Meta pauses VR fitness, Sam Altman backs brain tech, Gen Z wants IRL wellness

January 21, 2026: Your daily rundown of health and wellness news, in under 5 minutes. Today's top stories: Eventbrite reports 79% of Gen Z and millennials plan to attend more in-person events in 2026, gravitating toward spontaneous formats like run clubs and sauna raves over curated programming Meta puts Supernatural VR fitness app into maintenance mode, ending new content after layoffs and strategic shift toward AI, signaling broader risk for VR fitness category Merge Labs, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, raises $252M to develop brain-computer interfaces starting with medical applications before expanding to consumer use Cream Co. Meats raises $8M to connect consumers with regenerative ranchers as concern over pesticides drives shift toward nutrient-dense animal protein and transparency More from Fitt: Fitt Insider breaks down the convergence of fitness, wellness, and healthcare — and what it means for business, culture, and capital. Subscribe to our newsletter → insider.fitt.co/subscribe Work with our recruiting firm → https://talent.fitt.co/ Follow us on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/fittinsider/ Follow us on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/company/fittinsider Reach out → [email protected]