Trailblazing Change: REI Backs BIPOC Entrepreneurs In Outdoor Apparel

REI’s Path Ahead Ventures is dedicated to supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) founders who specialize in the outdoor apparel market. The outdoor industry has an estimated 1% of founders who identify as a person of color, despite over 30% of outdoor participants identifying as such. Path Ahead Ventures was launched in 2021 to help address that gap. “Path Ahead Ventures provides founders with a full spectrum of support spanning capital, community, resources, and programming. Since launch, we have partnered with more than 70 founders, provided nearly $700,000 in grants to 51 companies, and invested $4 million across 23 companies,” said Susan Viscon, vice president and executive director of REI’s Path Ahead Ventures. Read more at Forbes.