The student-run start-up SyncMove has launched a new initiative to promote fitness for students on and off campus. Florian Mealing, SyncMove’s founder, launched the app last year as a platform for gym-goers to connect and motivate each other to work out. Now in his final year, Mealing has focused his outreach on international students at the University of Birmingham, promoting his business at society events and student socials.

Discovering a barrier to the app’s progress, his new initiative aims to grow a customer base for the start-up, which relies on downloads and new user sign-ups to retain growth. SyncMove’s ultimate aim is to help people struggling with gym anxiety by partnering them with a gym buddy, making the experience more social and encouraging regular fitness. To seed these connections, SyncMove has launched weekly runs every Saturday evening. The runs start at the Old Joe and wind around campus and The Vale for a gentle, social 2-3K.

Redbrick spoke to a student who had downloaded the app following its promotion at a society. The student expressed interest in SyncMove’s aims as someone who spends much of their time involved in sport.

‘There’s definitely merit in meeting new people and new friends while you’re doing a sport, which is why I think people who might be new to uni, or who have a less social uni lifestyle might find this app really useful… for me, I already have friends that I run with, I already run regularly.’

‘For someone whose life revolves around sports and friends, what’s the difference between having SyncMove and just having a group chat?’

Mealing’s app needs a base of students who fit an elusive, although not uncommon, profile. SyncMove’s target audience are people who have less access to social groups, and who want to work out but don’t yet. So where to find this demographic?

Mealing has placed his bets on new international students, who may face more social barriers, and students who may have purchased uni gym memberships but have not found anyone to go with.

Three runs in, SyncMove is in conversation with UoB Sport and Fitness as a potential partner, hoping to provide their services to students accessing the University gym. The University gym is a part of the BUCS universal gym access scheme, so if the partnership is successful it could open up the opportunity for SyncMove to grow through the national BUCS network.

To guarantee the success of their app, SyncMove needs to be able to create and sustain the interest of an initial customer base. If this hurdle can be cleared, then SyncMove could be here to stay, on campus and beyond.

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