The running industry is built on movement – not just on the roads, tracks and trails, but in ideas, innovation and fresh energy. At Running Industry Alliance (RIA), we are committed to opening the door for new brands wanting to step into the space. Whether they are start-ups, disruptors, new-to-running businesses or existing, we help connect them to the right people, platforms, and possibilities.

Why It Matters

New brands bring fresh thinking, different voices, and often solutions to problems we didn’t realise needed solving. But entering a mature industry like running – with its seasons, cycles, and community-first culture – can be a challenge. That’s where we come in.

Through RIA Membership, The Running Conference, our digital touch-points, and ongoing introductions, we offer new-to-industry brands a guided path in.

We help them:

• Understand the ecosystem: Who’s who, how it works, and what matters.

• Build the right connections:  With brands, retailers, events, charities, media, services, suppliers, NGBs, distributers / agents, buying groups and communities.

• Showcase their value: Via strategic visibility, storytelling, and trusted touch-points.

• Avoid early missteps: By sharing industry intelligence, experience, and frameworks.

Why It Helps Our Existing Members Too

Every time we welcome a new brand into the fold and eco-system, it creates new potential for existing members. It might be a future retail partner. A new supplier. A new product. A collaborator on community projects. A fresh voice in a podcast conversation or a game-changer at The Running Conference. Growth and innovation aren’t just about more – they’re about better. And better happens when we bring the right mix of people, energy and experience together.

RIA members benefit from early access to what’s next. New brands benefit from the grounding and guidance of those already working in the sector. It’s not competitive; it’s collaborative. And it’s what the best industries do – work as an ecosystem.

Our Role

At RIA, we see ourselves as the bridge and sometimes the translator. We help new brands speak the language of the industry, and we help the industry spot the value in what’s emerging. Whether it’s a tech solution, a sustainability idea, or a new kind of product, we make sure both sides meet in the middle with mutual value. We are often called “The Honest Broker”.

It’s not about just giving newcomers a foot in the door. It’s about holding the door open long enough for real relationships to form and for everyone to move forward, together.

For further details about Running Industry Alliance, membership and all other info please get in touch with the membership team , browse the website and follow the LinkedIn open company page.

Anyone interested in becoming a RIA Member should complete the enquiry form at www.runningindustryalliance.com/membership/ .