A new accelerator programme, run by Queenstown’s Grit Works, will help entrepreneurs turn cycling-related product ideas into realityIt's another spoke in the wheel of Queenstown’s diversification plans. Grit Works has just launched the Queenstown Cycling Hardware Accelerator, an 11-week programme to help entrepreneurs turn cycling-related product ideas into manufacturing-ready businesses. During the course, which covers everything from prototyping to supply-chain thinking, participants will also leverage Queenstown’s cycling community and outdoor industry as a real-world testbed. Its executive chair, Dr Martin Schlegel, says by extending networks and specialist expertise across Australasia, ‘‘we are continuing to help founders accelerate their journey from prototype production and into global markets’’. Part of a global movement to help rider-driven innovation thrive, Professor Tom Campbell, a leading academic in Scottish mountain biking innovation, notes the fit with global product journeys.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 21, 2026 15:17 UTC