Function's Shift to Institutional Partnerships

These deals turn Function from a brand that must buy attention one customer at a time into a health layer that other institutions can plug into. The important shift is that gyms, insurers, brokers, and player associations already control trusted member relationships, so Function can be bundled into an existing benefit, team program, or premium membership instead of winning each user through ads and social media spend.1 2 3 4 5 6

• The channels are concrete and segmented. NBPA gives Function access to active and retired NBA players. John Hancock distributes it through Vitality PLUS. Equinox uses Function inside both a discounted member offer and EQX ARC. Higginbotham places it inside employer well being packages.1 2 3 4 5
• Each partner is also doing packaging work that Function would otherwise have to fund itself. John Hancock subsidizes access for eligible members. Equinox wraps lab testing into a broader coaching and women’s health program. Higginbotham resells it at $334 annually as a benefits line item.3 4 5 6
• This looks more like the playbook used by broader wellness and care platforms that move into employers and plans for lower acquisition cost and steadier retention. Internal comparables across Calm, Noom, and Virta show the same B2B2C logic, using institutions as distribution rather than relying only on direct response marketing.6 7 8 9

From here, the likely path is deeper embedding. As Function adds longitudinal tools across labs, wearables, imaging, and coaching, partners can sell an ongoing health program instead of a one time test. That makes Function more useful to benefits managers and premium wellness brands, and less exposed to the rising cost of paid consumer acquisition.6 10