Kinneta, a New York-based extended reality (XR) company, is introducing its new XR treadmill and bike apps designed to make workouts more engaging.
At the Augmented World Expo (AWE) in Long Beach, California, Kinneta showcased its virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) fitness solutions. These apps aim to replace dull, repetitive cardio workouts with interactive experiences. Users can work out with top fitness trainers through XR fitness apps that bring excitement to exercise.
The apps allow people to safely exercise one-on-one with professional trainers at stunning locations around the world. Users can also have these trainers appear as photorealistic holograms right in their home or gym for private classes. Kinneta released the app on the Meta Store in partnership with leading treadmill and cycling brands Woodway and WattBike, which are also exhibiting at AWE 2025.
Jenna Arndt, cofounder and head of fitness at Kinneta, described one of the new features. “Our gamified bike experience lets users punch and dodge targets with their body and arms to the music beat while pedaling. The closer they match the beat, the higher their workout score,” she said in an interview with GamesBeat. This “connected mode” links the user’s pedaling directly to their game score.
At AWE, Kinneta also introduced gamified workouts for Xreal AR glasses. These workouts involve rhythm-based full-body challenges where users’ cadence on the WattBike syncs with the music beat, giving power-ups in the game. Arndt said these workouts will be available both in VR and AR. They will be demonstrated on Meta Quest and Xreal glasses at the conference.
Additionally, the company launched a new product featuring trainer-led scenic workouts. Users can follow a trainer on a virtual run through Central Park.
Kinneta also revealed new VR technology for Meta Quest headsets. It offers photorealistic 3D runs in Central Park led by a trainer. The technology automatically adjusts the Woodway treadmill’s speed and incline to match the virtual terrain. The VR experience closely replicates real treadmill movement. Trainers can customize the workout difficulty, such as adding uphill runs. The visuals are realistic and immersive, created using advanced capture equipment. Workout data from the treadmill is collected and analyzed through the app.
Kinneta announced a major new partnership with TrueForm.
Currently, most users access Kinneta’s XR workouts at home. However, the company hopes more gyms will offer the equipment for their members. Equinox, a large gym chain with hundreds of locations, is considering a rollout.
Ilya Polokhin, CEO of Kinneta, explained that many people are waiting for lighter, less expensive, and higher-resolution headsets. Polokhin started working with VR motion simulators in 2014, after 15 years in automotive and retail operations. In 2017, he founded Hubneo VR Lab in the U.S. He co-founded Kinneta’s predecessor, Octonic, with David Wen, the company’s chief engineer, in 2020. Polokhin’s passions include VR gaming and long-distance running, which inspired him to combine these interests.
David Wen brings over eight years of experience in VR development, AI, and full-stack applications. He has worked with Unity since 2017 and is an expert in competitive strategy games and rhythm VR games like Beat Saber.
Nahiyan Ahmad, cofounder and head of business development, has more than seven years in XR. He previously worked at Jump Into The Light, a VR center in Manhattan, producing creative content with artists like Bill Pullman and Patricia Field.
Jenna Arndt has over 12 years in health and wellness. She was part of founding several boutique fitness studios in New York City and spent nearly a decade as Head Trainer and VP of Fitness Programming at Swerve Fitness.
Starting in 2021, Polokhin and Wen combined their VR expertise and passion for fitness to develop a locomotion solution that lets users run or bike on fitness machines while fully immersed in VR. “Our goal was to allow people to run on treadmills or cycle while exploring virtual environments,” Polokhin said.
Kinneta operates with a small team of eight people, competing against major brands like Peloton, which dominate the fitness treadmill market. Polokhin said their main challenge is changing people’s mindset about XR fitness rather than competing directly with other startups.
The company offers a subscription model priced at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Wen noted that AR technology is gaining momentum, especially as AR glasses integrate generative AI. Apple’s move into mixed reality headsets is also driving excitement.
“We are looking forward to the next generation of Apple headsets to create more diverse experiences,” Polokhin said.
Currently, Kinneta provides more than 50 virtual locations where users can exercise. Many workouts are themed to keep users engaged. The app connects directly with bikes and treadmills for real-time interaction. To date, Kinneta has raised $1.5 million in funding, including $250,000 recently from Woodway.
