Tinkerers, sewers, and do-it-yourselfers, this is your chance to get a leg up with your outdoor invention. Apply for The Pitch now.
Outdoor innovation is a fascinating evolution of problem-solving. You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place and get clever enough to worm your way out. Somewhere during the process, that “ah-ha!” moment sparks an invention that changes the way we explore outdoors.
Think you’ve invented the best belay device, stove, sleep system, or — well — anything outdoorsy? We want to hear about it and help you develop your product for primetime.
As such, GearJunkie is proud to present The Pitch in cooperation with the Wayfinder Co-op. The event will take place on July 24, 2018, at the outdoors co-op in Denver, coinciding with the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market convention.
The call for applications is open now through June 20, 2018, at wayfinder-coop.com/the-pitch.
The Pitch: Bringing Outdoors Products to Life
Organizers designed this pitchfest to give outdoor industry entrepreneurs an opportunity to pitch their business to a panel of experts.
To qualify for The Pitch, you must be able to share a prototyped product. The product must be original and your own. Perhaps most importantly, you must be ready to share it with the public.
Once selected, The Pitch candidates will present their product to a panel of experts during a public event at Wayfinder Co-op, July 24, 2018, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The panel includes a number of venture capital and angel investors working in the outdoor space, including Telluride Ventures Accelerator, Rockies Venture Club, Startup Colorado, Four Points Capital, and Stockbauer & Associates.
“For us, this is a celebration of innovation and hustle in the outdoor industry,” said Wayfinder co-founder Chris Baker. “The Wayfinder community is here and ready to help support emerging product-based companies, and help connect them with the right people to help make their dreams, vision, and innovation a reality.”
Winners will be awarded a cash prize, two-month membership to Wayfinder Co-op, and more than $7,500 in marketing, PR, and consulting services provided by sponsors. Current sponsors include Gear Junkie, Big Fish Collective, OneSeed Expeditions, and Startup Colorado.
“At the core of outdoor gear innovation is the need to solve problems encountered on adventures large and small,” said Sean McCoy, Editor-in-Chief of GearJunkie.com. “We look forward to discovering exciting new products and helping inventors bring their creations into the world.”
