About
I'm Martin, co-founder of ShapeScale. We make a medical-grade 3D body scanner for clinics…
Articles by Martin
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10 Tips On How To Use Snapchat (via @JoelComm)
10 Tips On How To Use Snapchat (via @JoelComm)
CATCHING UP ON SNAPCHAT Recently I’ve gotten strangely attached to Snapchat as a medium of communicating with the…
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A Quick Way To Solve Founder Miscommunication
A Quick Way To Solve Founder Miscommunication
Every startups has its woes and it’s fairly typical for startups to go into crisis mode. A crisis can be both a moment…
1 Comment -
Sell Not Market.
Sell Not Market.
Working on Shape and going through Y Combinator made me realize again how futile it can be to do marketing early on. I…
9 Comments
Activity
7K followers
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Martin Kessler reposted thisMartin Kessler reposted thisFT article about why Germany is struggling. The following hurts because it's probably true: "it could be as simple as German industry being a bit more tied to the past and unwilling to adapt to changing technology and demand, and that, as a result, it is weathering the current transformation worse." I see this all the time. I talk a lot about "disruption" and how Germany needs more startups. Big, entrenched, industries do not like to disrupt themselves. I am frequently met with the argument that Germany is full of startups -- SMEs that are family owned and passed down through generations -- the "Mittelstand". This is so foundational to the German economy and how we think about the economy that the word is almost sacred. When I talk about startups, this is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about creating an regulatory and tax environment that makes capital flow to new ventures at a massive scale so that fast-growth startups can explore the future. This drives disruption and disruption is the future. This view is disturbing to many in Germany. Why would you build lots of companies that might fail? Why would you build companies that will be acquired? Why wouldn't you want to build a stable family business for generations? There is nothing wrong with the stable family business. But the world is changing rapidly and Germany needs to change rapidly. Stable family businesses are not about rapid change. Rapid change comes from putting together massive capital with massive entrepreneurial drive and talent. Germany has the talent. We need to desperately convert that talent into disruption and disruption into economic growth. My advice to the federal government -- focus less on building big government-funded projects, which react to the present and are slow to reach the future. Instead focus on reducing regulation on startups and making Germany more attractive for venture capital. This is a better way to "explore the space" and figure out what's next. Invest in creating the "what's next" and not the "what is". https://lnkd.in/gsG7Nuaq
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Martin Kessler shared thisI'm at ObesityWeek in Atlanta right now, and Eli Lilly just presented data on eloralintide, their upcoming amylin receptor agonist drug, which leads to ~20% weight loss in a year. This is super exciting as we're about to see amylin drugs, GLP-1 combos, and a bunch of other mechanisms hit the market over the next 18 months! Also if you're at ObesityWeek, stop by our booth #308. #ObesityWeek #ObesityWeek2025
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Martin Kessler posted thisWe're at Obesity Week this week. Booth #308. If patient retention, engagement, or differentiation are on your mind, stop by our booth. We'll be demo'ing ShapeScale's 3D body scanning tech for obesity medicine programs. Visual progress tracking that keeps patients engaged and provides for DXA-grade accuracy to practioners. Live demos at Booth #308 | Atlanta | November 4-7 Whether you're running GLP-1 programs, lifestyle medicine, or comprehensive weight management—our tech solves the "invisible progress" problem. See you there? Comment if you'll be attending. #ObesityWeek #ObesitySociety
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Martin Kessler posted thisInsurance companies are denying coverage for a drug that prevents heart attacks and strokes... Their reason? Patients need to prove they'll lose enough weight. Here's the problem: The science says weight loss has nothing to do with why it works. The SELECT trial just dropped (17,604 patients, 41 countries, published in The Lancet last week): Semaglutide reduces heart attacks and strokes by 20%. But here's what shocked researchers: - Patients who lost ≥5% body weight? 20% reduction in cardiovascular events - Patients who lost <5% body weight? 20% reduction in cardiovascular events - Waist circumference changes? Only explained 33% of the benefit Two-thirds of the cardiovascular protection happens through mechanisms completely independent of fat loss. Yet insurance companies still require: → BMI ≥35 (some even ≥40) → Documented weight loss attempts → Proof of "medical necessity" based on adiposity We're gatekeeping a cardiovascular drug based on weight-loss criteria when the cardiovascular benefit doesn't depend on weight loss. The researchers literally called for "reconceptualizing GLP-1 RAs as disease-modifying treatments rather than solely medications for weight loss." But insurance companies are still operating on 2021 data. How many people with cardiovascular disease and a BMI of 32 just got denied coverage for a drug that could prevent their next heart attack - because they're not "obese enough"?
