Portland startups, open source, and tech news, jobs, and events #pdx
It’s only fitting, as I sit here in a hotel lobby in Kansas City following a couple of days of talking about startup communities and startup ecosystems, that I’m listening to Marcelino Alvarez of Portland’s Uncorked Studios talk about community.
Every October, a bevy of investors—angels and VCs alike—descend upon Bend, Oregon. They’re there to participate in what has become the biggest pitch competition in the Pacific Northwest. And a nice side effect is that they get to network with one another. But, you see, it’s only a pitch competition if there are pitches. And that’s where you come in. Because it’s time to apply for this year’s Bend Venture Conference.
Whenever folks ask me about getting a company started, I always recommend Startup Weekend as an option. In my experience, there’s no better venue for getting a crash course in startup stuff over an accelerated timeframe. Plus you meet potential cofounders and team members. It’s just a great set up. And now, leave it to Oregon to make it even better.
In today’s world of rapid consumption, we often fail to take the time to learn the super interesting backstories of people in our community. And what motivates people to do what they do. This is especially difficult when those folks make their living telling other people’s stories. That’s why I was happy to hear that the And Uhhh… crew was grabbing some time with Malia Spencer of the Portland Business Journal.