MAGIC AI secures Premier League pedigree as Jesse Lingard joins the investor bench
Former Manchester United and England star Jesse Lingard has joined MAGIC AI’s fast-growing list of celebrity investors.
The footballer’s undisclosed backing brings the world’s first AI-driven personal training mirror’s total fundraising to £6.7 million.
Co-founded by Varun Bhanot, MAGIC AI feels like something extracted from one of Elon Musk’s dreams.
Dubbed the “world’s smartest home gym”, the mirror delivers workouts via hologram personal trainers.
A built-in AI camera monitors form, counts reps, and offers real-time feedback projected over the user’s reflection.
The futuristic take on interior design even tracks weights, recommending when to increase or decrease the load.
MAGIC AI also counts former England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook, Olympic gold medallist Desirèe Henry, and Strictly Come Dancing’s Katya Jones among its high-profile financiers.
Alongside the cash pledge, they all appear as on-screen trainers via the mirror, putting everyday athletes through their paces with pre-recorded workouts.
Bhanot recently flew to South Korea — where Lingard is currently plying his trade in the K League for FC Seoul — to film his football, cardio, and HIIT workouts for the aptly-named MAGIC Mirror.
“We’ve just signed one of the most iconic names in English football,” he wrote in an announcement.
“Jesse Lingard joins as an investor, ambassador, and on-screen trainer at MAGIC AI, taking our total funding to $9 million.
“Yes… the same Jesse I grew up watching at Manchester United and England. The same player who inspired an entire generation. And now, he’s part of the MAGIC AI journey.”
Lingard, 32, will also become a brand ambassador, helping promote MAGIC AI to his combined 16 million followers on social media.
“Watching him in action, seeing his energy, creativity, and joy come alive under the mirror was one of those ‘wow, it’s real’ moments,” Bhanot added.
“And now, the world gets to train with him right in their living rooms…
“This is just the beginning. The future of fitness is personal, intelligent, and human-first. And the world’s best athletes are helping us lead it. Let’s make magic.”
According to InsightAce Analytics, the global AI Fitness and Wellness market hit $9.8 billion in 2024.
That figure is expected to more than quadruple to $46.1 billion by 2034, with a CAGR of 16.8% between now and the end of that term.
The brand has a second flag firmly planted in the home workout market — also on the rise.
MAGIC AI’s users aren’t the only ones beefing up. Last year, the start-up raised £3.8 million in a second funding round spearheaded by IW Capital.
“I honestly believe that within the next five years (MAGIC AI) will be one of the most creative AI products ever made,” Lingard said.
“I can see the bigger picture — the future of AI and of fitness. More and more people are into training now, and with the mirror you’ve got your own workout, your own trainers, right there at home instead of always needing the gym.”
SEE ALSO: A Conversation With Varun Bhanot, Founder Of The AI Magic Mirror
