Month: July 2024

Chalk it up to aggressive humility, but time and time again, one of the challenges often cited by folks who are curious about the Portland startup community is that they suddenly realize that Oregon tends to be fairly anecdotal about startups and innovation. Ask “How many startups do we have in Oregon…?” And you’ll get something like “More than most states, but fewer than others.” Ask “How much impact are those startups having on the local economy…?” All that results in something like “Seems positive.”

As I mentioned in last week’s recap, Latino Founders has selected 32 companies for the 2024 cohort of its accelerator program. The program — which is industry agnostic — is designed to support Latine-led companies with mentorship and guidance to help them build sustainable and growing businesses. So who made the cut…? Let’s get to the list.

Years and years ago, I came to the realization that physical manifestations of technology — hardware and phones, specifically — were creating an incredible opportunity for creative exploration in how humans engage, house, and handle those technology platforms. And a lot of my thinking on that front was inspired by a local company called Grovemade.

Free Geek is one of those well-loved Portland institutions — at least in the tech world. A nonprofit designed to sustainably reuse technology and enable digital access for those folks who might not have the wherewithal to get access to it otherwise… seriously, what’s not to like…? And now, they’re offering some of that affordable technology to you. Through the Free Geek Community Fair on Saturday, July 27, 2024.

Completing their trifecta of local startup pitch competitions, TiE Oregon has announced that applications are now open for startups interested in pitch in Clackamas County Pitch. Applications are due September 1, 2024. The event takes place on November 7, 2024.

In a town that’s known for hardware with companies like Intel and Tektronix, I’m always surprised that we don’t have more startup activity around those kind of pursuits. But there are amazing pockets of activity, here and there. And one of those amazing pockets is the Hardware Happy Hour gathering.

I know I wrote about these funding rounds — Boulder Care, Hydrolix, and Reperio Health — when the news broke, but I thought this additional context might be interesting… Those three rounds were among the largest Pacific Northwest venture capital rounds for the second quarter of 2024.

One of my favorite things about the startup community is founders who take the time to give back by sharing their insights and advice. Sometimes, that comes in the form of one-on-one mentorship. Other times, it’s even better to get two founders talking to one another to draw out the most valuable details. That’s why I’m psyched to see Startup School taking the latter tactic — exploring how to get your first customers.