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Strava Acquires Popular Running App Runna
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Strava, the American fitness tracking platform, announced on Thursday that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Runna, a fast-growing training app for runners based in London. While financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, it’s expected to be worth millions, given the widespread popularity and global reach of both platforms.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Strava acquired the British training app Runna, the financial details weren’t disclosed.
- The apps will continue to operate separately for now.
- Strava expects to accelerate innovation and expand its global community of 150 million users.
According to the press release , the new investment will allow Strava to continue its “unprecedented growth” and accelerate innovation in the expanding fitness tech market. Strava currently has over 150 million users in over 185 countries, and Runna—which operates in 180 nations—was among the top 3 apps in Apple’s App of the Year in 2024 ranking. With the acquisition, Strava now has control over two of the world’s largest digital fitness communities.
“Coming off Strava’s accelerated innovation and unprecedented growth last year, it was the right time to look for complementary businesses that could create even greater value for our users,” said Michael Martin, Strava’s chief executive officer. “Running is booming worldwide—nearly 1 billion runs were recorded on Strava in 2024. Runna’s mission to give every runner a personalized plan to achieve their goal is a perfect fit.”
Big news: Strava is acquiring Runna 🏃♀️ If you’re training for a 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon, Runna’s got you – and Strava’s got your back. This is just the beginning. Join Team Runna on Strava: https://t.co/F3K0NKv6s3 pic.twitter.com/hAHG4jIPZO — Strava (@Strava) April 17, 2025
The fitness tech company also highlighted Gen Z’s interest in running and building online communities related to the sport. Strava said 43% of its users plan to participate in a race in 2025, and the users’ need for personalized training plans was one of the considerations for the new deal.
“Our plan is to keep the apps separate for the foreseeable future, to invest in growing the Runna team and further accelerate the development of the Runna app,” said Martin.
The details of the transaction have not been disclosed. However, according to The Times , it’s set to be around multiple million pounds. Runna was launched three years ago, has around 150 workers, and recently raised 8 million pounds—about $10 million—and has been profitable since 2023.
Other tech companies have also closed large deals in the past few days. The Bot Company, a robotics startup, recently raised $150 million , reaching a $2 billion valuation.
Photo by Surface on Unsplash.
Microsoft Introduces “Computer Use,” a New AI Feature for Copilot Studio
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Microsoft introduced this Tuesday a new feature for Copilot Studio called computer use that allows AI agents to interact with websites and desktop applications autonomously. The new update is available in early access research preview for selected users.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Microsoft introduced computer use, a new feature for AI agents on Copilot Studio.
- The technology allows AI agents to perform complex tasks and take control of the user’s desktop by interacting with applications and platforms.
- The new AI feature is currently available as an early access research preview.
According to Microsoft’s announcement , computer use allows AI agents to recognize multiple elements in platforms, navigate, click, and interact with multiple websites without the need for an API.
“With computer use, agents can now interact with any system that has a graphical user interface,” wrote Charles Lamanna, Corporate Vice President, Business & Industry Copilot at Microsoft. “If a person can use the app, the agent can too.”
The tech giant highlighted several use cases, including automated data entry for handling large volumes of information, market research by having AI agents gather data from multiple websites and generate insight-driven analyses, and invoice processing by using AI agents in Copilot Studio to extract and transfer invoice data directly into a company’s accounting systems—eliminating the need for manual input.
Microsoft stated that the new capabilities are both intuitive and intelligent, designed to overcome challenges such as navigating complex interfaces. With computer use, AI agents can perform tasks in real time, allowing users to monitor their actions and track performance through a history log that includes reasoning steps and screenshots of the relevant task.
Those interested in testing the new AI feature can fill out a form and request to participate in the early access period. The company has also promised to provide more details at the Microsoft Build event in May.
Just a few weeks ago, Microsoft announced a set of AI-powered security agents , and now computer use. Copilot Studio’s new AI feature can be compared to OpenAI’s Operator program . The AI startup introduced Operator back in January as an AI agent that can take control of computers and perform tasks autonomously.
