Outdoor industry veterans and commerce executives pair Outdoor Life’s trusted editorial authority with a new platform for discovering, evaluating and buying gear

BEND, Ore., Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — eFormed Ventures, an investment fund focused on building media marketplaces for passionate enthusiast communities, today announced it acquired Outdoor Life from Recurrent Ventures. eFormed will integrate an AI-native marketplace connecting readers with content and best-in-class products from top retailers and brands. The company intends to retain all existing editorial and operations staff.

“A community of 183 million Americans hike, fish and hunt every year,” said Tom Beusse, managing partner at eFormed Ventures. “Now, they’ll have a digital platform combining the breadth of an outdoor marketplace, with the expertise, content and trust that help people choose the right gear, apparel and accessories to get outside.”

The marketplace will be powered by Resonance 2.0, eFormed’s proprietary AI search, discovery and pricing technology, which uses seasonality, location, online activity, and buying habits to pair audience interests with product recommendations at a competitive price.

Mike Morford, Tom Beusse, Scott Blackwell, and Lance Reese lead operations for eFormed Ventures, bringing decades of expertise across media, retail, outdoor and e-commerce. Beusse previously stewarded Outdoor Life as president of Time4 Media, giving him firsthand knowledge of the brand’s audience. Blackwell held leadership roles at Beretta USA, Mountain Khaki and Remington. Justin Phillips and Dan MacKeigan round out eFormed’s leadership and the combined team experience spans companies including Altrec.com, GreatOutdoors.com, Motorsport Network, Target, Tudor Investment Corporation and UPS.

“Outdoor Life’s legacy sits inside a much older American story, one shaped by the people who gave us a love of wild places,” said Mike Morford, managing partner at eFormed Ventures. “Amelia Earhart, Ernest Hemingway and Theodore Roosevelt are among the icons whose adventures are chronicled in pages of Outdoor Life. The brand has earned its readers’ trust one season and one honest story at a time. We’re here to build on that with an investment in the future and a focus on engaging the next generation.”

About eFormed Ventures

eFormed Ventures is an investment fund focused on building media marketplaces for passionate enthusiast communities, headquartered in Bend, Oregon. It pairs iconic media brands with modern commerce infrastructure, giving consumers and industry partners a better way to discover and buy the products they trust. Learn more at eFormedVentures.com 

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SOURCE eFormed Ventures