So, in 2018, he started Open Inc., a studio that teaches techniques such as breathwork, meditation, yoga and Pilates, both digitally and in person, combining his knowledge of finance and technology with his passion for mindfulness.
“We saw an opportunity to … build a brand and a platform where we can bring all these tools and practices under one hood,” Khawaja explained.
Venice-based Open offers mindfulness experiences to support “transformation and personal development,” Khawaja said.
In 2019, the company hosted more than 100 in-person pop-up classes in San Francisco ranging from 30 to 300 attendees. The company put its physical experiences on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic and focused on its digital product. The company declined to release user or download figures.
The company has plans to open a dedicated studio space in Los Angeles in the second quarter of 2022.
On Oct. 20, the company announced that it raised $14.5 million between a $5.5 million seed round and $9 million Series A round. The investments were led by the Founders Fund and A.Capital Ventures, with participation from Susa Ventures, Aglaé Ventures and several individual angel investors.
“While countless solutions exist to improve your diet, exercise or sleep, Open is the first fully integrated and accessible way for anyone to access the benefits of breathwork,” Keith Rabois, general partner at the Founders Fund, said in a statement.
