Camber Outdoors Announces Pitchfest 2018 Finalists

Camber Outdoors, the only active-outdoor industries organization that works to elevate and accelerate women’s leadership and participation in the outdoors, is excited to announce the finalists for Pitchfest 2018, which will be held on July 22 in Denver, Colo. Celebrating its fourth year, Camber Outdoors Pitchfest accelerates business growth and visibility of some of the active-outdoor industries most innovative companies.

From a remarkable pool of more than 60 applicants, seven finalists from across the United States have been selected. From a rigorous review process, finalists were chosen based on the strength of their applications, the ability to differentiate their business from competitors, the potential for scale and growth, involvement and/or impact on the outdoor experience, and understanding of growth hurdles.

“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.”

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.

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. 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

On July 22, finalists will pitch their business plans to a distinguished panel of active-outdoor industries executives and a live audience of investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.

Supporters of Pitchfest 2018 include The REI Foundation Mary Anderson Legacy Grant and Perkins Coie LLP.