Nerio Alessandri was born in Cesena in 1961. He studied industrial design and in 1983, at only 22 years of age, he founded Technogym, currently a world leader in wellness and rehabilitation products and services. The first gym equipment he designed and made in his garage was the outcome of his enthusiasm for sport, his designing skills and his passion for design.

In the early 1990s Nerio Alessandri defined the concept of wellness, a lifestyle oriented towards improving life quality through regular physical exercise, healthy nutrition and a positive mental attitude. This deeply Italian concept, rooted in the Roman mens sana in corpore sano, would soon win over the market as a development of the American concept of fitness. In 2001 he was awarded the Order of Merit for Labour by the President of the Republic, becoming the youngest person ever to receive the honour in the history of the Italian Republic. In 2003 he was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year 2003, representing Italy at the World Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2003 he established the Wellness Foundation, a non-profit organisation that supports scientific research, health education and promotion of the wellness lifestyle. The foundation manages International and National projects, focusing on education, health and research. In 2005 the University of Bologna awarded him the Honoray Degree in Biomedical Engineering.

Nerio Alessandri has published several books on the wellness culture, including: “Wellness. Scegli di vivere bene” (2001); “Wellness-Storia e Cultura del vivere bene” (2007); and “A Successful Life Begins with Wellness”, a book distributed in China, which describes the concept of wellness in oriental society.