Aescape, a lifestyle robotics company pioneering AI-powered massage for recovery, has secured $83 million in a strategic funding round led by Valor Equity Partners. With this latest investment, Aescape’s total funding reaches $128 million to help with national expansion and operational growth. The round also saw continued investment from firm Alumni Ventures, as well as NBA Champion and All-Star Kevin Love.

Aescape first introduced its AI-powered automated massage technology in select Equinox locations across New York City. Equinox then extended its partnership with Aescape to 60 locations nationwide and is now the first fitness brand to integrate AI-driven massage technology at scale.

“Aescape immediately resonated with our members, offering a private, effective and highly personalized massage experience—on their time,” said James Gu, Sr. Director of Spa at Equinox. “This partnership reflects our commitment to providing the most advanced recovery solutions available and we’re excited to bring it to more locations across the country.”

Beyond Equinox, Aescape has secured partnerships with major hospitality and wellness leaders, including select locations of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton properties across North America. It also recently partnered with World Spa in Brooklyn, a luxury spa with Eastern European banyas, Finnish saunas and Moroccan hammams. The expansion comes as the $19 billion massage therapy industry faces a labor shortage, with over 29,000 unfilled therapist positions.

“Aescape has demonstrated remarkable growth in just six months since its launch,” said Jonathan Shulkin, Partner and Co-President at Valor Equity Partners. “Their AI-driven approach is unlocking new possibilities in data-informed, personalized care, driving revenue for partners while delivering precision-tailored experiences. Eric and his team are creating an entirely new category of robotics-powered wellness and we’re delighted to continue to support their expansion.”

Aescape has bolstered its leadership team with key hires from Apple and The Economist Group to support its rapid expansion. Kimberly Miller joined as Chief Marketing Officer, bringing over two decades of experience in scaling high-growth brands. Eswar Priyadarshan, formerly of Apple and Adobe, has been appointed Senior Vice President of Engineering.

Aescape has also introduced a new tiered B2B model, allowing small and medium-sized businesses to offer AI-powered massage experiences. The model includes Aescape Essential, for general wellness businesses and Aescape Lux, for high-end wellness centers and premium hospitality partners, with exclusive features and premium app customization.

“Our first six months focused on strategic partnerships and introducing fully autonomous robotic massage to consumers, driving high utilization and repeat usage rates,” said Eric Litman, Founder and CEO of Aescape. “Now, we’re doubling down on deepening relationships with existing partners, onboarding new ones and expanding our library of massage offerings as member needs evolve.”

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Aescape, the creators of the automated and on-demand robot massage, has announced a partnership with Invited, the largest owner and operator of private membership clubs in North America. Members at select Invited clubs, starting with Jupiter Country Club in Florida and The Hills in Austin, Texas, will have access to Aescape’s personalized services. Invited operates over 200 golf and country clubs, city clubs, sports clubs, and stadium clubs across 28 states, serving nearly 400,000 members.

The partnership is Aescape’s third market expansion since its commercial launch in August. The personalized massage services operate through a touchscreen interface, and users can select target areas, pressure levels, and music preferences. Users can access their preferences from different Aescape machines across various locations.

Michele Meleski, senior vice president of National Fitness and Wellness for Invited, noted, “We’re always trying to innovate and bring new member experiences to the Invited clubs. We’re excited about partnering with Aescape and offering this cutting-edge technology to our members. With Aescape, our golfers can now enjoy a new level of self-care that enhances both their relaxation and performance on the course. We hope to expand the partnership with Aescape across our club portfolio.”

Eric Litman, founder and CEO of Aescape, highlighted the importance of recovery in athletic performance. “Our work with professional athletes has shown us how important recovery is to performance, and now we’re bringing that same level of care to not only golfers but Invited Club’s extended community members,” he said.

Aescape has recently expanded its services beyond New York, launching in Miami and Nashville. The company initially introduced its Early Access Program in New York City in March and has since established a presence in various sectors, including hospitality, professional sports, corporate offices and luxury real estate.

Aescape has also launched with Pause, the wellness studio known for its infrared sauna, cryotherapy, and more, and the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara.

Aescape has secured $80 million in funding from investors such as Valor Siren Ventures, Valor Equity Partners, Crosslink Capital, and AlleyCorp.

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Aescape, the creators of the automated and on-demand robot massage, continues its expansion into the hospitality and tourism industry, with upcoming launches at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort and Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore.

The move comes amid a growing surge in wellness tourism and an increasing demand for premium well-being amenities.

Aescape Heads to Four Seasons Orlando and Baltimore

Starting on October 18, the on-demand massage system will be available to both guests of Four Seasons Resort Orlando and the general public. Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore is slated to introduce the system later this fall.

Aescape has also launched new massage features targeting the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, with session options ranging from 15 to 60 minutes.

The New York-based lifestyle robotics company, founded in 2017 by serial entrepreneur Eric Litman, raised $85 million in pre-launch funding. Investors span several industries, including robotics, AI, SaaS, sports and hospitality. 

“Four Seasons is a legendary hospitality brand, and our goal is to provide guests with a massage experience as unforgettable as their stay,” Litman says. “We look forward to innovating together in exceptional spa and wellness offerings.”

Accessible, On-Demand Massage

Aescape officially pushed into the hotel industry earlier this summer, placing its robotic massage machine in ila Only Space, located in Lotte New York Palace, a luxury hotel in New York City.

Derek Hofmann, senior director of spa for the Four Seasons Resort Orlando, noted that the AA Five Diamond-rated resort puts its guests’ comfort and well-being as a top priority, offering amenities designed to support and enhance their wellness routines.