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Martin Kessler shared thisA fitness studio owner called me last week with a story I can't stop thinking about. One of her clients, let's call her Sarah, had just lost 12 pounds in 8 weeks on a structured program. But she was about to quit. Here's what happened: Sarah came in for her check-in, frustrated. The scale had been stuck at 168 lbs for two straight weeks. No movement. "I'm doing everything right," she told her trainer. "Four workouts a week. Hitting my protein goals. And nothing." Her trainer pulled up Sarah's Shape Scan from two weeks prior. Her scan revealed what the scale couldn't: Waist down 1.2 inches. Arms up 0.4 inches from muscle gained. Lean mass up 2.8 lbs. Body fat down 4.2 lbs. Visceral fat dropped from "elevated" to "normal" range. Sarah's body was transforming. The scale just couldn't see it. She stared at the screen for a moment. Then she started tearing up. "I thought I was failing," she said. "I was ready to quit." This scenario plays out constantly in fitness programs, medical weight loss clinics, body transformation challenges. People make incredible progress but quit because weight is the only metric they're tracking. USA Today just published a feature on how technology is changing progress measurement in fitness and wellness. Link below. But what struck me most was this: Progress isn't always visible on a scale. But it's always visible somewhere. When clients can see their transformation, the exact measurements, the body composition changes, the visual proof, they stay in the game. They trust the process. They get results. Sarah didn't quit. She's still crushing her program. But here's what keeps me up at night: How many people quit the week before their breakthrough, simply because they couldn't see what was happening Have you ever felt like you were making progress the scale couldn't capture? Or seen this happen with clients?Martin Kessler shared thisUp to 40% of weight lost during fitness or GLP-1 programs can come from muscle, not fat. Most people never know it's happening until strength and metabolism decline. USA Today just published a feature on ShapeScale and how visual body composition tracking is helping fitness professionals and medical practices catch this earlier, keeping clients engaged when the scale plateaus but real progress is happening. Worth a read if you work in fitness, medical weight loss, or wellness. https://lnkd.in/e2MgqaiPThe Future of Fitness Is Visible: How AI Is Changing the Way Progress Is MeasuredThe Future of Fitness Is Visible: How AI Is Changing the Way Progress Is Measured
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Martin Kessler shared thisMost aesthetic practices are competing on price in a crowded GLP-1 market. The winners? They're combining 3D body scanning with peptide protocols to create an entirely different conversation. I'm hosting a live webinar TONIGHT (October 22nd, 5pm PST / 8pm EST) with two people who are doing this at scale: 👉 Ashley Keenan - Former D1 athlete, now nurse practitioner and founder of PepFit Health & Wellness. She's seeing remarkable results integrating peptides with body composition tracking. 👉 Brandon Thompson - Peptide therapy specialist who's helped dozens of practices differentiate in the longevity space. Here's what we're covering: → How ShapeScale's photorealistic 3D scanning technology works (and why it matters for patient compliance) → Peptide protocols that complement GLP-1 programs (with real patient data) → The exact integration strategy Ashley uses in her practice → Business model: Creating premium assessment services that patients actually pay for → Case studies showing measurable body composition improvements using this combined approach This isn't theory. Ashley will walk through her actual patient outcomes, the protocols that worked (and the ones that didn't), and how she's using 3D progress tracking to boost retention and referrals. If you're already offering peptide therapies or considering adding them, this gives you a clear roadmap to differentiate your practice and create new revenue streams. Live Q&A at the end - bring your specific questions. Space is limited. Drop "REGISTER" in the comments and I'll send you the link. 