ZORB Rotorua

What ZORB Rotorua does

ZORB Rotorua Ltd. is a privately held New Zealand adventure tourism company that operates the world's largest commercial downhill ball rolling park on a 17-acre site on Mt Ngongotaha, Rotorua. The company runs four purpose-built tracks — MEGA (300m, steepest and fastest), Sidewinder (350m, the world's longest zig-zag), Dual Straight (250m), and Pipeline (320m, with an arboreal tunnel) — on which participants slide inside giant inflatable balls filled with 40 litres of water. Balls are hand-manufactured on-site (each taking approximately 84 hours to build with 1,082 high-frequency welded anchors), and the patented TOWGO system delivers a ball to the hilltop every 50 seconds. The business was reunified in May 2019 when original co-inventors Andrew and David Akers repurchased the ZORB brand and amalgamated it with their prior OGO operation.

The company generates revenue primarily through per-ride ticket sales (NZD 49-175 per person across single, multi-ride, couple, and VIP tiers), equipment rental, gift vouchers, corporate events at The Venue @ ZORB, and bespoke school/education packages. Customers include international tourists (particularly from Australia), families, couples, corporate groups, hen/stag parties, and school groups, served through direct online booking (bookings.zorb.com), phone reservations, on-site front desk sales, and inbound group enquiries. All operations are run 364 days per year on a single physical site.

ZORB Rotorua sits within a broader group operated by the Akers brothers: ZORB New Zealand runs the international business, exporting Fishpipe rotating barrel rides to Germany, Hawaii, the USA, and Sydney, and offering ZORB in a Box kitset sites plus global consultation, licensing, and franchise services for entrepreneurs seeking to open ZORB sites worldwide. The company holds Qualmark Gold and Outdoorsmark safety certifications and is a member of TECNZ, BYATA, TIA, YTEC, Rotorua Sustainable Charter, and the Rotorua Education Network.

Name

ZORB Rotorua

Legal name

ZORB Rotorua Ltd.

Website

https://zorb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZORB Rotorua is a privately held New Zealand adventure tourism operator that runs the world's largest commercial downhill ball rolling park on Mt Ngongotaha, serving international tourists, families, corporate groups, and schools across four purpose-built tracks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotorua

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Per-ride ticket sales for four different tracks: Single Ride Straight Track ($49pp), Single Ride Sidewinder ($69pp), Two Ride Deal ($95pp), and FOUR Ride Combo ($155pp). Also offers multiride deals for couples including Three Ride Super Deal ($125pp), Two Ride Flexi Combo ($120pp), and VIP Maxi Combo ($175pp with T-shirt).
2. Equipment Rental: Rental of shorts, t-shirts and towels for $5 each, or $12 for all three. Revenue from ancillary equipment hire.
3. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers available for purchase as fun experience gifts.
4. Corporate Events and Group Bookings: Bespoke team-building programmes and corporate event experiences tailored to timeframe, group size, and goals. Includes access to The Venue @ ZORB event space with bar, BBQ, and views.
5. School and Education Packages: Special packages for school groups with complimentary factory tours and education workshops.
6. Consultation and Licensing Services: ZORB New Zealand provides consultation services for opening ZORB sites globally, including site design, product development, staff training, operations manuals, project management, site audits, and due diligence. Also offers ZORB in a Box kitset sites and exports Fishpipe rides worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ZORB Rotorua operates the world's largest commercial downhill ball rolling park on Mt Ngongotaha, Rotorua, New Zealand, with four distinct purpose-built tracks (MEGA 300m, Sidewinder 350m, Dual Straight 250m, Pipeline 320m). Participants roll down inside giant inflatable balls filled with 40 litres of water. Beyond consumer rides, the company offers corporate team-building and event packages, school education programs, gift vouchers, and—through its parent ZORB New Zealand—global consultation, ZORB™ in a Box kitset sites, and Fishpipe rotating barrel ride exports.

