Bend Outdoor Worx has announced the finalists for its second annual Venture Out Festival, a funding event focused solely on the outdoor industry. It’s happening right here on October 18th, at the Tower Theater in downtown Bend.

From the news release:

Forty emerging outdoor companies applied for their chance to present at the BOW Venture Out Festival and for the opportunity to win cash grants. After two pitch session days, and thoughtful consideration and deliberation by a panel of judges, the finalists have been determined in each category.

The festival includes a new category this year, the new Digital Ascent Award, which features tech rec — basically technology aimed at facilitating outdoor recreation. Pretty cool category. The finalists for this aware are:

  • Tribe Pilot (Bend, OR) an adventure-planning tool. You can also catch Tribe Pilot on stage as one of the early stage finalists at the Bend Venture Conference.
  • Alpenglow Collective (Renton, WA) an inclusive platform for connecting women in the climbing community.
  • Snowledge (Portland, OR) a performance tracking, real-time information, and engagement app for the snowsports community.

For the Breakout Award, early stage category, the finalists are:

  • Wildish (Bend, OR), makers of “outdoorsy” gear.
  • KidRunner (Bend, OR), the only high performance, multi-terrain kid jogger.
  • Tread & Butter (Bend, OR), intentionally designed cork insoles for sport, work and outdoors.

For the Ready To Roll Award, growth stage category, the finalists are:

  • Rugged Thread (Bend, OR), repairs for technical outdoor and adventure clothing and gear.
  • Nomadix (San Clemente, CA), makers of go-anywhere towels made of recycled plastic bottles.
  • Pedaling Innovations (Grand Junction, CO), breakthrough in bike pedal technology.

The BOW Venture Out Festival is presented by Northline Wealth Management and in association with Ten Barrel Brewing, HydroFlask, Ruffwear, First Interstate Bank, White Summers Law, Toyko Starfish, Bendbroadband, BBSI, Business Oregon, 92/9FM, City of Bend, Hand In Hand Productions, SnoPlanks and Zealios Skincare.

Tickets available at the door (while they last) and in advance at EventBrite.com. For more information visit Bendoutdoorworx.com.

Kelly Kearsley

Kelly Kearsley

Kelly Kearsley, the co-founder of StartupBend.com, is passionate about startups, entrepreneurship and Bend. In addition to writing this blog, she creates content and manages content projects for global financial companies, tech firms and startups. She began her career as a newspaper journalist and later worked as a freelance writer. Her work has appeared in WSJ.com, Money Magazine, CNNMoney, MSNBC and Runner's World. See her work at kellykearsley.contently.com or kellykearsley.com.

You can reach Kelly by email at [email protected].
Kelly Kearsley

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