About
Helaine Knapp is a founder, fitness innovator, and growth leader best known for creating CITYROW, a boutique rowing-based fitness brand that blended dynamic studio workouts, digital home experiences, and connected hardware.
From launching the first studio in New York in 2013 to scaling into a national brand and pivoting into home and digital fitness, Helaine led CITYROW through expansion, capital raises, and strategic transformation. Over the course of her journey she proved her ability to build community-driven, hybrid business models where content, hardware, and user experience converged.
Today Helaine partners with founders in fitness, hardware-plus-software, and consumer subscription businesses—helping them build platforms with both operational resilience and exit readiness.
“I built CITYROW because I believe the best workouts are inclusive, effective and built to last. Now I’m passionate about helping other founders build brands that deliver real impact and become acquisition-ready.”
Schedule a call with an Exitwise advisor to learn more about engaging Helaine to Maximize Your Exit™
Previous Exits
CITYROW sold to WaterRower Inc.
Valuation: Undisclosed
In early 2024, WaterRower Inc., the established fitness equipment manufacturer, acquired CITYROW, bringing together CITYROW’s content, tech, and software platform with WaterRower’s hardware manufacturing and global distribution network. The transaction enabled CITYROW’s mission to scale further while granting Helaine’s team a strategic home to accelerate growth and transition into their next chapter.
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