On May 9, 2024, Hydrow and its investors acquired a majority stake in Speede Fitness, a strength-training technology company. Hydrow retained an option to buy the remaining interest, but neither the purchase price nor the stake percentage was disclosed. The deal was announced alongside founder and CEO Bruce Smith’s move away from day-to-day operations.
What Hydrow acquired—and what remains undisclosed
Hydrow said it and its investors had acquired a majority stake in Speede Fitness and that Hydrow retained an option to acquire the rest. The announcement did not specify the percentage acquired or financial terms; TechCrunch’s May 9, 2024 report likewise said Hydrow declined to provide the stake size.
That means the announcement established a controlling majority investment, not a fully disclosed valuation or completed purchase of all Speede shares. The available reporting does not establish whether Hydrow later exercised its option or what the ownership split is now.
Why Hydrow paired rowing with Speede strength training
Hydrow described the transaction as a way to broaden from connected aerobic workouts into strength training and whole-body health. Its rowers use an algorithm-based, patented electromagnetic and computer-controlled drag mechanism, according to the company announcement. The release framed the acquisition as combining Hydrow’s connected-fitness business with Speede’s equipment, analytics, and personalized-training capabilities.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
- TRY FREE FOR 30 DAYS – Every Wave row machine ships with a free 30-day Hydrow Membership trial — 6,000+ live and on-demand workouts, world-class athlete instructors, HydroMetrics performance tracking, and unlimited family profiles. After your trial, the membership is $50/month. The touchscreen, stats, and workout library require an active membership. Without one, you can still row — just without the connected features. Over 90% of members are still rowing a year later.
- FULL-BODY WORKOUT IN 20 MINUTES – The Hydrow Wave rowing machine engages 86% of your muscles in a single stroke — legs, core, back, and arms working together in one fluid motion. Designed for low-impact training, it builds real strength without punishing your joints, making it an efficient rowing machine for home workouts at any fitness level.
- FEELS LIKE OPEN WATER – Hydrow's patented electromagnetic drag technology replicates the smooth, dynamic pull of rowing on water — quiet, controlled, and alive with resistance that adapts to your effort in real time. Add a 16" HD touchscreen, front-facing speakers, and cinematic on-water rows filmed around the world, and this home rower machine stops feeling like exercise. Wi-Fi required to stream Hydrow workouts.
- 30% SMALLER, ZERO COMPROMISES – At 19" wide and 102 lbs, the Wave fits where most rowing machines for home can't — and folds upright when you need the space (Upright Storage Kit sold separately). Available in five bold colors. Supports up to 375 lbs. Pairs via Bluetooth with Apple Watch, heart-rate monitors, and wireless headphones. Dimensions: 80"L x 19"W x 43"H.
- BACKED BY A 1-YEAR WARRANTY – Every Wave magnetic rower machine ships complete with all assembly hardware and is covered by a 1-year manufacturer warranty on parts and mechanical defects. Hydrow's own support team — not a third-party distributor — is available 7 days a week. This is a premium rowing machine for home. We stand behind it like one. Features include padded seat, adjustable foot straps, and a low-stress grip handle.
Hydrow founder Bruce Smith said Speede’s approach to strength training “perfectly complements our immersive rowing experience.” Speede co-founder Greg Tepas said the combination would bring Speede’s technology and analytics together with Hydrow’s connected-fitness expertise. Those statements describe the companies’ rationale; they do not demonstrate that the deal improved fitness outcomes.
What Speede’s equipment was described as doing
Speede’s equipment was presented as supporting three resistance or force profiles: isotonic, isokinetic, and eccentric. The company also described built-in analytics and AI to track performance and support personalized, data-driven workouts. TechCrunch characterized it as a full-body home gym and reported that NFL athletes backed the equipment. These are company and contemporaneous-reporting descriptions, not independent efficacy findings.
Rank #2
- TRY FREE FOR 30 DAYS. – Every Origin row machine ships with a free 30-day Hydrow Membership trial — 6,000+ live and on-demand workouts, world-class athlete instructors, and unlimited family profiles. After your trial, the membership is $50/month. The touchscreen, stats, and workout library require an active membership. Without one, you can still row — just without the connected features. Over 90% of members are still rowing a year later.
- FULL-BODY WORKOUT. 20 MINUTES. – The Hydrow Origin rowing machine engages 86% of your muscles in a single stroke — legs, core, back, and arms working together in one fluid motion. Designed for low-impact training, it builds real strength without punishing your joints, making it an efficient rowing machine for home workouts at any fitness level.
- FEELS LIKE OPEN WATER. – Hydrow's patented electromagnetic drag technology replicates the smooth, dynamic pull of rowing on water — quiet, controlled, and alive with resistance that adapts to your effort in real time. Add a 22" HD touchscreen, front-facing speakers, and cinematic on-water rows filmed around the world, and this home rower machine stops feeling like exercise. Wi-Fi required to stream Hydrow workouts.
- STOWABLE ROWING MACHINE – The Origin stows upright to free up your floor when you need it. Supports up to 375 lbs. Pairs via Bluetooth with Apple Watch, heart-rate monitors, and wireless headphones. Dimensions: 86"L x 25"W x 47"H. Weight: 145 lbs.Features include padded seat, adjustable foot straps, and a low-stress grip handle.
- BACKED BY A 1-YEAR WARRANTY. – Every Origin magnetic rower machine ships complete with all assembly hardware and is covered by a 1-year manufacturer warranty on parts and mechanical defects. Hydrow's own support team — not a third-party distributor — is available 7 days a week. This is a premium rowing machine for home. We stand behind it like one.
