fotostorm/Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Interest in indoor rowing — both connected machines and studio classes — is on the rise in the US. The global rowing-machine market is expected to hit $1.8 billion by 2031. Investors are taking note by pouring funding into brands like Hydrow and Ergatta. Indoor-rowing companies — both the manufacturers of high-tech connected machines and the leaders of boutique fitness chains — are reaping the benefits of a continued rowing boom. Though indoor rowing had already been on the rise, the pandemic — and its subsequent impact on demand for at-home and virtual fitness — has propelled the sport.