Portland Oregon startups, tech, news, events, jobs, and community

Sometimes — often times — things are more difficult than they should be around here. But every once in a while, persistence pays off. Even if takes a decade. Like where this story begins. Way way back in 2016, at the height of the Portland startup community energy around here, Josh Carter — inspired by what he had experienced in Chicago and Austin — approached Portland city government about opening a dedicated space for Portland startups.

Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:

Why Americans are buying $22 smoothies despite feeling terrible about the economy

When people feel life is out of control, they reach for something small, expensive and signaling virtue. This is the real reason premium food is booming while some traditional luxury brands struggle, say consumer psychologists.

Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:

Baltimore Is Not Waiting for Permission to Be a Startup City

I want to talk about my look at Baltimore startups because it sits in the region of the United States where ecosystem builders have been putting a lot of consideration into the Research and IP heavy orientation of the northeast while economic development attention on innovation and entrepreneurship can’t ignore the proximity of cities here.

To begin, my opinion of startup pitch competitions is the worst kept secret in the startup community. I’m generally — to put it kindly — “not a fan.” (Insert: Hunger Games “I volunteer as tribute” and Gladiator “Are you not entertained…?” gifs.) But that being said, I am a fan of more and better resources for founders. Resources that save them time. Resources that help them find their way around our community. So if someone is going to create an aggregated map of pitch competitions in the Pacific Northwest, I’m going to laud that effort. Regardless of my opinion.

Not a lot of folks realize this, but for my first 12 years in the Portland startup community, I worked in startups. Usually in marketing roles. Often in brand roles. And if there was one thing I learned — time and time again — it’s that customers are going to call your company and/or products what they’re going to call them. And it’s usually wrong. Or made up. No matter how many times you try to dissuade them from doing so.

Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:

Oregon’s Data Center Explosion: Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost?

What is not alive but grows surprisingly well in Oregon? Data centers. These huge facilities that are the lifeblood of major corporations like Amazon, Google and OpenAI have certainly found a home in the Beaver State. Today on the show, you’ll hear from a longtime business and tech reporter for The Oregonian who has found that our fertile environment is going to help grow enough data centers to occupy the entire acreage of Springfield.

You know what’s been quietly happening in Portland for more than a decade with far less positive attention than it so richly deserves…? PIGSquad — the Portland Indie Game Squad — has been building an extensive indie game development community here in the Rose City. With far less fanfare than the Seattle game community. Building stuff. Hosting game jams. Testing each other’s games. Being awesome. But this…? This is definitely a — ahem — leveling up situation.