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WeWard: motivating people to walk to improve their well-being
Created five years ago by Nicolas Hardy, Tanguy de La Villegeorges, and Yves Benchimol, the WeWard application has established itself as an innovative tool to combat a sedentary lifestyle. With a simple and straightforward proposition – “earn money by walking” – the app rewards users based on the number of steps taken. Today, more than 20 million people across 29 countries use WeWard to integrate more physical activity into their daily lives.
A profitable and diversified economic model
One of the pillars of WeWard’s success is its balanced economic model. The company generates its revenue through three main sources:
- Advertisement : Inspired by social networks, the ads displayed in the application contribute to its financing.
- Partnerships with brands : By collaborating with players like NIKE, ADIDAS, AMAZON or BOOKING.COM, WeWard receives commissions on sales made via the application, which it partly redistributes to users.
- In-App Purchases : Collectible games and premium features provide users with a personalized and fun experience.
This low partner risk, commission-based model allowed WeWard to become profitable in just three years.
International expansion and cultural adaptation
Building on its success in Europe, where markets like Italy, Spain and Germany are already well developed, WeWard is now targeting the United States. Yves opened an office in New York to meet the challenge of a culturally diverse and competitive market. According to him, “internationalization is not limited to simple translation”. The team therefore carried out a project to “Americanize” the application, adapting the rewards and functionalities to meet the specific expectations of American users.
An approach based on science and innovation
To encourage users to walk more, WeWard draws on principles from cognitive science and gamification. By integrating mechanisms similar to those of social networks and video games, the application creates a “healthy addiction” to walking. In addition, challenges organized with partners, such as international competitions or public health campaigns, help renew user interest and increase their engagement.
Towards a long-term vision of public health
Although focused on walking, WeWard plans to expand its impact to other pillars of public health, such as nutrition and sleep. Yves sees this approach as a way to resolve systemic problems and promote a better quality of life. “If a person moves, sleeps well and eats well, they are healthy,” he says.
A balance between profitable growth and innovation
With a team of 40 people and profitable operations, WeWard illustrates another approach to tech entrepreneurship: controlled growth. Yves favors a model where investments are self-financed, allowing the company to grow sustainably while exploring new markets.
