Boulder taps into biohacking boom
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Boulder is now home to Colorado's first Upgrade Labs franchise, a wellness center packed with tech-driven health optimization tools.
Why it matters: Boulder's fitness culture makes it a natural testing ground for the booming "biohacking" industry centered on longevity, optimization and performance.
Driving the news: Upgrade Labs opened May 2 at 2100 28th St.
- The company was founded by Dave Asprey, the self-described "Father of Biohacking" and host of "The Human Upgrade" podcast.
How does it work: The wellness process begins with body scans and movement assessments that collect biometric data to create personalized treatment plans.
- Members get access to tools more commonly associated with elite athletes and high-end training centers.
- The studio offers AI-assisted strength machines, adaptive cardio, cryotherapy, red-light therapy, pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, lymphatic compression systems and altitude-style breathing devices.
- Membership packages range from $150 to $599 per month.
Between the lines: Biohacking is part of a growing longevity economy that treats health less like medical care and more like performance engineering.
- Followers say biohacking uses science and technology to "upgrade" the body.
- Skeptics, meanwhile, argue the industry relies on overstated claims and expensive gadgets with uneven scientific backing.
What they're saying: Franchise owners Michelle and George Amacker, who also operate four local urgent care facilities, said in a statement they wanted to bring advanced health and longevity tools to the community "in a more accessible, everyday setting."
- "Upgrade Labs in Boulder is the first Colorado wellness facility to offer a data-driven approach to help elevate your physical and mental well-being using breakthrough technology," Michelle Amacker said.
Zoom out: For a more traditional workout, Kinetic Pilates opened May 9 in north Boulder with reformer-based group classes.
- The studio was founded by Julianne Blunt and Nicolaas Drapanas, a former ballerina and former college athlete.
- "Kinetic's classes are designed to support the things you love to do outside the studio," Blunt told us.
- Memberships range from $129 to $269 monthly, along with a $50 two-week intro.
The bottom line: Boulder's latest wellness openings reflect the city's longstanding fitness culture, one rooted both in traditional movement and a growing appetite for optimization.