👇 What's your biggest challenge with patient compliance in weight loss programs?Martin Kessler shared thisEDUCATION is missing in the peptide world!! Nurse practitioner and former D1 hooper, Ashley Keenan, and the co founder of the 1st 3D/AI in office body scanner, Martin Kessler, and I will talk about the future of aesthetics otherwise known as longevity and how to take your aesthetic practice to the next level. What You'll Learn Overview of ShapeScale's photorealistic 3D/AI body scanning technology and key features Overview of peptides complementing medical weight loss programs Integrating peptides with GLP-1 medications for comprehensive treatment protocols How to combine ShapeScale & peptide therapy Real patient case studies showing measurable body composition improvements using peptides & ShapeScale 3D progress tracking to boost treatment compliance, patient satisfaction, and referrals Business benefits: Creating premium assessment services and increasing revenue through validated outcomes Why Attend Whether you're already offering peptide therapies or considering adding them along with 3D body scanning services, this webinar gives you actionable strategies you can implement immediately. You'll hear directly from Ashley, a practice owner who's seeing real results with this integrated approach—not theory, but practical insights on what actually works. Walk away with a clear roadmap for enhancing patient outcomes, improving compliance, and creating new revenue streams that set your practice apart from competitors. Plus, you'll have the chance to ask questions specific to your practice during our live Q&A. Register in the comments below! #aesthetics #weightmanagement #peptides #medspa #nursepractioner #medicaldevicesales #innovation
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Martin Kessler shared thisForbes covered us today on something that's been bugging me about the GLP-1 boom. Most scales tell you weight and body fat percentage. That's helpful, but when you're losing weight on GLP-1s, you could be losing muscle in places that matter while the scale shows "progress." That's why we built ShapeScale's 3D scans: they show exactly where changes are happening so you can keep the muscle that drives long-term health (and which is why ShapeScale-guided programs preserved ~20% more muscle on average). Thanks to Forbes and Sindhya Valloppillil for digging into this with us. If you're dealing with GLP-1s (personally or professionally), this is worth a read.Martin Kessler shared this🚨 Smart scales are dumb. They tell you your weight, BMI, maybe body fat — but here’s the problem: they can be off by 20% or more. Worse, they hide the only question that matters for healthspan: are you losing fat, or muscle? Enter GLP-1s. Prescriptions have exploded 587% in five years. But research shows up to 40% of the weight lost is muscle. Patients are getting lighter — and weaker. That’s not longevity. That’s frailty on fast-forward. 💡 Enter Shape (ShapeScale) a Y Combinator backed company founded by Alexandre Wayenberg and Martin Kessler. It’s an AI-powered 3D body scanner out of San Francisco that does what Apple Watch, WHOOP, and ŌURA can’t — it makes invisible change visible. As Dr. Gabrielle Lyon reminds us, muscle is the organ of longevity. And Dr. Peter Attia puts it bluntly: muscle isn’t vanity — it’s survival. Instead of a single number, ShapeScale delivers photorealistic scans and heatmaps that reveal what you’re really losing or gaining. In early GLP-1 trials, patients using ShapeScale preserved 20% more muscle mass than average. Visibility itself became the intervention. This isn’t another gadget. It’s longevity infrastructure. 📖 I dug into the story for Forbes — from the founder’s obsession with precision to why Y Combinator and Asia’s largest life insurance co. AIA bet on ShapeScale, and how it could become the MRI-lite of everyday health. 👇 Read the full piece: [link in comments below👇 ]. What do you think? Are we entering the GLP-1 muscle loss era — and will visibility be the missing link for longevity? Casey Stickles #longevity #GLP1 #ozempic #smartscale #wearables #healthspan #healthtech #hardware
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Martin Kessler posted thisWhy can some med spas charge $3,000 per treatment while competitors down the street struggle at $500? 🤔 Tuesday night, I'm co-hosting a live masterclass with Dontell Antonio, "The King of Content" and Forbes-featured strategist behind the content systems that took practices from $150K to $1.8M+ revenue. Dontell's helping me break down his exact Strategy → Shoot → Distribution framework that turns authentic stories into premium pricing power, plus we'll show how tools like ShapeScale create those consultation moments that justify higher rates. Tuesday, September 16 at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern. Every attendee gets entered to win our mystery prize worth nearly $1K to upgrade your branding and marketing. Registration link in the comments.
