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Month: July 2020

Zebras Unite chats with Portland’s Jelani Memory, founder and CEO of A Kids Book About

If you’re looking for a new podcast or simply want to get some insights from a two-time Portland founder, you might want to check out the Zebracast from Zebras Unite. In this episode, they chat with Jelani Memory, founder and CEO of Portland startup A Kids Book About.

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Seeking a solution for creating elegant documentation, collaboratively?

Speaking of collaborative documentation, another interesting startup just crossed my proverbial desk. Oh wait. It is actually a desk. No proverbs needed. Anyway, I just encountered another startup here in town that’s looking to simplify collaborative documentation. And it’s built an elegant and straightforward solution for it. Meet Portway.

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Working on a new idea, a startup, or just trying to figure out what to do next?

Deciding to start something can be exciting. And scary. And once you start, building a company can be challenging, frustrating, and lonely. But you don’t have to do it alone. There are any number of programs here in Portland designed to support entrepreneurs and founders like you. Where you can get help. And mentorship. And peer support. And if you’re in the market for some of that, you’re in luck. Because one of those programs, PIE, is currently accepting applications for its next class.

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Two Oregon software developers write the scripts on Stephen Colbert’s startup, Scripto

When it comes to startups, it’s not always Oregon based founders who figure prominently in the trajectory of a company. Especially in this new “work from anywhere as long as it’s not around other people” world. That’s why I thought you might be interested in the random fact that 18% of Stephen Colbert‘s startup — yes, you read that right — are Oregonians.

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How is a fully remote startup world changing VC investment behavior?

Like it or not, venture capital dynamics are a part of the startup industry — even though they tend to account for a minuscule percentage of funding for new businesses in general. So if you’re building something new in the tech world, you’re likely considering pursuing equity based financing. But with the pandemic and reportedly less than stellar local dynamics, many folks may be seeking investors outside of their immediate area. Which raises the question: are VCs doing remote deals, these days?

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A familiar refrain from startup founders on early stage funding opportunities

“Risk averse. Conservative.… Out of touch.” They’re all complaints I’ve heard from Portland startup founders when describing the earliest stages of raising capital around these parts. But I always assumed that Seattle — with its extensive tech presence of major headquarters and massive regional offices — was a better environment. Apparently, it’s not. Those quoted comments are Seattle startup founders describing their Angel investment community.

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Searching for a VC that’s likely to be the first money in? This list could help

Remember a few weeks back when I mentioned that TechCrunch was compiling a list of venture capitalists that regularly wrote the first checks and led rounds for folks? Well, even if you don’t, the list is now available. It’s called The TechCrunch List. And it features nearly 400 investors, currently.

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What if you could get medical tests and results delivered as easily as getting a MilkRun order?

Subscription boxes started simply enough. Clothes. Recipes. Cosmetics. Then they started to get more complex. Like getting contacts through Portland startup Sightbox. Now, the founder of that service — which exited to Johnson & Johnson — has his, ahem, sights set on a whole new type of subscription service: medical tests. Meet Portland startup Reperio Health.

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