The philosophy of Wellness, the aim of which is to diffuse a culture of health and prevention through regular physical exercise, is a consistent feature of all Technogym’s activities and is a strategic guideline in all product development operations.
In terms of equipment, all Technogym equipment is designed and built to combine effective exercise with high accessibility and gradual intensity in order to involve the largest possible number of users, from proficient, highly trained sportspeople to beginners or people with specific needs.
The Technogym range also includes specific lines for rehabilitation and models that can meet the needs of users with functional limitations or particular physical conditions.
Since its foundation in 1983, Technogym’s guiding principle has been all-round innovation in products, processes, its digital ecosystem, sales, marketing and in every other area of the company. Products are at the core of Technogym’s innovation strategy. Our Research and Development area employs more than 200 professionals including engineers, sports physiologists, designers and software developers. It also collaborates with external medical practitioners, physiotherapists, architects, athletes and sports trainers.
Innovation is also linked to the ongoing study and improvement of the Technogym Ecosystem, the company’s digital ecosystem that includes smart devices, the mywellness cloud platform and the mobile app, both for end users and for fitness professionals. This tool allows users to access all Technogym machines from their own customised programmes, so that the equipment will automatically adjust to the exercise level prescribed by the instructor or physician. All training data is then saved on the cloud platform to allow users, trainers and doctors to analyse the exercise, keep track of progress and update the programme according to the specific requirements of each person. The platform therefore offers consumers “Wellness on the go”, a personalised wellness experience any time, anywhere, be it at home, on a trip, at work, at the doctor’s or outside.
Product development
[Article 3 (1) Italian Legislative Decree 254/16 – Social issues; Art. 3 (2 c) Italian Legislative Decree 254/16 – Health and safety]
Technogym's offer is based on a wide range of products, digital technologies and services (in 2020, there were 305 models on sale, including 247 in the Equipment segment and 58 in Digital), designed to meet highly diversified needs ranging from training for professional and amateur athletes through to fitness, for everyone who wants to stay fit and have fun, and be healthy (rehabilitation and prevention programmes).
The development process is designed to manufacture products that offer efficient, safe exercise, with an attractive design that engages users not only from a functional point of view, but also by offering a positive emotional experience. Increasingly, the machines are accompanied by interactive content and a training method aimed at informing and motivating the user.
That is why product development, which is regulated by a specific procedure, is managed synergically by the Research and Development, Scientific Research and Innovation and Product Marketing departments.
“Open innovation”
The process to develop new products and services starts from the study of end user needs and emerging sector trends. Ongoing analysis of the market, of trends in similar and other sectors, and relations with industry opinion leaders and the scientific community are fundamental.
Besides ideas and concepts developed in-company, through the Research and Development and Scientific Research and Innovation Departments, and thanks to a strategic network of top level professionals operating in various areas of the company’s business (Health, Fitness & Sport), Technogym sources ideas, trends and needs from various business sectors, to use in the development of new products.
Technogym is also open to spontaneous ideas from the public, which can be submitted by inventors, enthusiasts or simply end users in the relevant area of the company website. If the ideas are of interest, the Scientific Research and Innovation department will contact the person who made the suggestion. The product development process defines the procedure used to evaluate external ideas. By using this approach, Technogym can seize opportunities for innovation, while offering full legal protection to the owner of the idea;
A Feedback Report system is also in operation. This consists of periodic reports submitted by the local subsidiaries, in order to share market trends and specific requirements emerging in each country.
Scientific approach
The scientific approach is an integral part of Technogym’s product development. We also have long-standing collaborations with a network of scientists and prestigious Italian and international universities. Technogym is continuing its many scientific research projects with universities and research centres in Italy and internationally.
The aim of these partnerships is to scientifically validate projects and innovation while backing up the communication and promotion of a wellness lifestyle with scientifically proven data. Universities have been asked to carry out independent research to validate solutions proposed by the company.
This step is essential for guaranteeing continual product innovation, in terms of new developments for the market, a responsible approach that can verify the actual benefits on offer. This ensures that the innovation of Technogym products is declared not only by the company itself but also by authoritative external sources.
In Italy, it partners:
- Padua University, in particular the Laboratory of Neuromuscular Physiology of the Department of Biomedical Sciences led by Professor Marco Narici;
- Milan University, and the Laboratory of the Physical mechanics of locomotion led by Professor Alberto Minetti;
- Tor Vergata University and the S. Raffaele Pisana Hospital in Rome (through Professor Maurizio Volterrani);
- Perugia University, and in particular the Laboratory of Biomechanics led by Professor Andrea Biscarini.
- The University of Sports Science (IUSM) in Rome, with Professor Massimo Sacchetti
Exercise is Medicine
For the eighth year running, Technogym was a global partner of “Exercise is Medicine”, an initiative set up in the United States from a collaboration between ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) and AMA (American Medical Association), now developed on an international level, whose objective is to promote the prescription by doctors of physical activity as a form of medicine for a number of disorders, and to train industry operators and trainers in providing therapies in the form of physical exercise programmes.
Technogym’s involvement with the initiative included the publication of new documents, participation in the annual convention held in Orlando (Florida) and the organisation of events in Italy and other parts of the world to train doctors and trainers. Since 2019, it has stepped up the training held in partnership with ACSM, organising webinars and publishing articles. Outside Italy, structured collaboration continues with the University of Loughborough and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York (Dr. Lee Jones).
- The cancer patient research project with the Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia (Prof. Robert Newton) continues.
- As part of the venture with Nazarbajev University in Kazakistan, the head of Technogym's science department gives lessons to sports medicine students.
In general, Technogym has engaged with more than 30 universities and research centres over the years, to evaluate proposed innovations. To date, Technogym has an intellectual property portfolio of more than 295 patents, 201 designs and 399 national and international trademarks, which include 19 patents, 53 designs and 5 trademarks registered in 2020.