Portland startups, open source, and tech news, jobs, and events #pdx
As tech becomes more pervasive, we’re seeing more and more interesting, inspiring, and innovative solutions from any number of verticals in Portland. But if I had to pick a sector that has the most momentum and potential, I’d have to say biotech. And nowhere is the potential of that community better showcased and celebrated than the monthly Accelerate Biotech and Digital Health Happy Hour.
It’s Friday. And this made me happy. A bunch of us have already chimed in, but if you want to connect, please do! This totally reminds me of the early days of Twitter. And it made me a little nostalgic.
While it seems like the year has just begun, in reality, the first week in April isn’t that far off. But it’s a lot farther off than Portland Startup Week has been in the past. (We’ve traditionally organized the weeklong celebration of startups during the first week in February.) So given that we’ve got more time than we’re used to, it seems like a really good opportunity to make Techstars Startup Week Portland 2018 even more awesome than ever, right? Right. So let’s get on that. Like now.
While still striving to hold true to my promise to Jive cofounder Bill Lynch—that I would stop using Silicon Florist as a platform to celebrate fundraising announcements—I feel obligated to take a little tangential liberty to share a developing theme I’m seeing… Because this isn’t a typical. Portland companies have announced more than $51 million in venture capital, this year. And it’s not even a month old.
There was a time when there were any number of bookmarking solutions to choose from. And then, the market consolidated and some solutions faded. Now, there’s a whole new generation of bookmarking tools rethinking the concept. Like Portland’s Pinpoint Bookmarking.
Like many potentially awesome things, the proof is often in the pudding. Or podcasting. Or something. And stuff. Ahem. Let me start again… Ideas are a dime a dozen. Turning that great idea into something meaningful, however, takes the ability to execute. Podcasts are no different. And luckily, there’s a resource like Stream PDX that can help you turn those podcast ideas into podcast realities.
Historically, Portland’s transportation system and lack of congestion have served as hallmarks of effective metropolitan planning. But as an ever increasing population puts additional strain on our existing infrastructure, it’s going to take some creative approaches to resolve congestion in an affordable and equitable way. And business has a role to play. That’s why Business for a Better Portland is hosting a discussion about Portland’s transportation future.
Looking to spend a little time with fellow startup types? Hoping to bring an idea to reality in a short timeframe? Well, there’s no better opportunity to get something going—or collaborate on an idea—than Startup Weekend. And, as luck would have it, there’s one happening this weekend, down in Eugene.
For more than a decade, the annual gathering of tech folks at SXSW Interactive has been a concentrated audience looking for the next big thing. As such, any number of startups have used the event as a means of launching and promoting their products. Recognizing this, SXSW created the SXSW Accelerator program to help make that happen. And this year, three Portland startups have been selected to participate.
We love our shiny new tech around these parts. Even if it’s not quite ready for mass consumption. That’s why I was excited to see that Portland’s Torch 3D was accepting applications for an early sneak peek at its virtual/augmented/mixed reality editing environment.