Ricardo Theiner is a veteran of international startups, having worked at companies in Austria, England, and the United States. He made his mark on the Atlanta startup scene as the co-founder of the TravelTech platform KLEENERLY, which was acquired in 2020, and as the City Launch Manager of the popular hospitality startup Sonder when the company opened in town.
But after exiting KLEENERLY, Theiner was ready for a break from the founder’s seat. That’s no easy feat, as any founder can attest to.
In startups, founders are “all in” in order to launch and pitch their idea. A founder’s identity can quickly become interwoven with their startup, as mental and physical wellness gets tossed to the side.
Theiner realized just how much he — and his fellow founders — neglected while starting their companies. He thought there had to be a better way for founders to get the support they needed while integrating more wellness and movement into their lives.
“I saw that if you want to succeed in business in the long term, you really have to take care of yourself [and have] a strong body and a strong mind,” he told Hypepotamus.
Next Chapter: Captain Athletic Club
While living in his hometown of Vienna, Austria with his young family, Theiner launched Captain Athletic Club, a social club designed exclusively for founders. The club curates sports, fitness, and wellness activities to help founders stay active and network in new, more meaningful ways.
Close to 100 Vienna-based founders have joined to date, Theiner told Hypepotamus. Those members participate in several sports-related activities each month, ranging from trail running to Bouldering to Padel Tennis. Upcoming events include mountain carting, stand-up-paddle boarding, beach volleyball, and basketball.
“I’m building exactly what I was missing as a founder,” he added.
Now, Theiner is heading back to Atlanta to launch Captain’s second location. Applications are now live for the Atlanta’s Captain Athletic Club’s membership spots.
“We are very excited about giving Atlanta founders more opportunities and a great reason to leave their desks for a few hours to go outdoors, be active, and meet like-minded entrepreneurs,” he added.
Besides having strong roots in the city, Theiner said he believes Atlanta is a strong market for such a club.
“In the States, people move around a little bit more. And every time they go to new cities, they rebuild their relationships,” he told Hypepotamus. “Atlanta is especially interesting for us, not only because I lived here for 10 years and I started my first successful business here, but also because it has a vibrant startup scene. Atlanta has given me a lot and this is a way for me to give back to the startup ecosystem. Also Georgia in general has so much beautiful nature and a great offering in terms of sports, fitness and wellness.”
The Club is aiming to open up officially in September. Membership is listed at $149 a month.
