Probably not the happiest of link roundups, but at least one that’s full of concern and critique. From Oregon Measure 97 to hating the enforced “fake it ’til you make it” of the startup world—or maybe just the fakeness in general–to what it’s actually like to be a female engineer to layoffs, there’s a lot worth reading here. And I hope it helps.
Oregon Software & Measure 97
All that said, I’m concerned about Measure 97 and the impact it will have on the Oregon Software Industry. Here is my understanding of the gist and how it will impact software companies based on Oregon law
Being an entrepreneur makes me hate myself …and other scary stories.
I was afraid of people finding out I was the fraud I believed myself to be. The unkempt, depressed, disheveled person who is actually drowning every second, and cant get their shit together. Its so easy to live in fear as a business owner, because in this business culture your failure is not suppose to exist. Your fears are not suppose to exist. You fall under scrutiny for the smallest oppositions, and can literally lose everything for one miscommunication or a drunken Twitter debate. You can be the most experienced, perfect person for the job, but if you show an ounce of your imperfect humanity, you could lose it all.
Introducing “Ask a Female Engineer”
There has been an active discourse around women in tech over the last few years. It can sometimes be frustrating, though, because not everyone who has something to say feels comfortable participating in the (often excessively polarized) conversation. We’d like to try creating a place where readers feel comfortable engaging in the women-in-tech discourse, and female programmers can openly discuss their experiences.
Portland tech pares back in search of profits
It might seem obvious that businesses would want to be make money, but with startups that’s often not the case – not right away, anyway. Venture investors look for businesses with tremendous growth prospects and are willing to finance losses for months or years in hopes of generating a big payday down the road.
Lemelson, PSU forge a path to economic development
The InventOR program is modeled on PSU’s successful Cleantech Challenge, in which 10 teams from colleges and universities across the state compete for $50,000. The challenge is designed to get students thinking about environmental problems and then develop prototypes aimed at solving those issues.
Airbnb report suggests an economic impact on Portland of $128.5M
The roughly 2,900 hosts who rent out their properties in Portland through Airbnb raked in $30.5 million in supplemental income last year, and the 191,000 Airbnb guests who came here generated $118 million in direct spending at Portland businesses.
Uber moving to up-front fares in Portland
Now, customers will be required to enter their destination before requesting the ride, and they’ll see the exact fare in advance.
PDX Maker Week: Silicon Florist happy hour
Join PDX Maker Week folks, members of the startup community, and other awesome people for a gathering at Portland’s favorite tech happy hour spot, the Green Dragon. We’re not buying you drinks. But we guarantee you’ll meet some awesome folks. Or, worst case, Rick Turoczy. In which case, you’ll probably need a drink. Free or not.