House of Pace & Voturuna Park: Business, Data & Endurance
JP Perpétuo and Rodolfo Morais explain how they blended finance, AI, and trail running to build a sports ecosystem.
House of Pace and Voturuna Park founders JP Perpétuo and Rodolfo Morais share their journey from the corporate world to endurance sports. They discuss data analytics, expansion plans, and bringing Jan Frodeno to Brazil.
On episode #270 of the Stemma Podcast, hosts Fábio Bessa and Thiago Kawamura welcome JP Perpétuo and Rodolfo Morais, founders of House of Pace (HOP) and managers of Voturuna Park. In an in-depth conversation, the guests detail their transition from the corporate world to sports entrepreneurship, the creation of a data-driven, curated community, and their plans to structure Brazil's endurance ecosystem. Here is a summary of the ten key topics covered on the show.
Rodolfo Morais's career in finance
Rodolfo Morais details his economics degree from Insper and his investment banking career at XP, where he worked on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), initial public offerings (IPOs), and the structuring of SAFs in Brazilian football, such as Cruzeiro and Botafogo, as well as Liga Forte União (LFU) agreements. He explains his decision in 2025 to leave the stability of the corporate world to launch a sports venture with JP Perpétuo.
JP Perpétuo's journey and shift toward endurance
JP Perpétuo recalls his early steps in venture capital funds and his eight-year tenure as startup CFO in the beauty and wellness sector, navigating operational hurdles during the pandemic and venture capital downturns. JP shares how endurance sports became his outlet, recounting his debut at Ironman 70.3 Brasília and how an informal WhatsApp group on sports tech and nutrition established his credibility in the field.
The transformation and growth of Voturuna Park
The founders explain how they took over management of Voturuna Park in Pirapora do Bom Jesus, São Paulo, at the invitation of investor Fernando Pavani. Previously focused on road cycling, the venue expanded its infrastructure to support trail running, adding modern locker rooms, breakfast service, ice baths, and marked trails, driving monthly visits from 300 to over 3,000 athletes.
Connection with sports and the birth of House of Pace
The episode explores how JP and Rodolfo's athletic background converged with two major market forces: the rise of artificial intelligence and the fragmented boom of the wellness and longevity industry. Seeing this opportunity, they launched House of Pace, gathering hundreds of decision-makers—including executives, doctors, nutritionists, and amateur athletes—into a curated hub for technical exchange.
HOP's data, curation, and business ecosystem
JP explains how House of Pace processes thousands of community messages using artificial intelligence models and semantic analysis to map pain points, consumer trends, and product perceptions. Based on these insights, the company provides strategic intelligence and positioning for sports brands, prioritizing consumer trust over superficial audience vanity metrics.
Brand authority and the Hop Humans initiative
The guests discuss founder-led growth and their strategy to build House of Pace into a brand that transcends its individual founders. Among the announcements is the Hop Humans project, which selects highly active and influential community members to serve as brand ambassadors and organic network facilitators nationwide.
Future vision and expansion for House of Pace and Voturuna
Rodolfo and JP outline their long-term vision to build physical and digital endurance infrastructure. Plans include rolling out proprietary tech platforms, expanding corporate events and signature trail running races, and assessing new physical locations beyond the Estrada dos Romeiros circuit.
Bringing Jan Frodeno to Brazil
The founders share exclusive details on ongoing efforts to bring legendary triathlete Jan Frodeno to Brazil. The initiative plans a four-to-five-day itinerary featuring training camps, athletic experiences, and executive-focused keynotes centered on peak performance, business, and sustainable longevity.
Z2 Moment: Lessons and resilience in entrepreneurship
In the featured segment, Rodolfo and JP reflect on critical moments of uncertainty in their careers, from pandemic-era business disruption to the daily risk-taking of entrepreneurship. Both emphasize how the discipline, resilience, and mindset forged through endurance training proved essential in overcoming adversity.
Future synergies and an invitation to experience Voturuna
Wrapping up the episode, the guests discuss potential joint activations and coverage journeys at major international races. Rodolfo invites athletes, running clubs, and female runners to explore Voturuna Park's secure, well-equipped facilities, located just 40 minutes from São Paulo.