143 Investors Said No. Now WHOOP Is Worth $10 Billion [PYzy1q8VrdX]
Will Ahmed is the founder and CEO of WHOOP, the screenless wearable used by some of the world’s most elite athletes – including LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Phelps and more. Ahmed founded WHOOP in 2012 out of the Harvard Innovation Labs after his own body started breaking down as captain of the Harvard squash team. What followed was years of physiology research, repeated investor rejection, a panic attack, a near-bankruptcy moment, and a string of contrarian bets that eventually turned WHOOP into one of the biggest names in wearables. In March 2026, WHOOP raised $575 million in Series G funding at a $10.1 billion valuation. Ahmed says WHOOP is pushing beyond performance into a broader health platform built around recovery, longevity and continuous data about the body. Watch the video above to learn how Will Ahmed turned a personal problem into a $10 billion company that’s used by millions around the world. #CNBC #CNBCMakeIt #Entrepreneur #FounderEffect #WHOOP