Dan Roberts and business partner Mat Weir were yesterday named the Otago regional winners of the Flying Start Business Plan competition, for their NZByBike.com website.
"It's a cycling tourism marketing company for all of the recently developed trails, as well as all of the government-sponsored ones with a website portal," Mr Roberts told the Otago Daily Times.
Although the site only went live in August last year, it had been in the pipeline since 2009, when they decided to build on what they saw as the burgeoning potential and interest in Queenstown and New Zealand as a biking destination.
"I think we saw it before everyone else; we were very quick to get into it," Mr Roberts said.
"We were seeing what everyone else is seeing now and that's why we won - the business plan was the first move in a big market."
After being selected from more than 500 entries received nationwide, they won one of 16 $3000 regional prizes awarded across the country.
The prize includes cash, web and social media development, and legal advice.
One extra full-time staff member rounds out the current NZByBike.com team, with the site offering information on 150 trails, over 100 listed businesses, and guides to riding in New Zealand and Queenstown.
With plans for iPad and iPhone trail applications, "more trail guides, more staff and more marketing" the pair have big plans - plans they hope an investor can help with.
Masterton's Phil Hall won the $60,000 national prize with his patented scratch and fog resistant safety goggles, Safe Eyes.
