Described by Riccardo Luna as ‘the first and only Italian startup born in a garage,’ Technogym is well on its way to its first forty years, all of them Made in Italy successes! The entrepreneurial story of Nerio Alessandri, president and founder of Technogym Wellness Company, a world leader in wellness, fitness and rehabilitation, could be the all-Italian version of Gabriele Muccino’s “The Pursuit of Happiness.”
Beginnings in the garage
Born in Cesena in 1961 to a family without even a telephone at home, after graduating, he worked for three years in a company, then left the safe place for the dream of being an entrepreneur. He contemplates opening an Emporio Armani shop, but in the meantime, together with two friends, he designed and built a piece of gym equipment in his garage at home. The prototype
was successful, and he handled orders from a public phone booth.
At only 22 years old, he founded Technogym together with his brother. Passionate about sports, he uses his knowledge and patents “Unica,” the first home fitness equipment and a line for gyms.
The 1980s: major collaborations
In the late 1980s Technogym began a fruitful collaboration with the world of soccer and Formula 1. It became the official supplier of athletic training equipment to some of the leading soccer teams (including A.C. Milan), world-class athletes such as Formula 1 drivers Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, and some of the most prestigious international sporting events (such as the 1990 World Cup).
In 1990, he introduced the concept of “wellness” to the world of sports, thus linking sporting activity to physical well-being and promoting for the first time a mindful approach to movement, beyond mere activity done for hedonistic purposes. At the same time, he designed the unique CPR system, an algorithm that decides the intensity of training based on heart rate.
Official supplier of the Sydney Olympics
The 2000s opened with a significant success for Technogym: in fact, the company was chosen as the Official Supplier for athletic training at the Sydney Olympics, where more than 10,000 athletes used equipment made in Italy to train. The same will happen with all subsequent editions of the Olympics.
The Wellness Foundation
In 2003, Alessandri founded the Wellness Foundation to spread the culture of the “wellness” lifestyle. Meanwhile, technology is becoming increasingly pervasive, and the fitness world is no exception. In 2010, the launch of the Technogym Ecosystem ushered in a new era for physical activity, offering everyone everywhere the opportunity to take the Wellness experience with them. In 2016, the company went public.
There are several recognitions obtained by Nerio Alessandri. In 2001, he was appointed Cavaliere del Lavoro (Knight of Labour) by President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi: he is the youngest knight of labour in Italian history. He received two honorary degrees in 2004 and 2005, in Motor Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, respectively. Among other numerous awards received throughout his career, the Sport Award received in 2017 by the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, for his commitment to supporting the Olympic Movement, certainly stands out.
Nerio Alessandri’s decalogue
Recently, Nerio Alessandri, summarising his participation in La Repubblica’s Italian Tech Week, published his decalogue of lessons he has learned in his professional and personal life. These lessons are learned through curiosity, commitment, and above all, “doing better what we have to do. When you succeed, you start to be happy.”
Technogym, with headquarters in Cesena, 900 million in sales and 1900 employees, now holds world leadership in the Fitness and Wellness industry.
Congratulations to those who bring Made in Italy technology and design to the world!