--- title: 'Silicon Florist 2023: Top 10 posts — and the worst performing post of the year' date: '2023-12-27T11:31:17-08:00' type: post word_count: 1035 char_count: 7865 tokens: 1346 categories: - Portland --- # Silicon Florist 2023: Top 10 posts — and the worst performing post of the year [![](https://i0.wp.com/siliconflorist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/a53a711e-4147-4911-9f7c-a8e4b089832f-1.jpeg?resize=925%2C925&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/siliconflorist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/a53a711e-4147-4911-9f7c-a8e4b089832f-1.jpeg?ssl=1)*What AI thinks the top 10 Portland startup community stories look like*It wouldn’t be a year end if there weren’t recap lists. Well, I mean, technically, yes. The year would still end. Regardless. But now seems as good of a time as any to look back on the year that was. And some of the topics that attracted the most attention from Silicon Florist readers in 2023. 1. [**WTF is wrong with the Portland startup community?**](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/01/19/wtf-is-wrong-with-the-portland-startup-community/) I get one question, consistently. The same question that I get asked — time and time again — exponentially more than any other question. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone who was born and raised in Portland or if it’s someone who just moved here. It doesn’t matter if they are super well connected or don’t know anyone. It doesn’t matter if they’re employed at a major corporation or if they’re out starting their own thing. And it’s one of those questions that seems to confound practically every single person who has an interest in entrepreneurship or startups around here. And that question stuck on incessant repeat is this: How do I get connected with other people in the Portland startup community…? **[*More*](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/01/19/wtf-is-wrong-with-the-portland-startup-community/)** 2. **[PIE failed. But it’s a failure worth celebrating and learning from.](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/08/07/pie-failed-but-its-a-failure-worth-celebrating-and-learning-from/)** After posting an official company perspective about the end of the original PIE early-stage startup accelerator concept — the one focused on SaaS, mobile, and other software-specific products — and revealing that PIE Demo Day 2023 will be our last demo day ever, I got a ton of feedback from folks. The majority of that feedback was, in a word, humbling. I took it all to heart. And I believe the kind things that folks have said about that program and its impact on our community to be largely true. **[*More*](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/08/07/pie-failed-but-its-a-failure-worth-celebrating-and-learning-from/)** 3. **[Walmart is shuttering Walmart Labs office in Portland](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/02/14/walmart-is-shuttering-walmart-labs-office-in-portland/)** First off, if you’re affected by this move, I’m sorry. Given Walmart Labs somewhat storied history in the Portland startup community, however, it seemed like it was important to let folks know that the Walmart Labs office in Portland is being closed. **[*More*](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/02/14/walmart-is-shuttering-walmart-labs-office-in-portland/)** 4. **[Continuing the conversation about the Portland startup community](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/01/25/continuing-the-conversation-about-the-portland-startup-community/)** Last week, I took the opportunity to sit down and share some thoughts — and concerns — about the Portland startup community that had been rattling around in my head. Even questioning, to some extent, whether it this iteration even behaves as a “community.” I’m always heartened when these sorts of posts (okay, rants) spark more conversation. And that’s exactly what’s occurring over on the Portland Startups Slack. **[*More*](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/01/25/continuing-the-conversation-about-the-portland-startup-community/)** 5. **[Questioning whether or not Portland can regain its “vibe”](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/12/05/questioning-whether-or-not-portland-can-regain-its-vibe/)** I’ve talked to any number of people about the pervading pessimism that has taken hold in Portland over the past few years. It’s that single distinct and palpable change that concerns me most — for everyone here. A recent [Portland Monthly piece](https://www.pdxmonthly.com/news-and-city-life/2023/12/portland-lost-its-vibe-essay-william-deresiewicz) has a similar take on the malaise, the potential causes, and the question of whether or not Portland can ever become “unique and interesting again.” ***[More](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/12/05/questioning-whether-or-not-portland-can-regain-its-vibe/)*** 6. **[Climate tech support org VertueLab adversely impacted by lack of Oregon funding](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/10/04/climate-tech-support-org-vertuelab-adversely-impacted-by-lack-of-oregon-funding/)** The recent rethinking of funding for startup support organizations by the state of Oregon has raised a few questions. Not least among them was questioning why a new focus was proposed if most of the same organizations still received the funding they had always received. Note I said “most.” Because that’s where another question arose: Why wasn’t a long-time climate tech resource funded this time around — especially given the dire need for climate-conscious solutions right now? ***[More](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/10/04/climate-tech-support-org-vertuelab-adversely-impacted-by-lack-of-oregon-funding/)*** 7. **[FasterBetter comes out of stealth as Sixty AI with $3.5 million Seed](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/06/27/fasterbetter-comes-out-of-stealth-as-sixty-ai-with-3-5-million-seed/)** It’s been no secret that Mat Ellis — the founder of Portland startup success story Cloudability — was hard at work on something new. And those closest to the project knew that it was going to be something that used Artificial Intelligence to help people become more effective with time and contact management. But no one outside of the startup team really knew what it was eventually going to be until today. Meet Sixty AI. ***[More](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/06/27/fasterbetter-comes-out-of-stealth-as-sixty-ai-with-3-5-million-seed/)*** 8. **[PitchBlack 2024 applications are now open](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/11/24/pitchblack-2024-applications-are-now-open/)** One of the largest and most popular pitch competitions on the West Coast is looking for its next cohort of participants. And this one is only for Black-founded or Black-led companies. That’s right. PitchBlack 2024 applications are now open. ***[More](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/11/24/pitchblack-2024-applications-are-now-open/)*** 9. **[Stephen Green to take the helm of Business for a Better Portland](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/01/12/stephen-green-to-take-the-helm-of-business-for-a-better-portland-temporarily/)** Things change fast around here. It seems like just six months ago we were talking about Karin Power taking over the interim executive director role at Business for a Better Portland. But now, Karin has been pulled back into service at the state level by Oregon’s new governor Tina Kotek. So that’s where Stephen Green comes in. For the next 90 days, at least. ***[More](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/01/12/stephen-green-to-take-the-helm-of-business-for-a-better-portland-temporarily/)*** 10. **[Hello, Portland startup community! I’m Rick Turoczy](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/10/25/hello-portland-startup-community-im-rick-turoczy/)** Silicon Florist introduces you to awesome people in the Portland startup community. If you’re interested in being one of those folks, please let us know a little bit more about you and you’ll be selected at random to be featured. ***[More](https://siliconflorist.com/2023/10/25/hello-portland-startup-community-im-rick-turoczy/)*** … and the worst performing post of the year? -------------------------------------------- Looking forward to providing more interesting, mediocre, and poorly performing posts for you in 2024!