SINGAPORE and NEW YORK, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vibefam, the all-in-one operating system for fitness businesses, announced the completion of a US$1 million seed funding round led by a Singapore-based family office with a strong track record of backing category-defining technology companies. In addition to capital, the investor brings deep operating insight and a network built through years of supporting founders and working alongside leading venture investors.
Today, Vibefam powers more than 700 fitness locations worldwide and serves over 500,000 end users. The platform supports a diverse range of fitness businesses, including Pilates studios, yoga studios, strength and conditioning gyms, dance academies, martial arts schools, and boutique fitness brands.
The investment will accelerate Vibefam's mission to help fitness businesses launch, operate, and scale through a unified platform that combines operations, payments, customer engagement, and growth solutions within a single platform.
The funding comes at a time when fitness operators are increasingly seeking intelligent operating platforms that unify operations, payments, and customer engagement, replacing fragmented technology stacks and legacy software platforms.
"Fitness businesses deserve technology that works as hard as they do," said Serene Lim, Co-Founder and CEO of Vibefam. "Many operators still juggle multiple disconnected systems to manage bookings, payments, customer communication, marketing, and reporting. We're building a platform that brings everything together, helping businesses operate more efficiently while delivering better experiences to their customers."
The newly raised capital will primarily be invested into artificial intelligence and embedded financial services, two areas the company believes will fundamentally reshape how service businesses operate.
In July 2026, Vibefam will launch Vibe AI, a messaging-native customer engagement platform that allows members to interact with fitness businesses through natural conversations. From answering enquiries and recommending classes to completing bookings and re-engaging inactive customers, the platform helps businesses deliver instant service at scale without increasing administrative workload.
The company is also expanding its embedded finance capabilities through a growing network of financial partners, enabling eligible businesses to access funding directly within the Vibefam platform to support expansion, hiring, equipment purchases, and working capital needs. By leveraging operational data already available on Vibefam, eligible businesses can gain faster access to growth capital with significantly reduced paperwork and approval times.
"We believe the future of business software will be proactive, intelligent, and deeply embedded into the daily operations of every business," Lim added. "The opportunity extends far beyond managing bookings and payments. We're building infrastructure that helps fitness businesses acquire customers, automate operations, access capital, and make better decisions every day."
The funding will support continued product development, strategic hiring, and the expansion of Vibefam's AI and embedded finance capabilities as the company continues its evolution into a comprehensive operating system for fitness businesses.
About Vibefam
Vibefam is an AI-powered operating system for fitness businesses. The platform helps gyms, studios, and wellness operators manage scheduling, memberships, payments, customer engagement, reporting, and growth from a single platform. Today, Vibefam powers more than 700 fitness locations worldwide and serves over 500,000 end users.
Vibefam is also backed by leading early-stage investors including Hustle Fund and Ignite Asia, alongside strategic investors and operators from the fitness and wellness industry who bring deep expertise in building and scaling consumer and service businesses.
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Vibefam Raises US$1 Million to Build an AI-Powered Operating System for Fitness Businesses
Partnership underscores Shilla Stay's standardized service capabilities and large-scale hospitality expertise
- Shilla Stay will provide accommodations and dedicated guest services for key participants attending World Youth Day Seoul 2027.
- Dedicated check-in arrangements, information desks and coordinated guest services will support a comfortable and efficient stay for participants from around the world.
- Shilla Stay will draw on its standardized operating system and experience across 17 properties in South Korea and China.
SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Shilla Stay, the premium business hotel brand of Hotel Shilla, South Korea's leading luxury hospitality company and an affiliate of Samsung Group, will provide accommodations and dedicated hospitality services for key participants attending World Youth Day Seoul 2027 to be held in Seoul, South Korea.
Shilla Stay and WYD Seoul 2027 Local Organizing Committee signed a memorandum of understanding at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on July 30 to support accommodations and hospitality services for the international gathering.
