From the biggest corporations to the smallest garage brands, one thing unites the outdoor industry: passion. Businesses that fuel adventure are invariably started by adventure-loving people. They have an idea that makes the outdoors more accessible, or safe, or fun, and they dive into the hard work of bringing it to life.
Outside Interactive is no different. Our brands were founded by passionate hikers, runners, cyclists, climbers, and more, and we want to support others pursuing their dreams. That’s why we launched Outside Ignite, a pitch competition for outdoor industry startups. The inaugural event took place on May 29, in the lead up to the 2025 Outside Festival in Denver, Colorado. Five finalists, selected from nearly 200 entries, made their pitches to a panel of judges (with plenty of investors in the room). On the line: a First Place prize valued at $100,000, plus additional prizes for the Runner Up and People’s Choice Award.
The five finalists—Raide, Campfire Ranch, Headquarters, Dockshare, and Salubata—varied widely in their offerings. Adventure gear, travel, concussion care, dock rentals, and planet-saving shoes were all vying for the grand prize, which included cash, marketing services, and more. The finalists made their pitches to a panel of judges that included entrepreneurial leaders like Mel Strong, co-founder of venture capitalist firm Next Ventures, and Ariana Ferwerda, the co-founder and CEO of women’s outdoor apparel brand Halfdays.
After a flurry of slides and questions, Raide took home top honors, which surprised founder Kyle Siegel. “I was nervous that maybe a pitch competition wouldn’t value a company like Raide in such a crowded market, but it feels really good to be validated,” he says. “I started Raide after reaching peak frustration with a lot of gear I was using for backcountry skiing and running, where I felt like brands weren’t able to combine performance, function, and style into a single product.” Exhibit A: Raide’s flagship product, the LF 2L running belt. The Colorado-based company also makes ski packs and apparel, and is working on a lighter, more breathable running belt as well as baselayer bottoms coming out this upcoming winter.
As the First Place winner, Raide earned a prize package valued at $100,000. It includes cash and advertising across the Outside Network, with a global audience of more than 250 million. One thing Siegel intends to do with the winnings? “Attend Outside Festival as a participating brand next year!” he says.
Campfire Ranch was the other big winner, earning both Runner Up and the People’s Choice Award (voted on by Outside Ignite attendees). Sam Degenhard, founder and CEO of Campfire Ranch, says the business is a direct result of his love for sharing the outdoors with others. “I was raised with a focus on the outdoors,” he says, “but in my adult life, I found that there were so few quality places to stay that supported frequent outdoor travelers and those curious about getting into nature. I started experimenting with hosting trips and learned that friends were “in” if you took away the heavy lifting, things like gear, meal planning, activities, and transportation. I brought all of these aspects to life in our first location in Colorado and saw immediate traction.” Since then, Campfire Ranch has added another Colorado location, one in Arkansas, and has plans to open more.
Degenhard says the benefits of Outside Ignite go beyond the prize packages (valued at $50,000 for Runner Up and $20,000 for People’s Choice). “The experience allowed us to hone our story, deepen our focus, and deliver who we are, concisely, to the outdoor industry as a whole,” he says. “The connections following our involvement have been meaningful and I am sure will result in great brand partnerships, idea sharing, and hopefully, some investor traction.”
For Campfire Ranch, connecting with the Outside Network audience is the perfect next chapter in the brand’s journey. “Outside already speaks directly to our target customer demographic,” Degenhard says, “so now it’s time to tell them about who we are, how we share the outdoors with others, and why we believe the future of the natural world rests in the hands of those who enjoy it.”
Thank you to the sponsors who made Outside Ignite possible: REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures, Send Bars, Next Ventures, OEDIT, Cooley, Karsh Hagan, and ICELab.
