There was a time in the Portland startup community, not so long ago, when we had any number of interesting events that brought the whole community together. Granted, we were a much smaller community then. But those opportunities to gather were meaningful—even beyond the event itself—and formed the connective tissue that made our community, well, a community.
Events like Ignite Portland that exposed us to amazing and passionate ideas from members of our community. Events like Demolicious that gave us an early glimpse of companies and products that were just forming. Events like Demo Days from PIE and Portland Seed Fund that highlighted some of the most promising companies in our midst.
I miss those days. And I think we need those days. Both personally. And as a community.
And that’s what I love about the 1776 Challenge Cup Portland. And why I’m always the first to raise my hand when they ask for help organizing it locally.
Because it feels like an opportunity to rekindle some of that magic. And bring the community together.
But it’s not just the community of startups pitching and attendees applauding. It’s a community effort to pull this thing off. Thankfully, the event is completely free and open to the public, thanks to the generous donations from sponsors like Prosper Portland, Blaze Streaming Media, Built Oregon, CENTRL Office, Development Now, PSU Center for Entrepreneurship, StackPath, and TechfestNW.
And thanks to all of them, it puts Portland on a global startup stage. Which, honestly, is where I feel that all of you belong. Because you’re doing amazing things. And people need to know about them.
So if you’ve got time on July 6, I sincerely hope that you will take a couple of hours to come hang out with other members of the Portland startup community—from long-time community members to those folks who will be inspired to become members of the community at the event—and to give this new batch of startups the attention and motivation to keep chasing their dreams.
For more information or to RSVP to come hang out and watch some awesome pitches, please visit 1776 Challenge Cup Portland.
