---
title: 'Silicon Florist links arrangement for February 10, 2022 💐'
date: '2022-02-10T20:21:59-08:00'
type: post
word_count: 430
char_count: 3165
tokens: 559
categories:
  - Links
  - Oregon
  - Portland
  - Startups
tags:
  - Links
  - 'links arrangement'
  - 'silicon florist'
---

# Silicon Florist links arrangement for February 10, 2022 💐

### [VC funds at / below $200M in size](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ebGZ6-ivf_3woBGC4Kz_3217DhjGsefoRu_5iP3nuFQ/edit#gid=0)

A list of investors managing funds that are $200 million or less, raising the likelihood that they’re making early-stage startup investments.

### [Founders First Capital Partners brings a different approach to diversity investing](https://techcrunch.com/2021/12/29/founders-first-capital-partners-brings-a-different-approach-to-diversity-investing/)

Unlike most Silicon Valley VC firms, Founders First isn’t looking for the next unicorn. Instead, Folsom seeks out founders from historically underrepresented backgrounds — women, people of color, LBGTQ, veterans — with solid ideas and decent, if not spectacular, revenue and growth who have had trouble getting external investment to help build their businesses.

### [‘Great Resignation’ Drives Billions In VC Dollars To Upskilling Startups](https://news.crunchbase.com/news/worker-upskilling-training-reskilling-startups-vc-funding-guild-education/)

It’s the kind of situation that attracts startup founders and venture investors looking for scalable approaches to big, entrenched problems. And as a result, we’ve seen a boom recently in global investment to startups developing tools and platforms focused on upskilling and reskilling workers.

### [Wilsonville battery maker abandons planned stock sale](https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/inno/stories/news/2022/02/09/ess-registration-withdrawal.html)

Grid-scale battery maker ESS has abandoned a plan to sell more stock. The Wilsonville company on Monday withdrew a registration statement it had filed in late December and told regulators that it “no longer wishes to conduct a public offering of securities at this time.”

### [Latest Oregon revenue forecast gives another boost to general fund, kicker](https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2022/02/09/oregon-revenue-forecast.html)

The state’s revenue is being fattened by inflation and the super-tight labor market, with rising wages driving up personal income tax revenue and higher prices producing bigger corporate income tax dollars, according to state economists.

### [State of Black Venture](https://www.blckvc.org/state-black-venture)

BLCK VC, in partnership with Silicon Valley Bank, is proud to share the inaugural State of Black Venture report. We surveyed our community and collated industry data to set a baseline against which we can measure future progress toward equitable representation.

### [Creating a Compelling Pitch Deck](https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrf-CtrDIsH9DVstL4agqcTiGA4aPFBUFp)

Join Laura Kubisiak for a Lunch & Learn on “Creating a Compelling Pitch Deck.” There will be plenty of time to ask questions throughout the presentation.

### [Applications open next week for PIE’s 2022 virtual program](https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/inno/stories/news/2022/02/10/pie-2022-applications-open-feb-14.html)

Applications open Feb. 14 for the next cohort of the Portland Incubator Experiment and will remain open through March 14 (Pi Day, of course).