Seven women-led companies will get to pitch their business plans this summer to the outdoor industry’s most influential CEOs, entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders.
Chosen from a pool of 60 applicants, Camber Outdoors announced seven women-led, innovative companies that will showcase at the fourth annual Pitchfest.
The lucky finalists will pitch on July 22 prior to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver. Each finalist will spend the next 10 weeks working with a mentor to explore and uncover the opportunities and challenges most critical to their business’ growth.
“Pitchfest is the pinnacle event that brings top-tier entrepreneurs to the forefront of the active-outdoor industries,” said Deanne Buck, executive director of Camber Outdoors. “Not only does it provide visibility to great business and leaders, but also offers finalists access to resources and expertise that will accelerate the growth of their company and their impact on the marketplace.”
The finalists are:
-
Bold Betties - Niki Koubourlis | Denver, Colo. Bold Betties is a membership-based community of adult women in pursuit of a more adventurous life, with Chapters in 37 cities across North America.
-
Gearo - Justine Barone | Denver, Colo. Gearo is an online outdoor gear marketplace that consolidates local stock into one view for comparable rentals and purchases.
-
Handful - Amy Compton | Portland, Ore. Handful is an activewear company that "supports" grabbing life by the handful.
-
Heather’s Choice - Heather Kelly | Anchorage, Alaska. Heather's Choice® is a line of gluten, soy and dairy-free dehydrated meals and snacks for adventuring.
-
Heroclip - Mina Yoo | Seattle, Wash. A consumer lifestyle brand whose flagship product is a patented 3-in-1 clip, swivel, hook system sold via our website and retail partners.
-
Pace Match - Becky Jaimes | Marin Headlands, Calif. Pace Match is a platform with more than 16,000 users that aggregates fitness data from third-party tools (like Strava and FitBit) and then uses a proprietary algorithm to reveal matches based on athletic performance and location.
-
Western Rise - Kelly Watters | Telluride, Colo. Western Rise is an innovative, direct-to-consumer apparel company that combines high-performance fabrics, innovative construction techniques, and well-considered design to create simple and timeless performance clothing.
The 2018 mentors are comprised of VC leaders, angel investors, and entrepreneurs, including:
- Gregg Bagni, Director of White Roads Investments
- Andy Boyd, entrepreneur and angel investor (part of Bend Outdoor Worx)
- Thea Chase, Director at Southwest Innovation Corridor, expert in entrepreneurship and innovation
- Ashley Nager, Telluride Venture Accelerator
- Ben Rifkin, President of Royal Street Investment & Innovation Center
- Todd Stockbauer, entrepreneur, investor, startup consultant, and outdoor industry expert
Read original article written by Amelia Arvesen here.
