Turning PDFs Into a $50M Exit: The Runna Story

Hey Deal Lifters! 🚀

Here’s a story that proves magic isn’t always in flashy tech—it starts with proving demand. Dom Maskell and Ben Parker launched Runna, a running app built on weekend hustle and personal passion, and turned simple PDFs into a $50M acquisition by Strava. Here’s how they did it, and why this matters:

📘 The Birth of Runna: From PDF Hustle to Real-Deal Coaching

Dom (McKinsey alum) and Ben (running coach) met playing lacrosse at the University of Southampton. In June 2021, while helping Ben train for his first marathon, Dom discovered that the coaching DOM provided—and the way he delivered it—was gold. Imagine getting a tailored marathon plan that cost £80, delivered as a PDF—no app, no algorithms—just immense value. They sold over 1,000 plans. That’s market validation! 💡

🧩 Getting Real: Finding an Investor Who Got It

By September 2021, ultra-athlete Joshua Patterson became their first investor. That early support helped them go from scrappy PDFs to coaching via iOS & Android apps by March 2022. Word spread quickly through Strava partnerships and running communities, with growth exploding in late 2022.

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💵 Cash Inflows & Growth: Seed Rounds and Scaling

• Nov 2022: £2.25M seed round (Eka Ventures-led)

• Nov 2023: £5M additional seed+ (JamJar, Innocent Drinks founders, others)

• Total funding: ~£8M

• Team grew to 150 staff, with hundreds of thousands of users and profitability by 2023.

🌐 The Big Win: Runna + Strava in April 2025

In April 2025, Strava—home to 150M+ users and 1B runs recorded in 2024—agreed to acquire Runna for an undisclosed amount, estimated between £30M–£40M (~$50M).

Dom & Ben posted heartfelt messages about “a dream come true,” celebrating Runna’s tight-knit 150-person team and global athlete community.

🤔 So Why It Matters

1. Proof > Perfection – A £80 PDF plan sold to 1,000 runners validated real demand.

2. Authentic Roots – Built by runners, for runners—trust and credibility mattered.

3. Smart Scaling – Focused fundraising and team expansion allowed profitability before big capital rounds.

4. Strategic M&A Fit – Strava wanted coaching; Runna filled that gap with tech and data synergy through Strava’s APIs.

5. User-First Integration – Both apps stay separate for now; users may eventually see unified training, tracking, coaching, and social features.

🎯 Deal Lift Takeaway

Need a reminder? You don’t always need perfect code or tons of VC just to start. Dom and Ben began with personal training plans they knew worked. That clarity allowed them to build a community, monetize, and scale—and ultimately hand Runna off to Strava at the right time.

Your move: What simple MVP could you test today to prove your idea works?

Hit reply and tell us: what’s your PDF-plan MVP? 📩

— The Deal Lift Team

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