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Month: September 2013

Time to reconsider your idea of a company

[Editor: Thanks to Paul Smith for this guest post.] Ever have one of those moments when someone says something that makes everything else stand still? This happened to me recently, in conversation with Brian Jamison, a man with an eclectic history that includes playing a hand in the first Disneyland and Sony Playstation sites, biodiesel production, and now acting as CEO of OpenSourcery, a Drupal focused Portland based web development firm that is a deep practitioner of sustainability on the human, environmental and technological fronts. Read More

How do you overthrow a successful city? Making Portland the next great Portland

I contend that the best days here in Portland have come when Portland stops trying to be San Francisco or Seattle or Boulder. Those best days come when Portland focuses on being the next Portland. That’s why I was so honored and amazed to be around for Alan Webber, cofounder of Fast Company, and his vision of Portland’s potential future at TechFestNW. Read More

Portland on rails: Both Portland Streetcar and TriMet now offer mobile passes with GlobeSherpa

You probably already knew that you could get TriMet bus and MAX fares on your mobile phone, thanks to Portland startup GlobeSherpa. Now, Portland Streetcar is offering mobile tickets as well. (Also powered by GlobeSherpa.) Meaning, your ticket to get anywhere in town on public transit? It’s your phone. Read More

Portland's MobileRQ receives $800,000 investment led by Verizon

Our mobile phones have become our constant companions. And we seem more and more willing to give these companions the information they need to be as helpful as possible. But these little magic boxes have a ton of information at their disposal that isn’t always used as effectively as it could be. Read More

Portland's CPUsage takes the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt to reveal new product direction (and they have nearly $1 million in funding)

It’s always nice to see Portland companies taking the big stage. And today, CPUsage will be unveiling their new direction—and announcing nearly $1 million in funding—at one of the biggest startup events around, TechCrunch Disrupt. Read More

Good to go: Brandlive lands GoPro and $1.6 million led by Oregon Angel Fund

Call me crazy, but I’m beginning to think that maybe—just maybe—this whole “video on the Internet” thing may catch on. And Portland Seed Fund alum Brandlive has found themselves sitting right in the middle of the next wave of opportunity with one of the biggest names in the business. Read More

Opening the doors to the community at TechFestNW: Sunday Hack Day features three tracks for hackers of all kinds

One of the more important aspects of TechFestNW is helping the aggressively humble Portland startup scene celebrate itself. And get together to meet one another. That’s part of the reason for the pre-event TechCrawl and GeekWire party tonight. And it’s also the reasons we open up the doors to the community for the TFNW Hack Day on Sunday. Read More

One pitch, two pitch: Pitch at Tech Cocktail Portland for the chance to pitch at the Celebrate conference in Las Vegas

Portland continues to garner attention from startup-associated ventures outside of town. GeekWire will be in town to host a happy hour, Thursday. Portland’s version of Startup Digest just rebooted. And now, Tech Cocktail has decide to host one of their get togethers here in town. Read More

10 TechFestNW things I'm looking forward to experiencing, this weekend

When the incredible opportunity to help create TechFestNW fell in my lap, I decided to focus first and foremost on building an event that I would want to attend. I got inspiration from a variety of sources: Gnomedex, BIG Omaha, XOXO, Iconoclasts… Long story short, I’m as excited about this show as (hopefully) you are. Read More