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

Governor Kotek signed SB 1507 today. The bill that disconnects Oregon from several federal tax provisions — including the Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) exclusion that I’ve been writing and talking about for the past month. It’s law. And I’m not going to pretend I’m happy about it. But…

Are you sitting down…? Nectome — a Y Combinator Winter 2018 alum — has figured out how to preserve an entire mammalian brain with its cellular structure locked in place and minimal damage. (I mean, it’s a pig brain, specifically. But that’s probably more capable than my brain.) And it’s been frozen in a way that preserves every neuron and synapse. And they want to offer the same procedure to people who are terminally ill. So then they can wire those brains up to the Internet. For never ending oinking. Or maybe so Nic Cage would always have a friend.

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

The Prenup Nobody Wants to Sign: How Co-Founder Conflict Kills More Startups Than Bad Ideas

Most co-founder conflict begins quietly, almost invisibly. One founder is working weekends. The other keeps normal hours and doesn’t see the problem. One wants to raise a seed round immediately. The other thinks bootstrapping is the only honest path forward. One believes the product should go to enterprise customers first. The other is completely focused on the consumer opportunity. These are not small differences of opinion.

I’ve been waiting for this. The hackathons are a good sign. The gatherings and curiosity. The general chatter. But now, it’s beginning to result in actual inspiration and creativity. Creating stuff because you can. Not because it’s a billion dollar idea. But simply because it’s an idea. And you can. Like Doing.

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.