Bend Outdoor Worx (BOW), the nation’s first outdoor industry accelerator, now in its tenth year of operation, announces the 2024 BOW BreakOut pitch event and BOW BootCamp educational sessions. Both events will be held on October 16 at the Open Space Event Studio in Bend.
Dedicated to the outdoor industry, BOW kicks off the day with BOW BootCamp, a series of educational sessions designed to equip start-up businesses with the knowledge and tools needed to reach the next level. This year’s sessions will focus on sales, funding, and founders’ stories, featuring in-depth panel discussions with time for Q&A. The panels will include top industry experts from well-known brands and attendees can sign up for individual sessions or all three.
In the evening, the seventh annual BOW BreakOut pitch event, created exclusively for the outdoor industry, will take the stage. Four early and growth-stage companies from BOW’s most recent cohort will present their businesses, competing for a $10,000 no-strings-attached cash award. The competing companies include Aeronaut Outdoor (Ventura, California), Ryoken Instinct (Seattle, Washington), Rustek (Portland, Oregon), and Ahoya (Bend, Oregon). The winner will be determined by audience vote.
Following the pitches, keynote speaker Steve “Stix” Nilsen will share his story. Stix is a marketing and branding expert renowned for his innovative strategies and leadership at iconic companies such as Red Bull, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Airwalk. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Cult Indoctrination at Liquid Death, where his work has been instrumental in making drinking water and sustainability “50x cooler.”
“We have some amazing companies ready to present this year, along with some great experts on our panels,” said Gary Bracelin, BOW founder. “We’re also super excited about our speaker from Liquid Death and will be sharing some big announcements as well. Should be a great event!”
BOW BootCamp and BreakOut are also part of the second annual High Desert Innovation Week, which provides a platform to showcase the unique resources and collaborative spirit that make Central Oregon a great place to build a business.
BOW events are sponsored by White Summers Law, Price Fronk, Ruffwear, US Bank, Algofy, IMC, Village Family Capital, Anthony Poponi, Tokyo Starfish and the Relativity Agency.
For more information, including panelist bios, and to purchase tickets, visit bendoutdoorworx.com. Tickets are limited and expected to sell out quickly.
About BOW:
After assessing common needs from outdoor industry businesses, Bend Outdoor Worx (BOW) was initially conceived in 2013 by Gary Bracelin, a long-time Bend resident and outdoor industry expert. BOW was officially launched in April 2014 when additional industry experts Will Blount, Justin Rae, and Eric Meade joined Bracelin. The founders represent various skill sets and a multitude of experiences with successful organizations. BOW also has a deep pool of extended mentors who lend their expertise periodically, as well as partnerships with White-Summers Law, Price Fronk & Co, LLP, the Relativity Agency, and Algofy Outdoors. For additional information on BOW, contact Gary Bracelin at gbracelin@gmail.com.
BOW’s Manifesto:
We’re dreamers, radicals, achievers, believers, and vanguards with a shared belief and a common goal. We’re an independent organization with an independent spirit—and we love the outdoors. We embrace the unpredictable nature and the grit it takes to navigate the hurdles and obstacles in our industry. In fact, we enjoy it. We’re fearless, but we value vulnerability. We encourage risk, but we support solid strategy. We’re not even remotely interested in the status quo. We’re interested in lending our expertise, our stories, and our respect for the crazy-but-we-love-it volatility of the outdoor industry to help our companies adapt, adjust, and achieve. WE’RE HERE TO LEAD OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ENTREPRENEURS
