For nearly four decades, Title Nine has been on a mission to find and support women entrepreneurs. September 25, we’re back with another round of the T9 Pitchfest Outdoor Edition: Our annual call to women who aren’t just breaking into the outdoor industry, they’re breaking the mold. Eleven badass innovators representing nine brands will pitch their products to our panel of expert gear testers, founders, and adventure pros. The lineup? Bold jewelry made from recycled skis. Gritty backpacks designed specifically for people with boobs. Technical gear built for women’s bodies. Winners get fiercely mentored and join our growing crew of outdoor entrepreneurs.
So let’s hear it for this year’s fearless founders. 🥁 Meet the 2026 T9 Pitchfest Outdoor Finalists:
Natasha Woodworth
Ex-professional ski racer, master of fashion and art, and former Patagonia product designer, Natasha was more than ready for her next chapter. She built Curious Creatures out of a desperate need for technical clothes that actually pack personality, flair, and a deep connection to nature. Say goodbye to buying a separate pair of pants for every single hobby. Natasha designs simple and relentlessly versatile gear that gets you from the bike path to the climbing wall, the hiking trail, and whatever else you can throw at it!
Carly Lietzke & Ashley Shogren
Who knew that when Ashley decided to cut holes in her balaclava that it would’ve sparked an entire brand in Carly’s head. Now, Girlhood, in their first 6 months as a company, is a full-blown force to be reckoned with. An identity rooted in the collective experience of being a girl, this ski-accessory brand is empowering women with innovative and comfortable performance gear built just for them.
Sandra Šuc
Frustrated by an outdoor industry that loves to just "pink it and shrink it," Sandra (our FIRST international Pitchfest finalist) took matters into her own hands to build the brand she wished existed. The goal? Zero compromises. Just high-grade technical performance, thoughtful design, and truly inclusive sizing built for real bodies on real trails. Designed in the heart of Slovenia, Alpine Nation is now a powerhouse international brand on a mission to ignite confidence in every woman stepping foot outdoors. Whether you're lacing up for your very first day hike or bagging your hundredth alpine summit, Sandra’s gear is built to stand up, show out, and carry you all the way to the top.
Alisha Stephens
High-performing, clean, and sustainable body care powered by marine superfoods? Hell yes. After working across the world in consumer goods, Alisha was done settling for delicate, weak-sauce personal care products that couldn't keep up with real adventure. Instead of sitting back and wondering "what if?", she took the leap to build something with a lasting, positive impact. At its heart, umanos is about helping people look good, feel good, and do good—and making it count!
Jody Canavan and Amy Maugeri
Their name was born from people literally having envy of their gear on the trails. Making Pitchfest history as our first-ever mother-daughter finalists, this unstoppable duo is running a brand reimagining outdoor essentials for a more modern, planet-friendly, and joyful outdoor adventure. Enter their signature Hikas gaiters that are bringing serious personality and punch to the trail, so you can stop getting stuff stuck in your shoes or scraping your legs in the brush. Bold style, zero trail debris, and all the envious looks.
Cara Goodenough
When she’s not running an ultramarathon or foraging in the woods, Cara is breaking boundaries and designing bandanas that actually hold up, stay comfortable, and fuel confidence. As someone who is constantly reaching for a bandana on the trail, she was over the stiff, scratchy, boring options on the market. So she built WildFolde to empower women to try new things and get outside, and stands by the belief that real comfort and bold confidence are what help us show up, push limits, and shatter boundaries.
Heather Mullins
Blending craftsmanship, art, and a kickass sustainability model, Heather transforms reclaimed skis into handcrafted jewelry inspired by life in the mountains. Every piece from Après Ski gives retired skis a vibrant second life while celebrating big adventures and the great outdoors. When she’s not hand-making jewelry in her one-woman studio, she’s out there getting after it, drawing inspiration straight from the mountain landscapes that fuel every collection.
Sujene Kong
Hair-messing, clunky-to-carry, bulky helmets? Yeah, Sujene Kim was completely over cyclists risking their safety just to avoid hauling around a giant plastic bowl all day. Enter FEND: the game-changing cycling brand whose bold mission is to make protection effortless with patented helmets that fold to half their size. An endurance athlete and luxury merchandising mastermind of 17+ years, Sujene is proving cyclists don't have to choose between practical safety and traveling light. Tuck it in your bag, roll out, and claim it all: freedom, safety, and serious style on two wheels.
Sarah Berkeley
Thousands of trail miles logged, and one massive, glaring problem: an outdoor industry that still expected women to settle for backpacks designed around men’s bodies. Symbiosis Gear is out here making badass gear designed specially for people with boobs. She founded Symbiosis Gear to remove barriers that keep women from feeling comfortable and confident outdoors, with a vision of giving women the same breadth of high-performance gear choices that men have long enjoyed. No more awkward chafing, no more settling. Just gear built to carry the load, custom-fit for the women carrying it.
Natasha Woodworth
Ex-professional ski racer, master of fashion and art, and former Patagonia product designer, Natasha was more than ready for her next chapter. She built Curious Creatures out of a desperate need for technical clothes that actually pack personality, flair, and a deep connection to nature. Say goodbye to buying a separate pair of pants for every single hobby. Natasha designs simple and relentlessly versatile gear that gets you from the bike path to the climbing wall, the hiking trail, and whatever else you can throw at it!
