[Editor: I used to do this thing where I would capture a variety of links with some context. And then I’d crate them up into a post and share them on a regular basis. They were stories from other Portland journalists, blog posts, topics that are tangential — but applicable — to the Portland startup community, or interesting things happening in Portland. But when the platform I was using to compose those posts died, I quit doing it. Looking back, I’ve been missing those collections. So I’m rebooting that posting style. Rather than leaving a thousand tabs open for stories that I’ll probably never get around to writing.]
Portland Lunch 2.0 (March 2, 2022)
There’s no better time to reconnect with folks in the community with whom you’ve lost touch. And there’s no better way to gather with a random smattering of your startup community peers than Portland Lunch 2.0. Even if it is virtually.
First Row Partners: Investor perspective workshop
During this one-hour presentation, First Row Partners’ Founding Partners Yoko Okano and Minda Brusse cover the who and why of investing in tech startups, a framework for evaluating early-stage investments, resources to help you get started. Expect a fast pace — so we can have time for Q&A at the end.
AOBIO 2022: Investor Info Session
PNW accredited investors are invited to come learn about investing with OEN’s Angel Oregon Life & Bioscience (AOBIO). The program is designed for angel investors interested in life and bioscience innovation emerging in Oregon and SWW.
Startup fosters an old-fashioned social network
“I got tired of being on Zoom calls or social media. What is a way to help people have meaningful conversations that aren’t networked,” she said. “These are cards to exchange with people next door or 3,000 miles away.”
Ever Pre-Ordered Pot Online? You Can Thank This Bend-based Company
Ross Lipson arrived in Bend at the tail-end of an aimless romp across the Pacific Northwest. It was 2011, he was in his mid-twenties, and had just sold the online food ordering business he’d cofounded for around $30 million.
One Month in PNW
Demi Lawrence, the newest reporter to join the Portland Business Journal to focus on footwear and apparel, has started a blog to capture her experience, starting with her relocating to Portland. (Honestly, I just love seeing folks starting blogs again.)
The 2022 Global Support Ecosystem for Women Entrepreneurs & Investors
Over the last seven years, maintaining this comprehensive ecosystem list has given me a front-row seat to the development of a robust and diverse infrastructure that supports women building and investing in high-growth companies. This market that recognizes the value of women’s entrepreneurial leadership has experienced exponential growth and yet opportunities abound as groups specialize in specific geographic and industry domains and increasingly share deals in order to co-invest their capital and resources.
Social Infrastructure Isn’t “Socialism” – It’s Pro-Entrepreneurship
The United States is the world’s most entrepreneurial nation – it’s in our blood, our national DNA. The American experiment of self-governance itself is a profoundly entrepreneurial undertaking, grounded in the new-world spirit of freedom, adventure, and a willingness – even eagerness – to strike out on one’s own and create something new. That entrepreneurial spirit, and the countless new companies it has spawned, have built the most innovative and productive economy in the history of the world.
Rap Tarot
Like Hip-Hop itself, Rap Tarot was a child of necessity and creativity. After searching high and low for a tarot deck that would hit us in the heart, it was painfully clear that The Culture needed its own tools to keep its spiritual energy on point. With all 88 Rap Tarot cards containing custom original art designed from scratch, they took over 2 years to come to life — but they’re well worth the wait. Whether you’re a seasoned tarot pro or just a hip-hop head that loves dope art, you’re in the right place.
This Portland food delivery co. grew 43% through Covid. Here’s how it managed that expansion.
Few businesses are built to withstand the challenges of a pandemic, let alone thrive in one. Yet one local meal delivery company managed to do just that, growing 43.4% over the last three years. Coincidence? The founders think not.
The GeekWire Awards return: Nominations now open, table sponsorships available
After more than two years of lockdowns, it feels good to be planning an in-person event, one in which we are taking extra precautions and implementing a new approach to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.
A unicorn for Portland: $1.8B company moves HQ to the Rose City
The company has an existing office in Tel Aviv, Israel, and its co-founder and CEO Avi Shua lives in Los Angeles. However, among its 270 worldwide employees, the company counts 10 workers in Portland, its largest employee cluster, leading to the decision to establish roots here, said Shua.
Remote work isn’t the problem. Work is.
Employees want to work from home. Their bosses, however, can’t wait to get back to the office. Knowledge workers think being remote makes their jobs better, while managers worry the arrangement could cause the quality of work to suffer. But in scapegoating remote work, companies may be disguising the real scourge of creativity right now: too much work.
28 days of Black history
Learn something new — or refresh your memory — every day in Black History Month.
