The founder of an inclusive outdoor clothing brand has been named a winner of a prestigious innovation award.
Larnia Ryder, founder of Ryde, is one of 50 female entrepreneurs to be chosen for the Innovate UK Women in Innovation awards. Ryde aims to redefine adaptive outdoor wear, ensuring people of all abilities, body types, and identities can comfortably enjoy the outdoors.
Lifelong outdoor enthusiast Larnia, from Kidsgrove, combined her background in psychology, marketing and design to launch Ryde, a sustainable brand focused on functionality and inclusivity.
She took up wild swimming as therapy in 2018 and quickly realised how inaccessible outdoor clothing was for many. Ryde’s latest collection, As Nature Intended, integrates AI-driven sizing, modular attachments and adaptive fits to ensure that clothing is both functional and stylish.
The Women in Innovation award brings with it a £75,000 grant, personalised business coaching and networking and training opportunities. Larnia was also a finalist in the 2024 Great British Entrepreneur Awards and has built strong partnerships with disability advocates and sustainability leaders.
She said: “As a queer female founder, I’ve had challenges in being taken seriously, particularly when advocating for designs that challenge the status quo. Persistence, self-belief and supportive networks have been crucial.
“I’m overwhelmed to be a Women in Innovation Award winner. This award represents a huge milestone not just for Ryde but for the broader mission of inclusivity in the outdoor industry.
“The outdoor industry is often saturated with images of washboard abs and perfect hair. That’s not Ryde. We’re here to inspire everyone – and every body – to enjoy the outdoors and shift the focus from ‘doing less harm’ to ‘doing more good’ for both people and the planet.”
The Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards highlight the UK’s most groundbreaking female entrepreneurs and drew 1,452 applications from women business leaders, 52 per cent up on the previous year. Since 2016, the programme has invested more than £11 million in 200 women innovators, supporting them in scaling their businesses and driving economic growth.
Emily Nott, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Innovate UK, said: “Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards spotlight the UK’s most groundbreaking women entrepreneurs. This year’s winners have shown incredible leadership and creativity, and their success stories will undoubtedly pave the way for more women to enter and thrive in the world of innovation.”
- Larnia is planning to hold some activities in summer with local sports groups, wild swimmers, disability advocates and people who love the outdoors and want to have their say on what makes great clothing. Follow @rydestoreuk on Instagram for more details.
