The Outdoor Industry’s Next Breakout Brand Could Be Among Title Nine’s Pitchfest Finalists

September 23, 2026

This Friday nine female founders will take the stage at an event that has helped women-owned brands achieve triple- and quadruple-digit sales growth and expand their national retail presence

EMERYVILLE, Calif. (September 23, 2026) /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – In just a few days, nine women-owned, emerging outdoor brands will take the stage at Title Nine’s ninth annual T9 Pitchfest Outdoor Edition. Founders will pitch their companies live at Title Nine headquarters in Emeryville, California. By Friday afternoon, the next Pitchfest winners — and potentially the outdoor industry’s next breakout brands — will be named.

Over nine years, Pitchfest has become a springboard for women-owned companies, with past participants going on to achieve triple- and quadruple-digit sales growth, expand their national retail presence and become established names in the outdoor industry. The program is part of an estimated $75 million Title Nine has invested in women entrepreneurs over the past three decades.

This year’s finalists are tackling gaps across hiking, cycling, skiing and the broader outdoor market, often born from problems the founders experienced themselves: packs that didn’t fit women’s bodies, technical apparel with limited sizing, bike helmets too cumbersome to carry and ski gear that wasn’t designed with women in mind.

The 2026 T9 Pitchfest finalists:

• Alpine Nation, technical hiking apparel designed for women with petite and tall sizing
• Après Ski Jewelry, accessories handcrafted from reclaimed skis
• Curious Creatures, versatile mountain bike and outdoor apparel
• FEND, patented folding bike helmets
• Gear Envie, lightweight outdoor gear made from recycled materials, including a patented gaiter design
• Girlhood, women-specific ski accessories
• Symbiosis Gear, backpacks engineered specifically around women’s bodies
• umanos, skin and hair care powered by marine superfood
• WildFolde, 100% cotton, tag-free, double-sided utility bandanas inspired by nature

The 2026 class also marks two Pitchfest firsts – Alpine Nation founder Sandra Šuc of Slovenia is the program’s first international finalist, while Gear Envie founders Jody Canavan and Amy Maugeri are its first mother-daughter finalist team.

Unlike traditional startup competitions focused primarily on fundraising, Pitchfest is designed to help promising products become scalable businesses. Winners receive a minimum one-year purchase order from Title Nine, alongside marketing support, brand-building exposure, mentorship and ongoing access to Title Nine’s community of women entrepreneurs.

During the two-day event, Missy Park, founder and CEO of Title Nine; Sally Bergesen, founder of Oiselle and business broker at IBA; and Thayer Sylvester, co-founder and CEO of Carve Designs will convene on a panel for a conversation hosted by Becky Worley about the decisions founders face as their companies grow, from funding and scaling to ownership, succession and selling a business.

The finalists will pitch live during T9 Pitchfest Outdoor Edition, taking place Sept. 24–25 at Title Nine headquarters in Emeryville, California. Winners will be announced Friday, Sept. 25.

To apply or for more information on T9 Pitchfest Outdoor Edition please visit the website www.titlenine.com/pitchfestoutdoor.

About Title Nine

Title Nine was founded in 1989 as a women’s outdoor performance wear company whose goal is to outfit and inspire women to take risks, lead in their communities, and seek their own adventures. Today, the woman-owned company employs over 300 people and has 14 stores in 8 states, and online at titlenine.com. Selling a range of top brands curated for active women who are on-the-go, the brand has increasingly devoted much of its collections to its own brand creations ranging from swimwear to performance dresses. The company advocates forcefully for women’s issues, including creating Pitchfest Outdoor Edition, the yearly event that partners with small, women-owned brands to find a voice — and a sales platform and the T9 Fund, an investment portfolio, endowed by Title Nine’s sales, that is dedicated to supporting women-powered organizations focused on Athletics, Reproductive Justice & Politics, and Entrepreneurial & Leadership Development.