When Matt Miller arrived in New Zealand from Pennsylvania to complete a PhD in mountain biking, he couldn’t have predicted that one day he’d be hand-building world-first technology in his sleepout in Rotorua.
But that's exactly where his entrepreneurial journey has taken him – with a start-up that’s drawing global attention and shining a spotlight on Rotorua’s fast-growing tech scene.
From PhD to product
Matt came to New Zealand after spotting a study on mountain biking from Massey University.
“I emailed the lead researcher and simply asked if I could do a PhD with him,” Matt recalls.
That email turned into a life-changing opportunity. Within six months, he had packed up and moved to Palmerston North to begin his doctorate. But it was an unexpected moment during data collection that sparked the idea behind his business, BrakeAce.
“I was racing my supervisor to collect data using power meters, but he was braking constantly, it was driving me nuts. That’s when I realised we were missing a huge part of the performance story. I said, ‘I think we should measure braking instead.’ And that was the lightbulb moment.”
What began as a research project quickly evolved into a business idea. Matt built an early prototype and tested the waters with a minimum viable product (MVP) in 2019. Despite COVID-19 disrupting his initial sales pipeline, he used the downtime to double down on development. A successful Kickstarter campaign followed in 2021, and by 2022, BrakeAce was shipping product globally.
What is BrakeAce?
At its core, BrakeAce is a sensor-based training tool for mountain bikers. It captures braking data on downhill trails and translates it into personalised, actionable insights.
“Most riders don’t realise how much time they’re losing to unconscious habits. BrakeAce makes them visible, so you finally know what to work on. It’s not about braking less, it’s about riding better.”
The product has already gained traction with elite riders, including World Cup athletes and major brake manufacturers, who now use BrakeAce for product testing. One rider who trained in Rotorua using BrakeAce placed in the top 10 in a recent World Cup round.
Going global from Rotorua
While the technology is making waves internationally, the business remains firmly rooted in Rotorua. Matt sees the location as a strategic advantage.
“Having world-class trails right here makes it easy to attract the right people and test our product. Rotorua has a unique identity that fits perfectly with the mountain biking culture.”
In 2024, BrakeAce was selected as one of just 10 startups from around the world to join a prestigious outdoor sports accelerator in Bentonville, Arkansas, home to Walmart’s headquarters and a hub for cycling innovation. Funded by the University of Arkansas and the Walton Foundation, the programme connected BrakeAce with major players in the industry, including the CTO of Wahoo Fitness, a global leader in sports tech.
“It was huge to talk to people who understood our space and had raised tens of millions in funding. And being from Rotorua actually gave us a cool edge – people knew about the trails here, even if they hadn’t heard of BrakeAce.”
To date, BrakeAce has been built with no outside investment, but that’s changing. Through support from NZTE and RotoruaNZ’s economic development team, BrakeAce is now approved for New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus programme, allowing qualified investors to gain residency while backing innovative businesses.
One such investor, a passionate mountain biker from Germany, is now in talks to help BrakeAce scale.
“It’s exciting and a little scary. Taking that leap means we can grow faster, hire the right people, and eventually move production out of the sleepout and into a proper facility. BrakeAce will keep getting better and better, and we can help even more riders in every discipline.”
Matt is currently assembling a team that includes developers from Silicon Valley and an advisor in Denmark. But his long-term goal is to base the core operation in New Zealand.
“It’s part of the identity of the business. And with Rotorua’s environment, it makes sense. We want to bring more talent here.”
Why Rotorua?
BrakeAce isn’t just a cool story, it’s a case study in how Rotorua is attracting and supporting innovative ventures. The region’s natural advantages and growing support ecosystem are making it easier for tech entrepreneurs like Matt to start, grow and thrive here.
“The support I’ve had from RotoruaNZ has been awesome. From connections and promotion to just helping get our name out there, these things matter when you’re building something new.”
Rotorua’s economic development team continues to work behind the scenes to attract, retain and champion bold businesses like BrakeAce. Whether it’s connecting startups to global networks or helping them navigate investment pathways, the goal is the same: to turn Rotorua into a launchpad for the next generation of New Zealand tech.