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Martin Kessler liked thisMartin Kessler liked thisLetzte Woche durfte ich für den Deutschlandfunk (Campus und Karriere) 🎙️ ein Interview zum Thema Demokratiebildung in und außerhalb der Schule geben – anlässlich des Demokratietags der Bundesschülerkonferenz in Halle und vor dem Hintergrund der anstehenden Landtagswahl in Sachsen-Anhalt. Im Gespräch ging es unter anderem um: 📍 Wo die Grenzen schulischer Demokratiebildung liegen und wo zusätzliche Orte gebraucht werden, an denen Jugendliche Demokratie nicht nur lernen, sondern selbst erleben können. 🤝 Warum Jugendclubs und Angebote der Sozialen Arbeit dabei eine zentrale Rolle spielen – gerade für Jugendliche, die politische Bildung sonst kaum erreicht. 💬 Wie man professionell reagiert, wenn Jugendliche radikale oder demokratiefeindliche Aussagen äußern, ohne dabei die Beziehung zu verlieren. ⚠️ Warum chronische Unterfinanzierung und Fachkräftemangel in der Jugendarbeit eine Lücke öffnen – eine Lücke, die auch radikale Gruppen gezielt zu nutzen wissen. Hört gerne rein 🎧: https://lnkd.in/eFTu3PxaWo lernen Jugendliche Demokratie - Int. mit Stefanie KesslerWo lernen Jugendliche Demokratie - Int. mit Stefanie Kessler
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Martin Kessler reacted on thisMartin Kessler reacted on thisFT article about why Germany is struggling. The following hurts because it's probably true: "it could be as simple as German industry being a bit more tied to the past and unwilling to adapt to changing technology and demand, and that, as a result, it is weathering the current transformation worse." I see this all the time. I talk a lot about "disruption" and how Germany needs more startups. Big, entrenched, industries do not like to disrupt themselves. I am frequently met with the argument that Germany is full of startups -- SMEs that are family owned and passed down through generations -- the "Mittelstand". This is so foundational to the German economy and how we think about the economy that the word is almost sacred. When I talk about startups, this is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about creating an regulatory and tax environment that makes capital flow to new ventures at a massive scale so that fast-growth startups can explore the future. This drives disruption and disruption is the future. This view is disturbing to many in Germany. Why would you build lots of companies that might fail? Why would you build companies that will be acquired? Why wouldn't you want to build a stable family business for generations? There is nothing wrong with the stable family business. But the world is changing rapidly and Germany needs to change rapidly. Stable family businesses are not about rapid change. Rapid change comes from putting together massive capital with massive entrepreneurial drive and talent. Germany has the talent. We need to desperately convert that talent into disruption and disruption into economic growth. My advice to the federal government -- focus less on building big government-funded projects, which react to the present and are slow to reach the future. Instead focus on reducing regulation on startups and making Germany more attractive for venture capital. This is a better way to "explore the space" and figure out what's next. Invest in creating the "what's next" and not the "what is". https://lnkd.in/gsG7Nuaq
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Martin Kessler liked thisMartin Kessler liked thisJoin 4S Summit co-founders Terri Ross and Izhak Musli alongside ShapeScale's Martin Kessler for an exclusive webinar on scaling aesthetic practices. Learn the 7-element consultation conversion checklist to close 70%+ of clients, leverage 3D body scanning technology to transform patient experience and generate referrals, and discover retention strategies that generate 4x more revenue than acquisition. Register here: https://lnkd.in/encfhP-z
