Submitted by Benjamin Allen
Spot Social Fitness, the maker of the popular Spot app that promotes physical activity, has announced the appointment of world-renowned sociologist and physician, Professor Nicholas Christakis, to its advisory board.
Nicholas Christakis is a leading expert in the field of social networks and the spread of information, behavior, and emotions. He serves as the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University, where he directs the Human Nature Lab. He is also the Co-Director of the Yale Institute for Network Science.
"From my very first meeting with Spot's founders, I felt this would be a good fit, and subsequent meetings only reinforced that. I am impressed with what Spot is doing, and I am delighted to be joining what is already an accomplished group of advisors."
As an advisory board member, Nicholas Christakis will provide guidance and support to the Spot team as they work to create a world where physical activity is the norm.
"We are thrilled to welcome Nicholas Christakis to our team," said Adam Ben-Evi, COO of Spot. "His expertise in the field of social networks and the impact of social support on health behaviors will be invaluable as we continue to grow and innovate our platform."
Ben-Evi also explained that Spot's executive team had already begun implementing insights based on Christakis's research into the product, which launched in September of last year, to create the best possible user experience.
"People have a difficult time coordinating activities. Balancing the interests of the individual with that of the group is complicated, especially when this relates to physical activity," explained Professor Christakis. "The science in my lab has, for years, focused on understanding and addressing this coordination problem. I am pleased to see that Spot is tackling the challenge of being active by leveraging technology to help people overcome this key obstacle. As both a researcher and a person who'd like to be more active, this is incredibly exciting."
There is an equal amount of enthusiasm for Spot in the business community as well. Recently, Spot was announced as a semi-finalist in the 2023 Crummer Venture Plan Competition, which takes place on March 23rd. Spot will be taking part in the prestigious pitch competition, which will dole out well over $150,000 this year in cash prizes and in-kind services from sponsors.
