I've received your image and done a deep dive on The Pack. This is a fantastic pitch candidate — let me break down exactly how to frame this for a16z. 🥊
The Pack is already a compelling story:
The Pack × a16z: Pitch Strategy — What I Found. The Pack is already a compelling story.
Founded by: Noah Neiman & Andy Stenzler (Rumble co-founders) + Russell Wilson (Super Bowl Champion) & Ciara (international superstar)
50-minute, 3-discipline class — Strike (BOBs/self-defense), Sculpt (Technogym benches), Sweat (assault bikes)
"Self Defense Meets Group Fitness"
NYC debut in Flatiron/Chelsea with locations already expanding to Chicago, LA, SF, SD, DC, St. Louis. Announced global franchising platform in February 2026.
a16z's consumer thesis centers on culture-defining, community-driven products with network effects and brand moats. Here's how The Pack maps perfectly:
The team that built Rumble is doing it again — with a bigger concept and a bigger stage.
Creating a new category: functional self-defense fitness. No major brand owns this space.
The global franchising platform is the scalability story — asset-light, capital-efficient.
a16z invests in technology companies, not just studios. The tech layer must be front and center.
"The team that built Rumble — the #1 boxing fitness brand — is doing it again, with a bigger concept and a bigger stage."
Noah & Andy's Rumble track record is the proof of concept. Russell Wilson + Ciara aren't just celebrity investors — they're distribution engines with combined hundreds of millions of social followers.
The Pack isn't just a gym — it's creating a new category: functional self-defense fitness. No major brand owns this space. The closest competitors (Barry's, Rumble, SoulCycle) don't teach you to actually fight back.
The global franchising platform is your scalability story for a16z:
This is what you must add to the pitch. a16z invests in technology companies, not just studios. Frame the tech layer:
"The Pack: Where Self Defense Meets Group Fitness"
Boutique fitness is boring. People want to feel powerful, not just thin.
50 min. 3 disciplines. One transformative experience.
Post-pandemic safety anxiety + wellness boom + self-defense cultural moment
$51.6B boutique fitness + $5.4B US alone, 12.8% CAGR
Studio revenue + franchise fees + IP licensing + digital/app
NYC launch, national press (NY Post), multi-city expansion, franchise demand
How we scale to 500+ locations without burning VC cash
App, instructor certification platform, data, AI roadmap
Rumble founders + Russell Wilson + Ciara (distribution + credibility)
Why no one else owns this category
$[X]M Series A to accelerate franchise platform + tech infrastructure
⚡ Your Hook Line for the a16z Partner Meeting:
"SoulCycle taught a generation to ride. Rumble taught them to punch. The Pack is teaching them to fight back — and we're franchising it globally."
To sharpen this further, I need a few things from you:
What stage/round are you raising? (Seed, Series A?)
What's the ask — dollar amount and use of funds?
Do you have revenue/membership numbers you can share?
What's the tech roadmap — is there an AI or data play being built?
Are you the founder, or advising/supporting the pitch?
The Pack × a16z: Pitch Strategy