Carly Lietzke & Ashley Shogren
Who knew that when Ashley decided to cut holes in her balaclava that it would’ve sparked an entire brand in Carly’s head. Now, Girlhood, in their first 6 months as a company, is a full-blown force to be reckoned with. An identity rooted in the collective experience of being a girl, this ski-accessory brand is empowering women with innovative and comfortable performance gear built just for them.
Sandra Šuc
Frustrated by an outdoor industry that loves to just "pink it and shrink it," Sandra (our FIRST international Pitchfest finalist) took matters into her own hands to build the brand she wished existed. The goal? Zero compromises. Just high-grade technical performance, thoughtful design, and truly inclusive sizing built for real bodies on real trails. Designed in the heart of Slovenia, Alpine Nation is now a powerhouse international brand on a mission to ignite confidence in every woman stepping foot outdoors. Whether you're lacing up for your very first day hike or bagging your hundredth alpine summit, Sandra’s gear is built to stand up, show out, and carry you all the way to the top.
Alisha Stephens
High-performing, clean, and sustainable body care powered by marine superfoods? Hell yes. After working across the world in consumer goods, Alisha was done settling for delicate, weak-sauce personal care products that couldn't keep up with real adventure. Instead of sitting back and wondering "what if?", she took the leap to build something with a lasting, positive impact. At its heart, umanos is about helping people look good, feel good, and do good—and making it count!
Jody Canavan and Amy Maugeri
Their name was born from people literally having envy of their gear on the trails. Making Pitchfest history as our first-ever mother-daughter finalists, this unstoppable duo is running a brand reimagining outdoor essentials for a more modern, planet-friendly, and joyful outdoor adventure. Enter their signature Hikas gaiters that are bringing serious personality and punch to the trail, so you can stop getting stuff stuck in your shoes or scraping your legs in the brush. Bold style, zero trail debris, and all the envious looks.
Cara Goodenough
When she’s not running an ultramarathon or foraging in the woods, Cara is breaking boundaries and designing bandanas that actually hold up, stay comfortable, and fuel confidence. As someone who is constantly reaching for a bandana on the trail, she was over the stiff, scratchy, boring options on the market. So she built WildFolde to empower women to try new things and get outside, and stands by the belief that real comfort and bold confidence are what help us show up, push limits, and shatter boundaries.
Heather Mullins
Blending craftsmanship, art, and a kickass sustainability model, Heather transforms reclaimed skis into handcrafted jewelry inspired by life in the mountains. Every piece from Après Ski gives retired skis a vibrant second life while celebrating big adventures and the great outdoors. When she’s not hand-making jewelry in her one-woman studio, she’s out there getting after it, drawing inspiration straight from the mountain landscapes that fuel every collection.
Sujene Kong
Hair-messing, clunky-to-carry, bulky helmets? Yeah, Sujene Kim was completely over cyclists risking their safety just to avoid hauling around a giant plastic bowl all day. Enter FEND: the game-changing cycling brand whose bold mission is to make protection effortless with patented helmets that fold to half their size. An endurance athlete and luxury merchandising mastermind of 17+ years, Sujene is proving cyclists don't have to choose between practical safety and traveling light. Tuck it in your bag, roll out, and claim it all: freedom, safety, and serious style on two wheels.
Sarah Berkeley
Thousands of trail miles logged, and one massive, glaring problem: an outdoor industry that still expected women to settle for backpacks designed around men’s bodies. Symbiosis Gear is out here making badass gear designed specially for people with boobs. She founded Symbiosis Gear to remove barriers that keep women from feeling comfortable and confident outdoors, with a vision of giving women the same breadth of high-performance gear choices that men have long enjoyed. No more awkward chafing, no more settling. Just gear built to carry the load, custom-fit for the women carrying it.
We can’t wait to host these badass entrepreneurs in our own backyard. Follow our Instagram stories to keep up with the pitches, games, and shoulder-claps. Stay tuned for the winners!
Title Nine is all about helping women find their wild—building gear, community, and experiences that let you take risks, push limits, and own every adventure. Read more in a note from our founder on our updated brand identity: bold, unapologetic, and...
Salt-crusted layers, kayaks loaded down with camp gear, and a crew of women who keep heading south to Baja whenever the sun calls.
Loose plans. Dirt roads, dawn patrol, coconuts on repeat—and a crew of women who don’t wait around for perfect conditions.
Five days, seven blisters, and endless laughs—our Early Spring 2026 Moab Climb Crew took Title Nine gear to the red rocks, proving adventure is best shared with badass women who run the show.
Meet Christie Carr—a rare female surfboard shaper living in Southern Costa Rica, handcrafting fast, playful boards shaped by a life built on waves, risk-taking, and radical DIY creativity. From the Gulf Coast to the jungle-lined shore, her story is a...
Surfers, fearless adventurers, badass entrepreneurs. What started in Costa Rica didn’t stay there for long. AWA is now a global women’s surf community built by two women who chose the ocean over the expected path—and brought others with them into the...