From Battlefield to Poolside: How a Soldier's Injury Sparked a $36B Aquafitness Revolution

A Life-Altering Injury Sparks Innovation

"I was severely injured during my service, while performing my duties under fire near Jenin," recalls Asaf Ventura, combat medic and founder of apa wellness, speaking to CTech. "An explosive device went off next to me, and I found myself still standing in a trench, bleeding, and realizing that my right hand had been severed in two... I understood in just a few seconds that my life would never be the same."

Asaf Ventura, founder and VP of Product and Innovation, apa wellness (Photo: Nir Oron)

The Birth of apa wellness

From years of rehabilitation, Ventura says, "I discovered the need for new products for the pool that will make opportunities for sport, movement and rehabilitation but through a different concept." He adds: "Out of that pain grew the roots of an original idea: a startup with the potential to change lives."

apa wellness is a holistic aquafitness system that combines mechanical product with advanced technologies – essentially a "smart multi-trainer for pools" that uses floats instead of weights, as well as smart sensors and AI to drive personalization for both fitness and rehabilitation.

Asaf Ventura with apa wellness (Photo: Nir Oron)

Unique Technology Born in Water

Ventura studied at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and later worked as a designer and developer at MadaTech, the National Museum of Science at the Technion in Haifa, where the kernels of his idea first took shape: "a fitness system built with floats: using the principles of buoyancy to create smart, adaptable resistance that helps people train, recover, and grow stronger in the water."

"What makes our system different is that most products today rely on weights and rigid connections," Ventura continues. "They are usually land-based devices that were simply adapted to work in water, but they were never truly designed for it. Our invention was born in water, from the start."

apa wellness demonstration (Photo: apa wellness)

Targeting a Massive Global Market

Today, the startup is targeting a global aquafitness and rehabilitation market valued at more than $36 billion, with an estimated 30 million pools worldwide. Ventura argues the company has no direct competitors. "What's missing in the market is a complete and flexible system," he says.

Impressive Funding Success

The approach has attracted backing from both prominent private investors and the wider public through crowdfunding campaigns. A $2 million pre-seed round was completed a year ago, which included names like Leon Recanati, Adi Strauss, Rafi Gabai, and Yossi Ackerman. More recently, apa wellness secured over NIS 4 million via Fundit, the digital crowdfunding investment platform of the Headstart Group.

Fundit CEO Rinat Berman described the round to CTech as an "impressive fundraising success for apa wellness," adding, "We are proud to help innovative companies like apa wellness grow."

Current Development and Future Plans

Now, with the seed round secured, the company is finalizing its technical product files and preparing for its first small-scale manufacturing. The funds will support production, marketing, and the development of both the app and a smart ring that extends the platform.

Pilots are already underway in Israel and abroad, with the company aiming to penetrate both public markets via renewable service agreements, and private markets. "We aim to conquer both the B2B segment which is the rehab pools, senior homes and hospitality and gyms and also the B2C segment which is all residential pools which are gaining more popularity as the prices go down and the earth is getting warmer," Ventura says.

Yuval Matalon, Eyal Tryber and Asaf Ventura at product testing (Photo: Asaf Ventura)

Strong Leadership Team

Serving as VP of Product and Innovation, Ventura is joined in leadership by CEO Yuval Matalon, former CEO of eBay Israel and LivePerson, and Eyal Tryber, Chairman of the Board and former CEO of Maytronics.

The company is based in Yokneam, working out of the Open Valley hub, where the team runs development processes that include 3D printing and live testing. "What makes apa interesting is that it's not confined to one place," Ventura says. "Much of our development happens in the field, working with people, with experienced therapists, and with professionals from different disciplines."

Strategic Market Entry

In terms of its roadmap, apa wellness is building its foundation in Israel, beginning with rehabilitation centers and IDF recovery programs, before aiming to expand into the global wellness and aquatic fitness markets.

"As an Israeli startup we decided to launch the first product in rehabilitation centers here in Israel," Ventura explains. "We see it as a must-have solution for injured IDF soldiers and for hydrotherapists who can immediately benefit from using it."

Longer-term, apa wellness intends to broaden the potential of its technology, applying it not only to rehabilitation but also to wider aquafitness and performance markets. "But above all," Ventura concludes, "the most important thing for me is to take my own difficult personal experience and transform it into something meaningful for others."