Modern helmets are a lot more than a hard plastic shell filled with foam. Inside that shell is a carefully engineered system designed to manage how energy moves through your head during a crash. It’s not just about absorbing impact straight on, but also about controlling twisting forces, reducing peak loads, and buying your brain precious milliseconds to stay intact.
That’s where technologies like Mips and Koroyd come in.
Mips AB focuses on rotational impacts, and its system allows a small amount of controlled movement between the helmet and the head, reducing the rotational forces that are most closely linked to brain injury. Koroyd tackles the problem from another angle. Its welded tube structures crush instantly on impact, managing straight line energy in a predictable and efficient way.
Now, those two approaches are coming together. Mips has agreed to acquire 100% of Koroyd, bringing two of the most influential names in helmet safety under one roof. The deal is expected to close in just as 2025 draws to an end. This means helmet manufacturers, and by extension riders like you and me, no longer need to choose between Mips or Koroyd. We get both working together. At least, maybe eventually.
That matters because these companies were never solving the same problem in the same way. Mips built its reputation around reducing rotational forces during angled impacts. Koroyd became known for its distinctive lattice of tubes that collapse to absorb straight line impact energy. Different physics, different roles, same goal: Protecting your brain.
What makes this especially interesting is that Mips and Koroyd effectively competed in the past. In many helmet lineups, brands had to decide which technology earned space inside the shell. This acquisition flips that equation completely. Instead of being alternatives, the two systems now form a broader protection platform that helmet makers can integrate more freely.
Mips typically operates out of sight, sitting between the helmet and your head and reducing rotational acceleration during a crash. Koroyd is far more visible, with its open structure designed to deform instantly and dissipate energy on impact. Together, they cover a wider range of crash scenarios than either could alone.
From a business perspective, Mips is paying roughly $44 million upfront, based on current exchange rates, with the potential for another $27 million tied to performance targets. Koroyd generated about $12 million in annual sales with strong profitability, which explains the premium placed on both its technology and engineering depth.
Both brands will continue to operate independently. Koroyd keeps its identity, partnerships, and development roadmap, while Mips maintains its role as a neutral technology supplier across the industry. The real integration happens behind the scenes in research, testing, and long term product development. Koroyd’s reach also extends well beyond cycling and motorcycling, with applications in motorsport, industrial safety, defense, and child restraint systems. That lines up neatly with Mips’ strategy to expand beyond helmets and into adjacent protection categories.
At its core, this deal isn’t about consolidation for the sake of it. It’s about control and integration. By bringing Koroyd in house, Mips gains deeper influence over how impact energy is managed from the first millimeter of contact to the final dissipation of force. For helmet brands and ultimately for riders and users, that usually means faster development, more cohesive designs, and fewer compromises.
Two different answers to the same physics problem are now part of the same toolbox. That’s what makes this acquisition worth paying attention to.
Source: Mips
