Why we do it right here!
? Reflections from this past weekend at SXSW in #austintx ?? The outdoor recreation participant base has grown consecutively over the past 8 years, adding over 14M participants since January 2020. The surge in outdoor activity during COVID paved the way for entrepreneurs to bring tech and innovation to the outdoors -- helping us connect, before we disconnect. I was fortunate to be surrounded by some of these founders, including: Jonathan Newar from Captain Experiences, Matt Oesterle from Ramble and Sam Shapiro from Grounded. ?? The next generation of outdoor rec participants is more diverse, including increases in participation among Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQIA+ people, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. Organizations like Together Outdoors are supporting this new wave of adventurers. ?? Any day on the water is a good day, but it's even better when you reel in a large mouth bass with the help of Captain Experiences. ??♀???♀? Spending time with my fabulous coworkers Madelyn Rutter Ellie Davis and Sammie Hasen from TechNexus Venture Collaborative at Midwest House was a pretty amazing way to kick off #internationalwomensmonth.