World Youth Day is an international gathering of young people organized by the Catholic Church and led by the Pope. First held in Rome in 1986, the event has since taken place every three to four years in major cities around the world. World Youth Day Seoul 2027 will be the edition hosted by South Korea and the second held in Asia, following the 1995 gathering in Manila, the Philippines.
Under the agreement, dignitaries from South Korea and around the world, including international delegations of bishops, are expected to stay at Shilla Stay properties during the event. The partnership aims to provide participants traveling to South Korea with a comfortable and reliable stay throughout their visit.
In addition to guest rooms, Shilla Stay plans to operate dedicated check-in arrangements and information desks for event participants. The brand will also manage guest movement within participating hotels to support convenient access for World Youth Day participants while maintaining a comfortable experience for regular hotel guests.
The partnership underscores Shilla Stay's ability to support a large-scale international event involving guests from diverse countries and backgrounds. By applying consistent operating procedures across multiple properties, the brand aims to provide reliable hospitality while responding to the specific requirements of the event and its participants.
Shilla Stay is a premium business hotel brand built around the concept of a "Smarter Stay." The brand focuses on the services and amenities most important to business and leisure travelers, combining efficient operations, practical comfort, contemporary design and The Shilla's service standards.
The brand currently operates 17 properties across South Korea and China. Its network enables Shilla Stay to provide a consistent guest experience across major business and travel destinations while responding to the different needs of each location and guest profile.
In April 2026, Shilla Stay opened Shilla Stay Yancheng in Jiangsu Province, China, marking the brand's first overseas expansion. The opening extended Shilla Stay's standardized operating model beyond South Korea and represented a further step in the international growth of Hotel Shilla's hospitality business.
Shilla Stay has also demonstrated its ability to serve guests at scale. The brand has ranked first in the business hotel category of the Korea Brand Power Index (K-BPI) for seven consecutive years, underscoring the strength of its extensive hotel network and its ability to deliver consistent service.
"World Youth Day Seoul 2027 is a meaningful international event that offers an opportunity to showcase South Korea's culture, tourism and hospitality capabilities to the world," said a representative from Shilla Stay. "We will support the successful operation of the event by providing exceptional accommodation services and a differentiated guest experience, ensuring that key participants and official delegations from around the world enjoy a comfortable and safe stay in South Korea."
As South Korea prepares to welcome participants from around the world for World Youth Day Seoul 2027, Shilla Stay's role in accommodating key participants reflects the brand's position as a reliable hospitality partner, supported by its extensive hotel network, standardized operating system and consistent service standards.
About Shilla Stay
Shilla Stay is the premium business hotel brand of Hotel Shilla, South Korea's leading luxury hospitality company and an affiliate of Samsung Group. Built around the concept of a "Smarter Stay," the brand provides efficient, comfortable and contemporary accommodations for business and leisure travelers. Shilla Stay currently operates 17 properties across South Korea and China, including Shilla Stay Yancheng, which opened in April 2026 as the brand's first overseas property. Through its standardized operating system and The Shilla's service standards, Shilla Stay aims to deliver a reliable and consistent hospitality experience across its growing hotel network.
About Hotel Shilla
Hotel Shilla, an affiliate of the Samsung Group, is a leading hospitality and travel retail operator based in South Korea, committed to delivering outstanding customer experiences through innovation and service excellence. Its hospitality division, The Shilla Hotels & Resorts, includes three hotel brands: The Shilla, Shilla Monogram, and Shilla Stay, with 22 properties across South Korea, China and Vietnam. The Shilla Seoul, the company's flagship luxury property, is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) and an APAC Regional Program Partner of Virtuoso, recognized globally for excellence in service and sophistication. In its travel retail division, The Shilla Duty Free is a leading duty-free powerhouse, operating three domestic stores, two overseas branches, and an online platform. Drawing on decades of expertise, Hotel Shilla continues to pursue new opportunities for growth, aiming to become a world-class service distribution leader.
For more information visit: www.shilla.net/seoul, Instagram at @theshillaseoul, LinkedIn at @theshillaprteam
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Shilla Stay Signs Accommodation Partnership for World Youth Day Seoul 2027
