---
title: "Sweat440 Signs Major Deal To Expand Into Southern California"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/38c4090f-afb4-4c07-8dbf-b40e4a2cec14
source: "Athletech News"
original_url: https://athletechnews.com/sweat440-signs-major-deal-to-expand-into-southern-california/
author: "Ani Freedman"
category: "Fitness"
industry: "Fitness"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2025-09-26T00:06:04.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T16:45:22.115Z
image: https://athletechnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_1151.webp
---

# Sweat440 Signs Major Deal To Expand Into Southern California

**TL;DR:** Sweat440 announced a franchise development deal to open 30 new locations across Southern California, marking one of the brand's largest expansions to date. The deal is part of the brand's 100-plus new franchise units in development, with 25 studios already open and five more slated to open by the end of the year.

*By Ani Freedman, originally published in Athletech News on 2025-09-26. [Read the original](https://athletechnews.com/sweat440-signs-major-deal-to-expand-into-southern-california/).*

## Story

Strength-focused interval training brand Sweat440 announced a landmark franchise development deal to open 30 new locations across Southern California, maintaining its expansion momentum.

The deal marks one of the brand’s largest expansions to date, breaking Sweat440 into the California fitness market, with studios planned to stretch from Los Angeles to San Diego. The Miami-founded brand is known for its 40-minute, instructor-led circuit that combines strength, cardio and HIIT, broken into four 10-minute stations. With classes starting every 10 minutes, studios can maximize scheduling flexibility and class accessibility.

The California locations are part of the brand’s 100-plus new franchise units in development, along with 25 studios open already. Another five studios are slated to open by the end of the year.

“I’d like to see 50 to 100 units per year for the next three to five years,” Sweat440 co-founder Cody Patrick said. “We have been very patient, and believe that the market has stabilized, our model is solid and we are ready for measured growth.”

Leading the deal are entrepreneur Paul Marcus, a top former Orangetheory Fitness franchisee, and Duane Stullich, a corporate finance leader and investor in health and wellness, who are collaborating with Port Street Ventures, a boutique investment firm.

Marcus previously served as CEO of Evolve Med Spa, a private equity-backed aesthetics brand, and founded and led West Coast Fitness, one of Orangetheory’s largest franchisees with over 40 locations across California and Ohio.

Meanwhile, Stullich has long advised several fitness and wellness companies, including Planet Fitness, Crunch, Club Pilates and Gold’s Gym. And California-based Port Street Ventures, co-founded by Brent Leffel and Nick Orzano, has experience supporting the growth of numerous fitness and wellness brands including Barry’s, Crunch and UFC Gym.

“California represents a major step forward for our brand,” Patrick said. “Having partners like Paul, Duane and Port Street Ventures — who bring unmatched experience in scaling fitness brands and creating consumer-focused wellness businesses — gives us tremendous confidence in the success of this expansion.”

## Entities

- unit expansion (topic)
- Fitness (sector)
- franchise development (topic)
- Athletech News (publication)
- Planet Fitness (company)
- Orangetheory Fitness (company)
- Club Pilates (company)
- Ani Freedman (person)
- Southern California (location)
- Gold's Gym (company)
- UFC Gym (company)
- Crunch (company)

---
Originally reported by Ani Freedman, Athletech News (https://athletechnews.com/sweat440-signs-major-deal-to-expand-into-southern-california/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/38c4090f-afb4-4c07-8dbf-b40e4a2cec14).