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Martin Kessler liked thisMartin Kessler liked this5 months. 4 life-changing events. 1 new perspective. The last 150 days have been the biggest in my life. Marriage. A baby on the way. UAE residency. A new home. Every part of life got rearranged, and although extremely stressful at times, it brought more clarity than chaos. New routines. New energy. New purpose. I’ve been working the longest hours I can remember since the Brinc early days, but it doesn’t feel like it. It’s the kind of focus that comes when your “why” is crystal clear. There are distractions, setbacks, and mistakes on a regular basis. That’s part of the game. If there’s one thing this “season” (as Ryan Beltran would say!) taught me, it’s that big changes don’t drain you, they refine you. #personalwins #achievements #milestones
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Martin Kessler reacted on thisMartin Kessler reacted on thisFor the first time, we can show how Neko Health members’ health changes over time. We looked at the first 1,469 people who came back for their second Neko Body Scan, roughly a year after their first. On average, they returned in better health. Two things stand out: * Healthy members stayed healthy – or got even healthier. Small but consistent improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, with weight largely stable. * Members with chronic conditions improved the most. People with pre-diabetes, diabetes and hypertension saw the biggest reductions in blood pressure, “bad” cholesterol and HbA1c. These early results suggest that regular, preventive check-ins don’t just find problems – they help people stay on track and move in the right direction.
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Martin Kessler liked thisMartin Kessler liked thisFunction wants to overhaul preventative health. The company, co-founded by Mark Hyman, MD, locked in $298M at a $2.5B valuation to accelerate its push into diagnostics, clinical partnerships, and AI-driven care. After scaling its membership model to 50M completed tests, Function Health embedded itself across wellness culture — teaming up with Equinox, pro sports leagues, and health insiders. Next up, it’s rolling out Medical Intelligence Labs, a medically informed AI copilot that layers wearables, lab work, imaging, and health records into one unified system. An arms race, bloodwork is a default in the pursuit of a Personal Health OS, with WHOOP, Oura, Superpower, and others scaling up — as Quest and Labcorp power the underlying infrastructure. As healthcare shifts from episodic visits to continuous insight, Function is evolving into a full-body platform — spanning diagnostics, imaging, and now, intelligent prevention. 📩 Subscribe to Fitt Insider for the latest health and fitness headlines delivered every Tuesday. → https://lnkd.in/ePW8y89d
Experience & Education
Patents
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A Handheld Game Pad Apparatus
Issued CN 1202316.6
Honors & Awards
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Hong Kong Best ICT Startup Grand Award
Internet Society (Hong Kong)
"The Hong Kong ICT Awards aims to recognise and promote
outstanding ICT inventions and applications, thereby
encouraging innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s
ICT talents and enterprises in their constant pursuit for creative
and better solutions to meet business and social needs.
Hong Kong is a breeding ground for startups which play a pivotal role in
sustaining our ICT development. In fact, Hong Kong is named
by Forbes as a top tech capital to watch after…"The Hong Kong ICT Awards aims to recognise and promote
outstanding ICT inventions and applications, thereby
encouraging innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s
ICT talents and enterprises in their constant pursuit for creative
and better solutions to meet business and social needs.
Hong Kong is a breeding ground for startups which play a pivotal role in
sustaining our ICT development. In fact, Hong Kong is named
by Forbes as a top tech capital to watch after Silicon Valley
and New York. Over the years, many of our local startups
have developed into successful business and gained
international recognition.
In view of this, the category of “Best ICT Startup Award” is set
up so as to acknowledge the contributions of these outstanding
ICT startup companies that have developed innovative and
quality ICT solutions, with a vision to promote entrepreneurship
and startup culture."
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