Alice Baquie is a rising star in the world of fitness technology - a young female entrepreneur who has rapidly transformed her passion for athletics and physiotherapy into a multi-million dollar business. As the founder of forRunners, Alice has established herself as a visionary leader in the running and fitness industry and now in the tech entrepreneurial space, all in her 30s.
Alice's journey began as an elite gymnast, where she honed her understanding of body mechanics and the importance of strength and flexibility. This foundation would prove invaluable in her future endeavours. Transitioning from gymnastics, Alice discovered a passion for distance running, a shift that would significantly influence her career path.
Driven by her athletic background and a desire to understand the human body better, Alice pursued a degree in physiotherapy. It was during this time that she discovered Pilates, which she describes as the "literal glue" between her gymnastics background and her newfound love for running.
For years, Alice immersed herself in Pilates and developed her own unique style, falling in love with its unique ability to prevent injuries, enhance sports performance, and foster community connections within the athletic community. This experience laid the groundwork for her future innovations.
The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a pivotal moment in Alice's career. What started as a temporary pivot to live group mat Pilates sessions during lockdowns quickly evolved into something much bigger. With her keen entrepreneurial instinct, Alice identified a growing market of runners in desperate need of strength, mobility, and rehabilitation treatments to sustain their high-impact sport.
Recognising the unique edge that Pilates could provide to runners, and inspired by consultations with over 20 Olympians, Alice's vision for forRunners began to take shape. What started as zoom catch-ups soon escalated into the development of a full-fledged app, built from the ground up to accommodate the specific needs of every runner, from beginners to world-class athletes.
In 2020, at an age when many are just starting their careers, Alice launched "Pilates for Runners," an online live group Pilates program. Encouraged by its success and demonstrating remarkable business acumen, she invested heavily in developing the forRunners app throughout 2021 and 2022. The app was launched to test users in 2023 and then to the open market in early 2024, quickly gaining traction and establishing itself as a multi-million dollar valued enterprise.
Today, forRunners caters to a wide range of runners - from those recovering from injuries or navigating pregnancy to marathon trainees and beginners aiming for their first non-stop half marathon. The app's unique selling point is its integration of physiotherapy-designed running plans with injury prevention strategies and tailored strength and mobility pilates workouts tuned specifically for the running community - a first of its kind in the market.
Alice's expertise and entrepreneurial success have been recognised across the industry. She is a featured writer for Runners World Australia and New Zealand, has worked with the Singapore Gymnastics Team, and is currently directly involved with 20 Australian Olympic Athletes that have just competed at the Paris Olympics. Her YouTube channel, which provides free 10-15 minute workouts for runners, has garnered hundreds of thousands of views, showcasing her ability to build a strong online presence and community.
As a testament to her influence in the fitness and tech spaces, Alice has worked with major brands like Lululemon, Brooks, Asics and Puma. Most recently, forRunners has integrated with a behemoth in fitness Tech ‘Strava’, further enhancing its functionality and reach, and demonstrating Alice's strategic approach to business growth and strategic partnerships.
Alice's journey exemplifies the power of young, female-led entrepreneurship in the tech and fitness industries. She has successfully navigated the challenges of start-up life, from initial concept, to putting it all on the line and bootstrapping major funding herself, and finally pushing through to market launch, all while maintaining her commitment to improving runners' lives through technology.
Alice describes herself as passionate - both about running and about the potential of forRunners to transform the running experience for athletes at all levels. Her unique blend of elite athletic experience, physiotherapy expertise, and entrepreneurial spirit continues to drive the growth and innovation of forRunners. As a young female founder in the male-dominated tech industry, Alice stands out as a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, proving that with vision, expertise, and determination, it's possible to build a multi-million dollar business that makes a real difference in the quality of people's lives.