Fitbit Founder Returns to Health Tech Two Years After Leaving Google
- Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman announce new startup Luffu
- AI integrates and manages health data for entire families, auto-detects anomalies
- Targeting 63 million family caregivers in the US, app launch first with hardware expansion planned
What Happened?
James Park and Eric Friedman, who created Fitbit, have announced their new startup Luffu two years after leaving Google.[PRNewswire]
Luffu positions itself as an intelligent family care system. It’s a platform that uses AI to integrate and manage health data for the entire family, not just individuals. This includes children, parents, spouses, and even pets.[TechCrunch]
The company currently has about 40 employees, most from Google and Fitbit. They’re self-funded and haven’t taken outside investment.[PRNewswire]
Why Does This Matter?
What makes this announcement interesting is that while Fitbit focused on personal health, Luffu is trying to create a new category called family health.
About 63 million adults in the US are family caregivers.[PRNewswire] They’re busy juggling children, careers, and elderly parents simultaneously. But most healthcare apps are designed for individuals, making family-level management difficult.
This gap is exactly what Luffu is targeting. Honestly, even Apple Health and Google Fit barely have family sharing features. No one has properly captured this market yet.
James Park said, “At Fitbit, I focused on personal health, but after Fitbit, health became bigger to me than just thinking about myself.”[PRNewswire]
How Does It Work?
The core of Luffu is that AI works quietly in the background. No need to constantly chat like with a chatbot.
- Data Collection: Input health information via voice, text, or photos. Can also sync with devices and medical portals
- Pattern Learning: AI identifies daily patterns for each family member
- Anomaly Detection: Automatic alerts for missed medications, vital sign changes, sleep pattern irregularities
- Natural Language Queries: AI answers questions like “Is dad’s new diet affecting his blood pressure?”
Privacy is also emphasized. The system aims to be a guardian, not a surveillance tool, with users controlling what information is shared with whom.[PRNewswire]
What’s Next?
Luffu plans to start with an app and expand to hardware. Similar to the path Fitbit took, but this time they seem to be building a device ecosystem for the entire family.
Currently in private beta testing, you can join the waitlist at luffu.com.[PRNewswire]
They’re operating with their own funds without outside investment, which suggests a commitment to focusing on the product without VC pressure. A different approach from Fitbit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: When will Luffu launch?
A: Currently in limited public beta testing. The official launch date hasn’t been announced yet. You can sign up for the waitlist at luffu.com to receive a beta test invitation. The app will launch first, with dedicated hardware to follow.
Q: Will it sync with Fitbit?
A: The official announcement only mentioned integration with devices and medical portals. Direct integration with Fitbit hasn’t been confirmed yet. Given that Google acquired Fitbit and the founders left Google, the relationship is expected to be complicated.
Q: How much will it cost?
A: Pricing hasn’t been announced yet. Since they’re self-funded, subscription models or premium feature monetization are possible, but we’ll have to wait for official announcements. Hardware will likely have separate pricing when it launches.
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References
- From the Founders of Fitbit: Introducing Luffu – PRNewswire (2026-02-03)
- Fitbit founders launch AI platform to help families monitor their health – TechCrunch (2026-02-03)