Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has scored another major victory—this time in the tech world—as his co-founded company successfully raised Ksh530 million ($4.1 million) to expand its cutting-edge artificial intelligence-powered running platform.
The French start-up, Kotcha, aims to make elite-level coaching accessible to all runners by combining data-driven technology with the proven training philosophies that helped Kipchoge become the first man to run a sub-two-hour marathon. The investment will be used to enhance the platform’s capabilities and reach a broader global audience.
Kotcha enters the market at a time when the fitness industry is embracing AI at unprecedented levels. With marathons around the world experiencing record participation, including over one million entries for the 2026 London Marathon, demand for structured, adaptive training has never been higher. Kotcha positions itself as a pioneer in this new era of digital coaching.
At its core, the platform goes beyond traditional training plans. It offers users a complete support ecosystem, mirroring the team-based approach that defined Kipchoge’s legendary career. Runners are supported by four specialized AI coaches: a head coach, a nutritionist, a data analyst, and a personal trainer. These virtual experts work together to deliver personalized guidance tailored to each runner’s goals, fitness level, and lifestyle.
A standout feature of Kotcha is its adaptability. If a user’s schedule changes—say they only have 30 minutes instead of an hour for a run—the app intelligently adjusts the workout plan and future sessions to maintain progress toward long-term goals. This real-time responsiveness ensures consistency, one of the key principles behind Kipchoge’s philosophy of discipline and balance.
The app was developed in close collaboration with Kipchoge’s NN Running Team and tech entrepreneurs who spent time at his Kaptagat training base in Kenya. This hands-on experience allowed them to translate the mental and physical strategies that define elite marathon success into digital form.
Kotcha’s creators envision more than just a running app—they see it as the next generation of coaching, one that brings the world’s best training methodologies directly to everyday runners. By blending human wisdom with artificial intelligence, Kipchoge’s latest venture aims to help runners everywhere unlock their potential—one smart stride at a time.
