There’s a new class of startups in a new accelerator. The Oregon Enterprise Blockchain Venture Studio housed at R/GA in Portland has announced their first class of companies.
GeekWire provided a great rundown of who’s in the class:
- Brave (San Francisco, Calif.): Brave software’s fast, privacy-oriented browser, combined with its blockchain-based digital advertising platform (Basic Attention Token), is resetting the web for users, publishers, and advertisers. Users get a better, less cluttered, and speedier web experience, publishers increase their revenue share, and advertisers receive better conversion.
- Chronicled (San Francisco, Calif.): Chronicled is pioneering enterprise solutions and networks powered by blockchain to improve the way supply chains operate.
- Concord (Portland, Ore.): Concord provides privacy-first data solutions that protect and reward brands and the people they engage with.
- Everest (San Diego, Calif.): Everest‘s platform solves for verifiable identity, secure value exchange, and transparent accounting – with a distributed ledger and storage system, mobile phone application, and administrative community management portal.
- qiibee (Zug, Switzerland): qiibee is the global standard for loyalty on the blockchain. Through qiibee’s plug-and-play solutions, businesses worldwide are running and operating loyalty programs on the blockchain in a few hours, while reducing costs and maximizing customer lifetime value.
- Patientory (Atlanta, Ga.): Patientory, Inc. empowers end-users globally with a secure platform to manage and transfer their health data to achieve actionable insights for improved health outcomes and well-being.
(After attending the launch event, last night, I’ve also learned that Everest has a cofounder in Portland. It’s almost like I’m trying to be a journalist. (Don’t worry. I’m not.))
Even then, at first blush, you might be saying “Where are all of the Oregon companies?” Well, I’d like to note that this effort was less about directed support for local Blockchain companies and more focused on creating a center of gravity for all Blockchain activity, here in Oregon. And the fact that the accelerator has already attracted startups from around the world is a testament to the potential opportunity there, according to Oregon Business.
The project also aims to lay the groundwork for a blockchain ecosystem in Oregon. Director Dylan Boyd says the ability of companies to relocate to Oregon was a factor in the selection process. He believes Oregon is poised to be on the forefront of blockchain innovation…
This is an impressive start, to be sure. It will be interesting to see where this goes.
For more information, visit Oregon Enterprise Blockchain Venture Studio.