The genesis of Activup

From a personal need to
300+ customers in 12 countries

ActivUP customers are spread across 12 countries, with many multinationals, including Google and half of the CAC40. But initially, Marc Thouvenin, the founder, was just looking for a simple way to lose weight without wasting time on sports or dieting.

Below he tells you his and ActivUP's story.

How I lost 15kg
without diet or sport,
during my work

I had become sedentary, very overweight


We all have periods when we let ourselves go, and then those when we take back control.
In 2012, when we were talking about activity trackers (pedometers) or connected scaleThere were still some who looked at us with round eyes. Everyone agreed that we were all too sedentary, but no one really had a solution. It was Fitbit that led the way by creating the eponymous bracelet in 2007. That was only 13 years ago, and the company has now sold over 100 million of them. In total, more than 80 million are sold each year, all brands combined.

Get out of your comfort zone

Taking action

I equipped myself in 2012 under the impetus of Fabrice Boutain, the founder of Anxa and HAPI.com, with a pedometer and a connected scale. 


At the time, measuring my steps and having a weight curve, allowed me to realize that the whole thing was catastrophicI walked little, and my weight increased continuously. But where had the youthful enthusiasm and athleticism gone? The years had overtaken my reasonable attitude.


Counting my steps only allowed me to visualize on a curve that I was in the wrong direction! 

As a reminder, our ancestors had to and did not have any trouble walk 23 kilometers a day in order to survive. And this is how human beings are supposed to live in order to find food and keep themselves in shape at the same time.


But the more we move forward in time, the less we move. This bad trend has allowed the development of many diseases, including diabetes.

Of course, our current way of life accompanied by the rise of digital technology which pushes us to do everything sitting down does not allow us to walk as often as we should.

"I had to find an effective solution to regain control of my body.

My first Walking Desk (photo from Dec 2013)

The ideal solution to regain control

Working while walking, without thinking about it

I had to find an effective solution to regain control of my body. At the end of November 2013, something clicked: I just had to put a desk on top of a treadmill! I immediately set out to buy one. Alas, in 2013, no one was offering this type of solution. So I decided to make one for myselfWith the means at hand. I bought a standard treadmill on the internet and made a high desk. And there I was, with my first Walking Desk!


I didn't have any training at the time, but in the first month of use, I walked more than 400km, averaging more than 20,000 steps per day! Unfortunately, it did not survive this pace. Standard treadmills are designed to run 1 hour/week for 1 year. After that, they gather dust in the owner's garage. Mine ran for over 4 hours a day, every day for over a month. I was already addicted to the Walking Desk. There is no turning back. I built a new one immediately: a slightly stronger model with horizontal arches so more practical for the office part.

results for me, and for my clients!

Lose weight without dieting or exercising while you work

The year 2014 was the year of the trend reversal! Because, at the same time as I used to lose 500g per month, driving 400 to 500kmThe uniqueness of my office equipment started to be noticed. I posted the picture on social networks, and already my friends wanted to buy me Walking Desks.


At the end of 2 years of Walking Deskmy weight has stabilized at 70kg (12kg lost), I have never felt so good, I have never had to hardly been sick since I walk every day on my Walking Desk.


Some of our clients can lose up to 2-3 kg per month, and lose several dozen kilos. See here our program to lose weight by walking to the office.


Then, my weight continued to drop as I took care of my diet. My back doesn't hurt at all anymore, and I sleep really, really well.
That's all I wish for future Walking Desk users.

Marc Thouvenin's weight curve between 2013 and 2019

Revolutionary solution

The popularity of the Walking Desk

In the summer of 2014, I was finishing the sale of my previous company, and I needed to find a way to market Walking Desks. After studying all the possibilities, I found the different suppliers I needed for the first Walking Desks offer in France. So I created a specialized merchant site to sell our Walking Desks and I had my first customer in October 2014. The first of many.


Since that time, we have continued to to develop our turnover every yearwe have passed 24 times on televisionand we now have half of the CAC40 among our clients, as well as numerous international customers like Facebook, Shell, General Electric and even the UN. Not to mention the hundreds of SMEs, VSEs and even individuals. 


The solution: the walking desk or office-treadmill.

Popular with scientists

At the Vichy Medical Congress in January 2019, speakers walk on an ActivUP Walking Desk during their presentation

ActivUP, the reference for the Walking Desk

More than 300 clients

23 TV appearances

An award-winning solution

Contact us

Would you like to know more and even test the Walking Desk in your company or in our showroom?

Our showrooms (by appointment only)

Paris 17th 27 rue des Renaudes

Archamps (Haute-Savoie)

Call us at

+33 1 85 08 60 18

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