---
title: 'Sustainable Valley: Southern Oregon is wired and ready for tech growth'
date: '2011-02-14T16:06:27-08:00'
type: post
word_count: 760
char_count: 4888
tokens: 988
categories:
  - '#featured'
  - Ashland
  - Medford
  - Oregon
tags:
  - ashland
  - 'Charlie McHenry'
  - medford
  - 'southern oregon'
  - 'sustainable valley'
  - tech
  - 'trilobyte games'
  - Wired
---

# Sustainable Valley: Southern Oregon is wired and ready for tech growth

*\[Editor: Turns out Portland isn’t the only city seeing a surge in tech startups. Southern Oregon has its fair share of burgeoning companies, as well. [Charlie McHenry](http://twitter.com/doncarlitos) provides a firsthand account of what’s happening down south.\]*

Southern Oregon is no stranger to high technology innovators. The software utilities segment was practically invented in the region. Central Point Software’s “PC Tools” and Paul Mace Software’s “Mace Utilities” were the earliest players in what would become a very definable segment of the software market. During the mid-90’s, the So. Oregon chapter of the [Software Association of Oregon](http://sao.org "Software Association of Oregon") was the state’s largest. Later, the So. Oregon Telecommunications & Technology Council became a regional business power, and influenced the statewide broadband build-out.

Today, after suffering like most rural regions during the economic downturn, the region is again turning to technology in order to re-build a thriving business community and create new, family-wage jobs.

The area’s new “[Sustainable Valley](http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100708/NEWS/7080315 "Sustainable Valley proponents hope program will add to area's economic base")” initiative, led by Mark Von Holle of S&B James Construction and Jessica Gomez of Rogue Valley Microdevices, is gaining traction and supporters. One aim of the group is to create a viable business “incubator” for tech startups. The group has obtained a commitment of space from Medford’s US Bank, and is lobbying for significant financial support from the city of Medford. The incubator as imagined will provide space and support services for small startups that need an environment conducive to acceleration and growth. Candidate companies are already lining up to participate.

Of even more importance is the emergence of a substantial, local Angel investing group: [Jefferson Grapevine](http://www.jeffersongrapevine.org/ "Jefferson Grapevine"). The group is well underway, with more accredited investors than originally projected and considerably more funding than predicted. Its first competition is scheduled for this first quarter of 2011, and is estimated to yield $125,000 in funding for the winning business plan—as well as side-deals for worthy participants. The DeBoer family of Lithia Motors fame, and the Numes family of Naumes Fruit are both involved, as well as a number of individual accredited investors. This, of course, will help mitigate the need for local startups to make the trek to Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park or to Seattle to speak with the usual suspects.

Companies that are setting the stage for hi-tech growth include the new Paul Mace venture: Symbolic Flight, which has just released a powerful augmented reality navigation program for pilots that promises to revolutionize pre-flight and during flight planning and navigation. Paul is a frequent flier in his vintage Texas T-6 Trainer—a real “warbird.” Prior to this new venture, Paul played a role in the launch of TiVo—where the younger staff was fond of calling him Yoda.

Computer gaming legend, [Trilobyte Games](http://www.trilobytegames.com "Trilobyte Games"), has just been re-organized and re-launched blockbuster game The 7th Guest for Apple’s iPhone and iPad. The original game sold over 2 million copies and grossed in excess of $150 million in sales. The newly re-organized venture is a candidate for space in the business incubator.

[Ashland’s Open Door Networks leads the region in iOS development](http://we-envision.com/) with 98 current titles available on Apple’s iTunes App Store. Founder Alan Oppenheimer (a former senior systems engineer at Apple) and his partner Jim Teece of Ashland-based Project A software, aren’t showing any signs of slowing down. Their collaboration is hiring every qualified programmer in the region as I write.

A number of other software startups, several woman-owned, are also in pre-launch organizing stage. Some are jumping on the “gamification” band wagon, others working with 3-D mapping projects.

Naturally, not all of these exciting startups will acquire local funding, so expect to see a So. Oregon contingent at upcoming Portland and Seattle based events. if you do, say hi and check out some of the great projects that are coming out of the Rogue River Valley.

*With more than 20 years of public relations experience in the high tech sector, Charlie McHenry has seen his fair share of technology startups—and efforts to create tech communities that foster that kind of growth. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Trilobyte Games.*

*([Image courtesy Oregon Department of Transportation](http://www.flickr.com/photos/oregondot/5136382452/). Used under Creative Commons.)*