Innovation

Fitalyst provides an innovative approach towards fostering a contagious mentality when discussing health. Specifically, this entails using a healthy conscious tool known as Tag as well as the recording of actionable data.

Fitalyst users are able to manage and remain interactive within their health communities through the technological tool known as Tag. Through the use of Facebook Messenger, Tag allows students to participate in daily health challenges, monitor facility usage, and interact with other members within the university community from a pro-health standpoint.

Additionally, Fitalyst documents actionable data regarding student health preferences that universities are potentially able to factor when establishing a healthier interconnected community. This includes data regarding student's favorite healthy foods, preferred recreational programs, and even expectations regarding appropriate assistance in the facilitation of healthy living habits.

Inspiration

As Jonathan Muruako, CEO/Founder of Fitalyst stated in the interview, "Health is the most important personal asset and if students are given the tool to take and own their health...students will also feel that health is an important asset to them."

As a research student at the University of Pennsylvania, in the Biological School of Research and Behavior, Jonathan Muruako (Class of 17') witnessed students obsess over their health and the all too familiar phrase, " The Freshman 15." Many of Jonathan's friends and classmates did in fact gain the fifteen pounds often associated with the adjustment to college as a Freshman, however, Jonathan was determined to find a solution to this health related problem.

Given Jonathan's love for wellness-health, he began to brainstorm and eventually formulated the business concept behind Fitalyst, a now well respected platform for engaging university students in helping win the lifetime marathon in maintaining a healthier lifestyle.

Overall impact

Fitalyst aims to serve students through the collaboration of university health-wellness services to both instill and foster healthy living. The long term vision and gradual impact Fitalyst aims to achieve includes lowering costs in health care spending within the country, creating a happier attitude towards health wellness, and the overall elimination of the preconceived stress surrounding the maintenance of a healthy wellness focused lifestyle.

The longevity and overall impact that Fitalyst was successful will be evident in cases of potential higher attendance/usage of university health recreational facilities/programs, an overall optimistic health aware student, and an interconnected healthier community. The notion behind the Fitalyst model is that the contagious mentality behind health wellness will spread amongst peers and gradually cause an elevation in the movement towards pro-health choices.

Business benefit

The benefit behind Fitalyst regarding the health-wellness industry is that this business provides an accessible means for millennial's to combat complacency and overwhelming circumstances when factoring the importance of maintaining a healthy livelihood in college. Many students are unaware of the significance behind establishing healthy habits early on in their lives and especially by the time they approach college. Fitalyst allows a students to become proactive and excited when discussing health.

The industry-business has not yet witnessed a platform that provides this unique featured alignment between student preferences and university health services. The incorporation and factorization of actionable data is crucial and arguably at the forefront of many emerging business discussions. Through the introduction of Fitalyst, many positive outcomes can be observed across university communities and eventually city communities as pro-health mentality is contagious; everyone wants to feel/look their best.

Social and environmental benefit

Fitalyst benefits both the societies and environments it's established within through the promotion of making the longterm investment in one's self through establishing a healthy lifestyle that can be enjoyable. Creating pro-health awareness in communities is crucial to not only the betterment of students, but university communities as well. It remains a positive understanding that institutions whom set healthy ideals and invest in the appropriate means to promote health as an important asset can better attract-gain a higher demographic of incoming candidates.

Fitalyst provides a solution to combat unhealthy habits and temptations that often plague students upon entry into college life. Having the ability to begin a healthy regiment through an interconnected platform across several communities not only provides students a networking opportunity, but a chance to have a voice in their health journey. This business allows for a resourceful approach that communities can manipulate in an effort to have health wellness remain present in discussions of education and well-being.

Interview

Jonathan Muruako, Founder/CEO