Founded Outdoors, a national platform for outdoor entrepreneurs has partnered with the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office and Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC) in a year-long program to educate and connect entrepreneurs with the state’s product design and scaled manufacturing opportunities.
Launched in 2021, Founded Outdoors supports emerging businesses nationwide through community, programming and connections, to increase access in the outdoor industry as well as in outdoor places.
The Founded Outdoors community includes more than 400 outdoor entrepreneurs at different stages across multiple product categories.
“While there’s a significant desire among all our founders to manufacture domestically, there’s also a real need to better understand the costs, considerations and challenges. With a lengthy manufacturing legacy as well as a historic role in the outdoor economy, Michigan has a unique ability to speak empathetically to the needs of our small outdoor business owners,” said Katie Doherty, Founded Outdoors director of partnerships.
“Michigan has always been the place where innovation meets production, and we’re excited to bring that story to life with Founded Outdoors and their diverse community of entrepreneurs from across the country — which includes many BIPOC-led startups,” said Brad Garmon, senior strategic advisory and executive director of the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. “We’re partnering with Michigan’s industrial and innovation leaders to show the world how we can help entrepreneurs turn ideas and dreams into physical products here, and in doing so, letting them know we are committed to helping the entire outdoor industry become more inclusive, sustainable and impactful.”
The Michigan partnership began in March and is open to all Founded Outdoors community members. The scope of the program includes a series of hosted online workshops and office hours this spring and summer, as well as an in-person tour of Michigan design and manufacturing facilities this fall.
The first session of the Founded Outdoors workshop focused on helping textile-based gear producers gain a better understanding of the process of preparing for scaled manufacturing as well as identifying and connecting with domestic manufacturers.
Future workshops will span topics, including key conversations on product development, creating tech packs, preparing for conversations with factories, inventory planning, new processes for small-scale onshore production, and how understanding the sustainability considerations of domestic manufacturers.
To learn more about Founded Outdoors, go LINK. To become a member of the Founded Outdoors community go LINK.
