armani, Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer, dietary supplement company Herbalife and cryptocurrency exchange Binance.
He has also used his CR7 brand to delve into other off-pitch ventures, including a hotel chain in collaboration with Portugal-based Pestana Group, which has opened CR7 properties across the world.
Ronaldo also has investments in CR7-branded clothing, perfumes and gyms – and even a selfie mobile application. In March, he opened the Italian restaurant Toto in Abu Dhabi, in a venture with tennis star Rafael Nadal.
Whoop aims to boost its presence in the health metrics and human performance industry, a space dominated by companies such as Apple, Samsung and Fitbit.
Whoop is trying to set itself apart by focusing on core health tracking, data, accuracy and privacy; its products do not feature modern features such as notifications, e-mail, phone calls and high-resolution screens.
"There are a lot of other products in the market that do more things ... but the things that we do, we're the best at it," Mr Ahmed said.
The fitness tracker market is projected to hit $116.5 billion by 2028, from an estimated $57.8 billion in 2024, at a compound annual growth rate of about 20 per cent, data from Research and Markets shows.
The Whoop partnership would “continue to raise the bar on [its] features and coaching”, Ronaldo said.
India squad
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, K.L. Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
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Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Sri Lanka's T20I squad
Thisara Perera (captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
ON%20TRACK
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE's final round of matches
- Sep 1, 2016 Beat Japan 2-1 (away)
- Sep 6, 2016 Lost to Australia 1-0 (home)
- Oct 6, 2016 Beat Thailand 3-1 (home)
- Oct 11, 2016 Lost to Saudi Arabia 3-0 (away)
- Nov 15, 2016 Beat Iraq 2-0 (home)
- Mar 23, 2017 Lost to Japan 2-0 (home)
- Mar 28, 2017 Lost to Australia 2-0 (away)
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Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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