Edgard Corona, dono da Smart Fit, is a figure whose trajectory charts the transformation of fitness in Latin America. A chemical engineering graduate from FAAP in 1979, Corona began his entrepreneurial career at 19, moving from laboratory work to founding a successful youth clothing business before pivoting to the gym sector.

In 1996 he opened the first Bio Ritmo in Santo Amaro, applying a lesson learned in retail: know what the customer wants, not what you think they want. A ski accident years later forced extended physiotherapy and kept him longer in his own facilities, sharpening his understanding of client needs and accelerating expansion. Bio Ritmo’s branch on Avenida Paulista targeted time-constrained professionals and helped position the chain as a trendsetter in urban fitness.

Corona’s curiosity led him to benchmark international practices and attend fitness congresses, fueling the idea for a new, scalable model. Between 2008 and 2009 he launched Smart Fit, designed to democratize high-quality training through lower-cost, high-efficiency clubs. The move transformed Bio Ritmo into a group with diversified offerings and multiplied its footprint across 14 countries.

As CEO, he is widely regarded as a pioneer in fitness business management and one of Latin America’s most successful entrepreneurs. Recent strategic steps include taking Smart Fit public on the Brazilian stock exchange, a capital raise intended to fund post-pandemic growth, potential acquisitions, and investments to scale operations across the region.

Corona’s career underscores a constant theme: movement and change. From chemistry labs to retail and then fitness, his decisions reflect an appetite for experimentation and adaptation. His businesses prioritize customer insight, operational efficiency and accessible quality — elements that have allowed the group to weather market shifts and expand rapidly.

Today, Grupo Bio Ritmo and Smart Fit share a mission to broaden access to fitness while maintaining standards. Edgard Corona’s story is one of continual reinvention, offering a case study in how leadership that embraces change can reshape an industry and reach a mass market without sacrificing service or ambition.