Industry

O2 Secures Investment from Spartan Race Founder

March 21, 2022 by
Photo Credit: CNBC
Enjoying Morning Chalk Up? Access additional exclusive interviews, analyses, and stories with an Rx membership.

O2, the grassroots hydration company co-founded by Dave Colina, has secured support from one of the biggest names in the fitness space. Joe De Sena, the founder of Spartan Race, has joined a sizable list of investors.

Remind me: O2 launched a $3.6 million Series A crowdfunding campaign on December 30, 2021, and used SeedInvest as the platform. O2 initially made 30,263 shares available with a minimum investment amount of $463.

  • The SeedInvest campaign comes to an end on April 8, but O2 has already surpassed its goal. The company has raised $632,611, but there are plans in place to make even more progress. 

Why this matters: O2 Pure Hydration has strong ties to the CrossFit world, as well as several big names showcasing the brand. Bethany Shadburne, Kari Pearce, Elijah Muhammad, and Scott Panchik are only some of the examples. Now that O2 has hundreds of new investors, including De Sena, the company should be able to make even more moves while pursuing a brighter future and partnering with one of the biggest names in fitness. 

De Sena has a reputation based on his business acumen. He is a The New York Times bestselling author and the host of No Retreat: Business Bootcamp on CNBC. His show of support is major for O2, a brand that has already experienced a meteoric rise since Colina founded it out of his car. 

Colina: “We’re thrilled to have Joe as an investor, not only because of his experience building $100M+ brands, but also because he shares our values of Honesty, Humility, and Hustle,” said Colina. “His global fitness community reaches 10+ million people around the world, and we’re humbled by the opportunity to learn from him while contributing to his mission of helping others lead healthier lives.”

Worth noting: De Sena made the investment as an individual. This is not a deal between Spartan and O2. The two companies could join forces at a later date, but De Sena is first showing his personal support for the hydration brand after previously highlighting another. 

  • Spartan inked a multiyear partnership with BodyArmor in 2018, making it the “official sports drink of Spartan U.S.” The company, founded in 2011 by Lance Collins and Mike Repole, was one of the fastest-growing brands at the time with ties to both NASCAR and Kobe Bryant. Coca-Cola has since purchased full control of BodyArmor for $5.6 billion. 
  • De Sena identified BodyArmor as a brand to watch as the company made major moves in the space. O2 is already growing exponentially, but De Sena’s investment serves as a solid indicator that even more progress is on tap. 

Get the Newsletter

For a daily digest of all things CrossFit. Community, Competitions, Athletes, Tips, Recipes, Deals and more.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.