The Portuguese company Bhout, which developed an intelligent boxing bag with embedded technology, signed a strategic partnership with Chilean gym chain Neo to expand operations to Latin America. The agreement, with a minimum value of one million euros, establishes the commitment to equip at least 25 Neo health clubs with approximately 100 bags from the Portuguese brand, complemented by recurring revenue from Bhout's technology platform and digital services.
Neo, which was born in Chile and also operates in Argentina and Mexico, currently has three clubs and plans to open seven more by the end of the year. The Bhout Bags include technology with high-precision sensors, computer vision, artificial intelligence, and a proprietary engine that transforms human movement into data in real time, enabling technical evaluation of boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai training through an AI Coach.
According to founder and CEO Mauro Frota, the partnership represents validation of a new distribution model and demonstrates that Bhout's technology can be integrated into large health club chains. The company was founded in 2019 and raised approximately 15 million euros in total investment.
The international expansion comes after Bhout proceeded with a restructuring in Portugal, which involved cutting a significant number of jobs, especially roles that are being replaced by artificial intelligence. Mauro Frota explained that product development was completed and is now mature, and the company needed to "clean up the treasury" and achieve positive cash flow to attract new investment.