Product overview

ZORB Rotorua is an adventure tourism company operating downhill ball rolling experiences on Mt Ngongotaha in Rotorua, New Zealand. The core product is the H²OGO ride experience—participants roll down purpose-built tracks inside giant inflatable balls filled with 40 litres of water. The company operates four distinct tracks: MEGA Track (300m, fastest/steepest), Sidewinder Track (350m, world's longest zig-zag), Dual Straight Track (250m, racing-focused), and Pipeline Track (320m, featuring an arboreal tunnel). Beyond the visitor experience, ZORB New Zealand (the parent company operated by inventors Andrew and David Akers) offers franchise opportunities through ZORB™ in a Box (a kitset site solution), Fishpipe (a rotating barrel ride exported globally), and comprehensive consulting services for adventure park development. The company also operates The Venue @ ZORB for corporate events and conferences, plus special packages for school groups and team building activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• H²OGO Ride Experience The signature downhill ball rolling experience where participants Superman-dive into a giant inflatable ball filled with 40 litres of water and roll down purpose-built tracks on Mt Ngongotaha. Targeted at individuals, couples, families, and groups visiting Rotorua.
• MEGA Track The steepest, fastest and longest downhill ZORB track at 300 metres, offering epic views of Lake Rotorua and Mokoia Island.
• Sidewinder Track The world's longest zig-zag ZORB track at 350 metres with 6 massive corners and hairpin bends, offering a roller-coaster-like experience.
• Dual Straight Track A 250-metre smooth and fast track designed for racing, featuring dual parallel tracks allowing riders to compete side-by-side.
• Pipeline Track A 320-metre track combining wiggles, weaves, an arboreal tunnel experience, and a sweeping half-pipe finish. The newest track at ZORB Rotorua.
• The Venue @ ZORB On-site events venue with bar, BBQ facilities and panoramic views, available for conferences, team building events, meetings, networking, and post-ZORB celebrations.
• Corporate Team Building Packages Bespoke team-building programmes and corporate event experiences tailored to timeframe, group size, and goals, built around downhill ball rolling activities and venue access.
• School & Education Group Packages Educational field trip packages for school groups including study materials, complimentary factory tours and education workshops. ZORB is an active member of the Rotorua Education Network (REN).
• Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers available for purchase, allowing recipients to experience ZORB rides and adventures at a later date.
• ZORB™ in a Box A kitset ZORB site packaged in a container that can be assembled to create a functional downhill ball-rolling site without costly earthworks or in-ground construction. Targeted at entrepreneurs wanting to open their own ZORB sites worldwide.
• Fishpipe World's first rotating barrel ride invented by David Akers in 2009. A rugby ball-shaped inflatable barrel that sits on mechanical arms and rotates at up to 45rpm. Exported to water parks and resorts worldwide including Germany, Hawaii, USA and Sydney.
• ZORB New Zealand Consultation Services Comprehensive consulting services for adventure park development including full ZORB site design, product development, staff training, operations manuals, project management, site audits, due diligence, market research, and business cases for boutique adventure park builds worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Balls delivered to top of hill every 50 seconds using TOWGO system
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Salvation Army New ZealandminorOthers · 15 August 2019ZORB Rotorua partners with Salvation Army for annual Locals Day events, collecting food donations for local families in need. In 2025, collected 2,147 cans of food.
• Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ)coreOthersZORB Rotorua is a member of TECNZ, New Zealand's national trade organization for tourism operators. Won Small Business Operator of the Year at TECNZ awards in 2019.
• BYATA (Backpackers, Youth and Adventure Tourism Association)coreOthersMember of BYATA representing backpacker, youth, and adventure tourism operators in New Zealand.
• Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA)coreOthersMember of TIA, the peak body for the tourism industry in New Zealand.
• Youth Tourism Export Council (YTEC)minorOthersMember of YTEC focused on youth tourism sector.
• Rotorua Sustainable ChartercoreOthersCharter member committed to sustainable tourism practices in Rotorua region.
• Rotorua Education Network (REN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst-of-its-kind tourism collective solely dedicated to the education industry. ZORB is an active member offering study material, factory tours, and education workshops for school groups visiting Rotorua.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Velocity Valley: Rotorua adventure attraction operator offering Swoop, Freefall Xtreme, Shweeb, and jet boat experiences. Direct competitor within the Rotorua adventure tourism market targeting thrill-seeking tourists and groups.
• AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand: New Zealand's most prominent adventure tourism operator, founded by AJ Hackett, offering bungee jumping, bridge swings, and ziplines across NZ. Similar target market (thrill-seeking tourists) and brand recognition in NZ adventure tourism.
• Skyline Rotorua: Adjacent Rotorua tourism operator offering gondola rides, luge, mountain biking, and stargazing. Both operate premium adventure attractions on Mt Ngongotaha, target overlapping tourist demographics, and are located next to each other per the company data.
• Agroventures Rotorua: Rotorua adventure park offering freestyle jetsprints, Swoop, Agrojet, and similar thrill rides. The most direct competitor in the Rotorua adventure tourism market, targeting the same family and tourist segments with comparable per-ride ticketed experiences.

Broad incumbents

• Merlin Entertainments: Global operator of theme parks, LEGOLAND resorts, and attractions. While not directly competing in Rotorua, they represent the broader theme park/amusement operator archetype that ZORB's licensing model aspires to scale toward.
• Six Flags Entertainment: Major US-based amusement park operator with properties across North America. Comparable business model in thrill-based attractions and ticketed rides, but at vastly different scale and geographic market.
• Real NZ (Real Journeys): Major NZ tourism operator offering cruises, flights, and experiences across Queenstown, Te Anau, and the West Coast. Comparable in scale across NZ tourism, though serving scenic/experiential rather than thrill activity segments.

Regional players

• Mitai Maori Village: Rotorua cultural tourism operator located adjacent to ZORB on Mt Ngongotaha. Same general visitor segment and Rotorua geography but offers cultural dining and performance experience rather than adventurous activity.
• Polynesian Spa: Iconic Rotorua geothermal spa offering hot springs, spa treatments, and lake views. Both target the same tourist base in Rotorua but offer complementary rather than directly competing experiences (relaxation vs. thrill).
• Rainbow Springs Nature Park: Rotorua nature-based attraction with wildlife, kiwi conservation, and walking tracks. Same geography and tourist base, but oriented toward families seeking nature experiences rather than adventure thrills.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ZORB.RIDE
• Instagraminstagram.com/zorbrotorua
• Xx.com/_zorb_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ogo-rotorua

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZORB Rotorua