Ask anybody. Portland can always use more folks talking about what’s being built here. And what founders are starting here. And that’s why it’s always great to see other publications focusing time and energy on telling the story of those startups in town. Especially, when they bring real journalists to bear on that storytelling.
That’s why I was excited to see the Portland Business Journal launching a new pub focused on startups in the Portland community called Portland Inno — and equally interested that the Portland coverage will be augmented by startup news from other communities.
The Portland tech and startup community is vibrant. It’s gone through various evolutions starting with the software companies taking root in what was historically a hardware driven place — you know, the Silicon Forest. There is also a large creative community doing cool things that blur the line on business and art. There is the rise of food and beverage startups tapping into the thriving beer and wine industry as well as the robust foodie and restaurant culture.
And then there are a growing number of startups with ties to the footwear and apparel industry, many sprung from the region’s footwear and apparel giants such as Nike, Adidas, Columbia Sportswear and others.
But best of all? I was happy to see that Malia Spencer was getting the beat.
Oh wait. That’s also the name of the newsletter for Portland Inno, The Beat.
For more information, see “A starter guide to Portland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
