A Qatar-based sports tech startup is motivating people to engage in a healthy lifestyle by developing an app that gives access to a wide range of classes and day passes to different gyms across the country via a single membership.
The co-founders of Classtap, CEO Bashar Hudhud and chief creative officer Rana Majeed, hatched the idea of building a lifestyle company after realising that there is a growing trend to engage in different group fitness activities.
“It’s very difficult to keep yourself motivated and commit to a specific workout, so we came up with an idea to help people stay entertained and motivated, while keeping fit at the same time. As a company that promotes and encourages people to live a healthy lifestyle, we are aligning ourselves with the Qatar National Vision 2030 to help build healthier human capital,” Hudhud told Gulf Times.
Classtap is among the 10 startups participating in the accelerator programme of

Qatar Sports Tech (QST), an initiative by Qatar Development Bank (QDB). 

QST is powered by Startupbootcamp, and supported by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Qatar Financial Centre, Aspire Zone Foundation, beIN Sports and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
According to Hudhud, Classtap’s journey started at the Digital Incubation Centre (DIC) of the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC). From there, Classtap became a part of the eighth cycle of Qatar Science and Technology Park’s (QSTP) ‘XLR8 Programme’ before proceeding to QST.
“After pitching our idea before investors during XLR8’s ‘Demo Day’, Classtap won the first prize as the ‘Best Investment Opportunity’.That’s when QST approached us for their accelerator programme. 
“Because of the support provided by QSTP, we were able to incubate under the park’s free zone. QST, on the other hand, helped the company grow its operations. Other incubators also helped us define our business model and determine our market,” Hudhud explained.
Hudhud also stressed that aside from the growing sports-related trends in the local market, Qatar is poised to become a major sports tourism destination, citing the government’s efforts to promote the sports lifestyle.
“Not only is the government busy in the preparations to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but it is active in lining up so many events in between. There’s so much happening in terms of bringing in different sports tournaments and championship events to Qatar,” Hudhud said.
“And with the growing trend of health and wellness, gyms are struggling to stand out in a crowded market and attract customers. With Classtap, we promote their venues, optimise their operation, and increase their overall revenues by filling up their classes with a new market segment. It’s a win-win for both customers and gym owners,” he added.Details on Classtap are available online at https://instagram.com/classtap?igshid=qgwdlld6kqfs
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