What the companies planned for consumers
Hydrow’s May 2024 announcement said a consumer product was expected to reach the market in 2025. Smith described the planned product as a “tech-forward, digitally variable resistance platform with adaptive feedback.” That was a forecast at the time of the deal—not confirmation that the product launched. The available reporting does not establish its launch date or current consumer availability.
What changed in Hydrow’s leadership
At the time of the announcement, Smith stepped away from day-to-day operations and was to become chair of Hydrow’s board. TechCrunch reported, citing CNBC, that then-President and CFO John Stellato would take over day-to-day operations. This describes the leadership transition reported in May 2024; it does not establish who holds those roles today.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteRank #3
- Integrated Device Holder allows you to keep your Smart Phone or Tablet securely in place. Compatible with over 40+ apps.
- 14-inch seat height fits most uses. Adjustable footrests and ergonomic handle
- Indoor rowing is an effective full-body and low-impact workout; flywheel design minimizes noise while maximizing a smooth feel
- Includes the Performance Monitor 5, giving you accurate, comparable data for every row. Bluetooth and ANT+ functionality to connect wirelessly to apps and heart rate monitors.
- Easily separates into two pieces for storage. Caster wheels make it mobile. Construction: Aluminum front legs and steel rear legs.
Financial context reported at the time
TechCrunch reported that Hydrow had raised $300 million to date. Smith also told the publication that delivered unit sales were up 35% year over year as of April 2024; that was a company-reported metric, not an independently audited figure. TechCrunch gave a 2024 price range of $1,695 to $3,995 for Hydrow rowing machines, which should be treated as historical pricing rather than a current quote. Hydrow’s 2024 press-release boilerplate also claimed that its rowing workouts engaged 86% of the body’s major muscle groups; that was a company claim, not an independently verified comparison.
The financial terms of the Speede transaction were not disclosed, so these historical company figures do not reveal the acquisition’s price or valuation.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- TRY FREE FOR 30 DAYS – Every Wave row machine ships with a free 30-day Hydrow Membership trial — 6,000+ live and on-demand workouts, world-class athlete instructors, HydroMetrics performance tracking, and unlimited family profiles. After your trial, the membership is $50/month. The touchscreen, stats, and workout library require an active membership. Without one, you can still row — just without the connected features. Over 90% of members are still rowing a year later.
- FULL-BODY WORKOUT IN 20 MINUTES – The Hydrow Wave rowing machine engages 86% of your muscles in a single stroke — legs, core, back, and arms working together in one fluid motion. Designed for low-impact training, it builds real strength without punishing your joints, making it an efficient rowing machine for home workouts at any fitness level.
- FEELS LIKE OPEN WATER – Hydrow's patented electromagnetic drag technology replicates the smooth, dynamic pull of rowing on water — quiet, controlled, and alive with resistance that adapts to your effort in real time. Add a 16" HD touchscreen, front-facing speakers, and cinematic on-water rows filmed around the world, and this home rower machine stops feeling like exercise. Wi-Fi required to stream Hydrow workouts.
- 30% SMALLER, ZERO COMPROMISES – At 19" wide and 102 lbs, the Wave fits where most rowing machines for home can't — and folds upright when you need the space (Upright Storage Kit sold separately). Available in five bold colors. Supports up to 375 lbs. Pairs via Bluetooth with Apple Watch, heart-rate monitors, and wireless headphones. Dimensions: 80"L x 19"W x 43"H.
- BACKED BY A 1-YEAR WARRANTY – Every Wave magnetic rower machine ships complete with all assembly hardware and is covered by a 1-year manufacturer warranty on parts and mechanical defects. Hydrow's own support team — not a third-party distributor — is available 7 days a week. This is a premium rowing machine for home. We stand behind it like one. Features include padded seat, adjustable foot straps, and a low-stress grip handle.
Rank #4
- TRY FREE FOR 30 DAYS – Every Wave row machine ships with a free 30-day Hydrow Membership trial — 6,000+ live and on-demand workouts, world-class athlete instructors, HydroMetrics performance tracking, and unlimited family profiles. After your trial, the membership is $50/month. The touchscreen, stats, and workout library require an active membership. Without one, you can still row — just without the connected features. Over 90% of members are still rowing a year later.
- FULL-BODY WORKOUT IN 20 MINUTES – The Hydrow Wave rowing machine engages 86% of your muscles in a single stroke — legs, core, back, and arms working together in one fluid motion. Designed for low-impact training, it builds real strength without punishing your joints, making it an efficient rowing machine for home workouts at any fitness level.
- FEELS LIKE OPEN WATER – Hydrow's patented electromagnetic drag technology replicates the smooth, dynamic pull of rowing on water — quiet, controlled, and alive with resistance that adapts to your effort in real time. Add a 16" HD touchscreen, front-facing speakers, and cinematic on-water rows filmed around the world, and this home rower machine stops feeling like exercise. Wi-Fi required to stream Hydrow workouts.
- 30% SMALLER, ZERO COMPROMISES – At 19" wide and 102 lbs, the Wave fits where most rowing machines for home can't — and folds upright when you need the space (Upright Storage Kit sold separately). Available in five bold colors. Supports up to 375 lbs. Pairs via Bluetooth with Apple Watch, heart-rate monitors, and wireless headphones. Dimensions: 80"L x 19"W x 43"H.
- BACKED BY A 1-YEAR WARRANTY – Every Wave magnetic rower machine ships complete with all assembly hardware and is covered by a 1-year manufacturer warranty on parts and mechanical defects. Hydrow's own support team — not a third-party distributor — is available 7 days a week. This is a premium rowing machine for home. We stand behind it like one. Features include padded seat, adjustable foot straps, and a low-stress grip handle.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
