Camber Outdoors announced the call for applications for Pitchfest 2018. Now in its fourth year, Camber Outdoors’ Pitchfest combines a 10-week intensive mentoring program for women-led businesses with a live “pitch” event to some of the active-outdoors industries’ most influential CEOs, entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders.

Selected finalists will present at Pitchfest on July 22, 2018 in Denver, CO, prior to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. The deadline to apply is March 30, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. MST.

“Pitchfest gives women entrepreneurs a platform to dig into immediate growth opportunities that will accelerate their business and its impact on the outdoors,” said Deanne Buck, executive director of Camber Outdoors. “Through these women, we are inspired as an organization to see how they are shaping the future of the active-outdoor industries.”

Finalists are chosen based on the strength of their application, ability to differentiate, potential for scale and growth, involvement and/or impact on the outdoor experience and understanding of growth hurdles. Each finalist is paired with a mentor who will advise them on articulating the opportunities most critical to their business’ growth. They will then live-pitch their business to the judging panel to gain insight, visibility and valuable feedback.

“Pitchfest was the most impactful program I participated in all year,” said Gloria Hwang, co-founder of Thousand and 2017 Pitchfest finalist. “The mentorship, network and visibility I walked away with helped me understand and take my business to the next level.”

Women-led businesses that believe in Camber Outdoors’ guiding principles, are committed to business growth, and are focused on the active-outdoor industries are encouraged to apply. Finalists will be selected based on the following:

  • Company Traction: Able to demonstrate revenue and market traction
  • Ownership/Leadership: Business must be founded or co-founded by a woman and at least 1/3 women-owned
    Industry Focus: Business focus must directly relate to or contribute to the active-outdoor industries
  • Availability: Applicants must pitch their business in person on July 22 in Denver, Colo.

“The most valuable thing I got from Pitchfest was a dose of confidence and a sense of validation,” said Maria Boustead, who pitched her business, Pocampo, at Pitchfest 2016. “Working with my mentor to put together my pitch brought me a lot of clarity around my successes and my challenges going forward. When I look back over the my company’s history, I look at things through the lens of pre-Pitchfest vs. post-Pitchfest.”

Funded in part by The REI Foundation’s Mary Anderson Legacy Grant, Pitchfest was launched in 2015 as the cornerstone of Camber Outdoors’ programming to support and accelerate women’s leadership and participation in the outdoors. Since then, 26 women have live pitched their business plans to a distinguished panel of active-outdoor industries executives and a room full of investors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders. The mentoring and feedback they’ve received have helped Pitchfest participants increase their business sustainability and growth.

More information for Pitchfest 2018 can be found here.

Watch the 2017 Pitchfest finalist presentations.