Title Nine Opens Applications for 2026 T9 Pitchfest Outdoor Edition, the Outdoor Industry’s Breakout Stage for Women-Owned Brands

May 20, 2026

Previous winners have achieved triple- and quadruple-digit sales growth and expanded national brand visibility

Emeryville, Calif. (May 20, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Title Nine, the adventure and outdoor apparel retailer committed to building a community of risk-seeking women, today announced applications are officially open for its ninth annual T9 Pitchfest Outdoor Edition. The company’s flagship entrepreneurship competition and mentorship event is dedicated to accelerating women-owned businesses in the outdoor industry.

Backed by an estimated $72 million in support for female entrepreneurs over the past three decades, T9 Pitchfest has become one of the most influential proving grounds for emerging women-owned outdoor brands. The competition has helped transform early-stage companies into some of the industry’s most promising success stories, with participating brands and winners reporting triple- and quadruple-digit sales increases across their own platforms and through Title Nine.

“For nine years, T9 Pitchfest has demonstrated the power of investing in women entrepreneurs,” said Laurie Etheridge, president of Title Nine. “Win or lose, founders who come through our pitchfest go on to build high-growth brands, expand their influence across the outdoor industry, and remain connected through a powerful community of women entrepreneurs that continues long after the event. Their success has reinforced something we’ve believed from the beginning: backing women founders is not just mission-aligned, it’s a smart strategy for the future of the outdoor industry.”

Unlike traditional startup competitions focused solely on fundraising, finalists win a purchase order in addition to access to mentorship, networking opportunities, brand amplification, and ongoing support from the Title Nine ecosystem. For over 30 years Title Nine has built a growing alumni network of standout female founders, dubbed the “Movers & Makers”, who have gone on to achieve major retail growth and industry recognition.

Applications are open to women-led outdoor and active lifestyle brands building products and companies that move women forward in adventure and everyday life. Selected finalists will pitch live at Title Nine’s headquarters before a panel of judges during the Sept. 24-25 immersive event in Emeryville, California.

To apply or for more information on T9 Pitchfest Outdoor Edition please visit the website www.titlenine.com/pitchfestoutdoor. The application will close midnight July 1. If you are an interested brand with questions, please contact Title Nine’s Community Manager Lisa Gilliland (lgilliland@titlenine.com).

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About Title Nine

Title Nine was founded in 1989 as a women’s outdoor performance wear company whose goal is to outfit and inspire women to take risks, lead in their communities, and seek their own adventures. Today, the woman-owned company employs over 300 people and has 14 stores in 8 states, and online at titlenine.com. Selling a range of top brands curated for active women who are on-the-go, the brand has increasingly devoted much of its collections to its own brand creations ranging from swimwear to performance dresses. The company advocates forcefully for women’s issues, including creating Pitchfest Outdoor Edition, the yearly event that partners with small, women-owned brands to find a voice — and a sales platform and the T9 Fund, an investment portfolio, endowed by Title Nine’s sales, that is dedicated to supporting women-powered organizations focused on Athletics, Reproductive Justice & Politics, and Entrepreneurial & Leadership Development.