A startup pitch event for outdoor companies

October 5-7 in Taos, New Mexico at the Outdoor Economics Conference

$15,000 in cash prizes 

Investor connections

A day of adventure 

Building any startup is an adventure. But building an outdoor startup? That takes true grit. 

Adventure Pitch 2022, part of the annual Outdoor Economics Conference, is the premier startup pitch event for outdoor companies in New Mexico. 

In partnership with CNM Ingenuity’s Startups & Small Business team, we invite startups with high-growth potential and a core offering that touches outdoor recreation, the environment, and/or health and wellness to apply to this one-of-a-kind opportunity.

Accepted startups and investor judges will converge in Taos for the Outdoor Recreation Conference, joining in the fun on October 6 with an evening meal and networking. Then, on October 7 at 9:15am, startups will pitch to all judges in five-minute rounds, with the winner announced immediately after event completion. The following cash prizes are non-dilutive:

• 1st place: $10,000
• 2nd place: $3,000
• 3rd place: $2,000.  

But that’s just the start! All participants will then embark on a day of Taos adventure of their choosing via experiences that showcase the enchantment of New Mexico.

Pitch Contestants

Investor Judges

Sponsors

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply to compete?

Startups with an established legal entity, strong founding team, and some level of product or customer traction are encouraged to apply. The ideal applicant is a company that has a launched or soon-to-launch product, customer traction validating an exciting market opportunity, and a vision for massive growth. The startup must have high-growth potential with a core offering that touches outdoor recreation, the environment, and/or health and wellness. 

How will the pitch competition work?

The pitch event will be a single-round event in which all accepted companies will have 4 to 5 minutes, with slides, to pitch their company in front of a public audience. Investor judges will be in the front of the crowd. After each pitch, 2-3 minutes of Q&A with the investor judges will allow for expansion and clarification of the pitch. After all startups have pitched, we will tally the numerical scores of all judges’ scorecards to determine placement. 

How will judging work for the competition?

We invite judges from inside and outside of New Mexico who are actively seeking to make investments in startup companies, especially those in the outdoor recreation space. This includes angel investors, venture capital funds, and even banking partners.

How will the winners be decided?

We use a numerical, rubric-based approach to ensure that all participants are judged by their merits. After judging is complete, the highest scoring companies per the rubric will be selected as first, second, and third place winners. In the event of a numerical tie, the Team category, then the Product category, will determine the winner. Participants will be provided the rubric upon acceptance to the competition.