“Aescape’s accessible and intuitive massage experience makes it easier for travelers, residents, and locals to maintain their healthy lifestyle habits,” he shares. 

For Spa Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, launching Aescape at its hotel and spa represents a significant leap in its commitment to delivering unparalleled wellness experiences, according to Shae Jackson, senior director of spa for Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore. 

“Aescape’s cutting-edge technology redefines the massage experience, providing our guests with a personalized and immersive therapy that complements our luxury offerings,” Jackson says. “We’re excited to offer a solution that not only enhances relaxation but also aligns seamlessly with our dedication to exceptional guest care.”

High-tech and Highly Personalized

As AI quickly transforms all areas of life, Aescape is focused on recovery and renewal, turning massage treatments into a more accessible wellness practice rather than an indulgence.

“It’s designed for anyone looking to book last-minute, or looking for control over their massage when therapists aren’t always available,” Litman pointed out earlier this year. 

The high-tech massage table offers a personalized experience, scanning a user’s body generating over 1.1 million 3D data points, and determining anatomical points for targeted massage. A touchscreen interface allows users to select from several treatments tailored to their body and offers control over target areas, pressure points, and even music selection.

In March, Aescape partnered with luxury lifestyle and fitness brand Equinox to unveil its AI-enhanced massage table at ten locations across New York City.

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Aescape, the first commercially available, automated AI massage experience, is now available at the Lotte New York Palace luxury hotel, bringing a new dimension to wellness travel.

The robotic massage machine will be in the hotel’s ila Only Spa to deliver customizable massage experiences to guests and visitors.  

“It’s clear that more people wish to maintain and increase their sense of wellbeing when traveling, and they’re looking for the resources available to support this when choosing hotels,” said Joe Rose, Owner of ila Only Spa. “Aescape’s innovative approach to massage is adding to our wellness-forward amenities, and we look forward to bringing our guests a completely new massage experience.” 

Aescape (pronounced “escape”) emerged earlier this year after seven years in research and development. The product uses a 3D computational model of each user before delivering personalized massages based on selections. Each session starts at $60, which is less than many other luxury spa services.

Before receiving a massage, users change into workout-like apparel. Then, Aescape offers around 20 programs, ranging from general wellness to sports massages that target different areas. The heated robot arms switch between flatter sides and pointed edges depending on which area of the body is being massaged. During the massage, users can change the strength of the massage, background music and more. 

The partnership with Lotte New York marks Aescape’s first launch in the hotel market, ahead of its introduction into select Equinox locations throughout New York City this month.

After the Equinox launch, Aescape is gearing up to launch partnerships across professional sports, hospitality, corporate spaces and luxury real estate. 

With the global wellness tourism market projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2027, Aescape is tapping into an opportunity to bring technology to a space that has been largely dependent on labor. 

 “The Lotte New York Palace is iconic, maintaining its storied elegance while evolving to keep guests happy,” said Aescape founder and CEO, Eric Litman. “We share a mission to bring customers and guests a wellness-forward experience designed to meet their needs. As a New York startup, we’re honored to make our hospitality debut at this landmark New York hotel.”

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Aescape has launched its whitespace innovation: the first commercially available, fully automated massage experience. The company also announced a partnership with luxury lifestyle and fitness operator Equinox, debuting its massage tables in select locations across New York City this spring.

Backed by $80 million in funding, Aescape aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of massages through advanced technology. .

“Aescape aims to make massage an accessible, regular part of rest and recovery, no longer reserved for indulgence or injury,” said Eric Litman, Founder and CEO. “Working alongside massage therapists over the last seven years, we’ve honed our technology to ensure it caters to diverse body types and lifestyles. It’s designed for anyone looking to book last-minute, or looking for control over their massage when therapists aren’t always available.” 

The technology is a fully automated, artificial intelligence-driven massage table. It scans the user’s body and generates over one million 3D data points to accurately map a user’s body on the table.

Using the 3D scan, the tool identifies key points on the body for a targeted massage. Aescape includes a touchscreen underneath the massage table that users can control to identify pressure points, target areas and music selections. The experience is also customizable—the platform can remember user preferences for future massages.  

Equinox Embraces Recovery

At Equinox, anyone can experience Aescape for $60 for 30 minutes, which will also include a free day pass to the gym for non-members. Beginning in June, the technology will be made available in ten locations in New York City. 

“We’re relentlessly focused on how we can help our community of high-performing individuals live better, healthier lives,” said James Gu, senior director, Equinox Spa. “As we continue to innovate with science-backed preparation and recovery modalities and new technologies, we are excited to offer Aescape. This personalized and accessible format will help our members further integrate recovery into their fitness routines.”

Disrupting the Massage Market

Litman is joined on the Aescape executive team by Sam Bowen, who worked in hardware at Amazon; Becca Valle, who worked in global marketing at Meta, Airbnb, and the New York Knicks; and Alex Linde, who worked in product at Uber, eBay, and Yahoo!

To develop the product, the Aescape team worked with thousands of individuals to develop a solution that caters to all body types and needs. By working with everyone from casual gym-goers to athletes, the company created a solution it says can cater to all audiences. 

The massage therapy market is valued at around $19 billion, and recovery solutions have never seemed more popular, including in gyms and fitness facilities as a value-add or premium membership service. The industry, which is also facing a shortage of therapists, is primed for disruption. Aescape offers an always-available, consistent massage, and aims to drive value for spas, hotels and wellness centers. 

Aescape is launching an early access program for New Yorkers, inviting participants to be among the first to try out the futuristic massage experience while providing feedback to refine the service further. The company is also actively seeking new partnerships. 

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