Outside Interactive’s Pitch Competition Fuels Outdoor Innovation
Outside Ignite is looking to award the next big startup in the outdoor or active lifestyle space
Outside Interactive, a leading voice in outdoor and active lifestyles, has opened submissions for Outside Ignite, a new pitch competition for outdoor startups.
The event runs alongside the Outside Festival, set for May 29-June 1, and is open to early-stage businesses—ranging from seed to Series A—in hard goods, soft goods, services and technology within the outdoor, health, wellness and active lifestyle industries.
To qualify, startups must demonstrate a positive impact on the outdoor industry and present a compelling market opportunity for the chance to win prizes valued at more than $100,000 in cash and advertising. Submissions close on April 11, after which a panel of judges will select up to five finalists to pitch their ideas on the first day of the Outside Summit in Denver.
“Outside Ignite is more than just a startup opportunity—we see it as a catalyst for fresh ideas and bold innovation that will impact and support the future of our industry,” Outside Interactive CEO Robin Thurston said.
Finalists will present their pitches to a judging panel and audience of Outside Summit badge holders, followed by a Q&A session with the judges, who will award a first-place prize package worth $100,000 in combined cash, media and legal services, and a runner-up prize valued at $50,000 in advertising.
The Outside Summit audience will then vote for the recipient of the Outside Ignite People’s Choice Award, sponsored by REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures, valued at $20,000 in advertising and cash.
“Progress in our category relies on embracing new perspectives and business models that challenge the status quo,” Thurston continued. “This competition, and the Outside Summit as a whole, is part of our broader commitment to keeping this industry dynamic, inclusive and capable of driving real change.”