Bend Outdoor Worx (BOW), the Nation’s first and most experienced outdoor industry accelerator, is thrilled to announce the companies participating in its 2026 mentorship program. This year’s cohort includes five outdoor companies with headquarters in Oregon, California and Canada.
The five companies will participate in BOW’s unique mentorship program, which includes discovery meetings, in-depth analysis, and customized curriculum development designed to identify the specific needs of each business. Participants receive guidance from seasoned industry experts, including BOW founders, mentors, partners, and guest subject matter experts. Support is offered in group settings and through one-on-one and breakout sessions.
BOW’s program also connects companies with critical resources such as legal assistance, financial planning, marketing strategy, branding, logistics support, sales expertise, digital marketing tools, product development, and production financing — including access to BOW’s production financing fund.
The 2026 Cohort Companies include:
Merge4 Manufacturing (Soquel, California) designs performance socks that fuse athletic function with bold design and meaningful purpose — supporting artists, communities, and social causes with every pair. Founded in 2017, Merge4 is known for strategic collaborations, including sock releases with Devo and Blondie. Merge4.com
Pine & Co. (Vancouver, British Columbia) designs modern, sustainable outdoor lifestyle products for urban explorers. Their flagship product, the Nomad Box, is a premium all-in-one picnic basket, cooler, and backpack — making outdoor adventures simple, stylish, and effortless. pineandco.green
Saturday Swimwear (Portland, Oregon) — Timeless, functional women’s swimsuits ethically made in the USA using sustainable materials. Founded in 2016, Saturday Swimwear is a recent winner of Title Nine’s Pitchfest. saturdayswimwear.com
Fire Science Solutions (Bend) — Patented wildfire defense system that rapidly deploys pre-assembled fire hose sections to create immediate, scalable fire suppression barriers. Designed for use by homeowners, fire agencies, and insurers. Firesciencesolutions.com
Toast Wear (Bend) is the world’s first premium, integrated convective heating solution for personal warmth. Their flagship heated vest seamlessly integrates with any jacket, turning it into the ultimate insulator. Toast wear is the BVC 2025 Early-Stage Winner. toastwear.com
“From next-generation heated apparel to wildfire defense systems, this cohort is incredibly diverse,” said BOW Founder Gary Bracelin. “These founders are solving meaningful problems and bringing fresh thinking to the outdoor space. We’re looking forward to helping them sharpen their vision, accelerate growth, and navigate the challenges that come with scaling in a competitive industry.”
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, Sorren, the Relativity Agency, and Algofy Outdoors. BOW is additionally sponsored by US Bank, Embark Co-working Space, City of Bend, Tokyo Starfish, and Focus on the 40.
The BOW 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.
