[Written in partnership with Engage Life, but the editorial team had full control over the content.]
Do you think Malaysians can lose 100,000 kg collectively in one year?
Well, local wellness startup Engage Life thinks it’s possible through their Growing Well Together (GWT) programme.
Growing Well Together (GWT) is a national initiative by Engage Life aimed at addressing urgent health concerns through collective efforts. Currently, Engage Life is focusing on tackling Malaysia’s rising challenges with obesity and diabetes.
Together with their official healthcare partner Subang Jaya Medical Centre, the initiative was launched on August 1, 2024. As a part of GWT, Engage Life is pursuing an ambitious challenge with the Malaysia Book of Records to achieve a collective weight loss of 100,000 kg in a year.
Founder Paresh Subramaniyam believes this goal is a powerful way to unify and motivate individuals across the nation to join a shared wellness journey that can make a meaningful difference in combating obesity and reducing diabetes risk.
“By setting this shared goal, our aim is to create a ripple effect that inspires them to make sustainable changes to their health while contributing to a significant national impact,” the founder told Vulcan Post.
To achieve this goal, the app will feature a structured 30-day programme, designed for sustainable weight management that emphasises holistic wellness.
What’s more, the GWT programme is actually accessible to all Malaysians. This way, everyone can join the journey of achieving their optimal weight and improving overall health.
When Engage Life collectively achieves the Malaysia Book of Records challenge of losing 100,000 kg, every participant who contributes to this target by losing at least 1kg will receive a certificate of participation.
Aside from individual users, Engage Life also invites corporations to join in on GWT. Corporates can join in as a wellness sponsor, empowering their employees and community to take charge of their wellness.
Revolutionising the wellness industry
Paresh Subramaniyam has been involved in the wellness industry for over a decade. With a background in physiotherapy and expertise in Muay Thai, his career path led him to a senior role as General Manager at Celebrity Fitness.
However, he wasn’t satisfied with the wellness and fitness solutions in the market. He noticed a pressing issue during his time in the industry: People often cancelled their gym memberships, citing their busy work lives as the reason.
“This realisation planted the seed for Engage Life—a vision to integrate wellness directly into the workplace, making it more accessible for everyone, regardless of their hectic schedules,” Paresh said.
The platform was created by Paresh as well as his wife and co-founder, Vanessa Voo.
Engaging beyond the surface
More than a service, Engage Life is a movement toward lasting wellness transformation. Essentially, it’s a wellness solution that goes beneath surface-level fixes.
Initially, the startup was focused on delivering in-person programmes and services, but quickly pivoted during the pandemic to launch the Engage Life app.
Targeting individuals as well as corporates, the app offers gamified solutions to make wellness fun and approachable, in turn encouraging long-lasting habits.
These programmes are also personalised, allowing users to set their own wellness goals, whether that be achieving a healthier weight, reducing stress, or increasing physical activity.
From there, they can join structured programmes and gain access to expert resources and guidance to ensure consistent, sustainable progress.
“We recognised that many wellness programmes offer quick results, but don’t necessarily lead to long-term transformation,” Paresh pointed out. “We wanted to change that to create sustainable societal change by embracing wellness as a multi-dimensional journey.”
These “dimensions” include physical health, mental well-being, social connections, and personal growth.
Engage Life’s mission “to enhance quality of life in all its dimensions” guides all of its programmes, including its latest initiative, Growing Well Together.
Why should corporations care?
As Paresh had shared, many working adults end up quitting the gym due to their busy work lives.
But what if their companies can actually incentivise and incorporate wellness into their employees’ lives? Not only would individuals’ wellness regimen improve, it would also end up benefitting employers.
“When it comes to reducing risk exposure, we help corporations address wellness holistically, which can lead to significant reductions in healthcare costs and absenteeism over time,” Paresh said.
He elaborated, “By fostering a healthier, more engaged workforce, companies can mitigate issues like burnout, stress-related absences, and preventable health conditions, which can otherwise pose operational and financial risks.”
Plus, the app serves as a powerful management tool for HR teams. It allows companies to consolidate their wellness initiatives, gain valuable insights, and track employees’ engagement and wellness data.
Paresh revealed that Engage Life’s services have resulted in an estimated cost savings of RM7 million on medical insurance premiums.The figure was derived from surveys conducted with clients, focusing on their insurance premium claims data and wellness programme outcomes.
With a goal of accessibility, Engage Life has set its corporate rates to start as low as RM3.50 per user, while individual subscriptions begin at RM9.90 per month.
Today, Engage Life has become a trusted wellness partner for many customers, including over 30 corporate clients and numerous SMEs.
The reason why corporations work with Engage Life is clear—the wellness startup provides a fully customisable wellness solution, allowing companies to select programmes that best align with their needs, from fitness and mental health programmes to nutrition and preventive care.
By engaging with corporations and creating accessible programmes such as Growing Well Together, Engage Life is mobilising the whole nation to create a healthier Malaysia.
- Learn more about Engage Life here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Featured Image Credit: Engage Life