Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:
Business Oregon Funds Unique Solution to Oregon’s Wine Bottle Shortage
Oregon’s wine industry generates $8 billion worth of economic activity in the state, employing more than 40,000 people, and it is increasingly constrained by an unreliable supply chain for glass bottles. To mitigate this problem, Business Oregon awarded $250,000 from the Strategic Reserve Fund to assist Revino Inc. in building out its glass bottle washing facility near Portland, Oregon.
Zig Day #1
I am thrilled to announce Zig Day Portland: Off By #1, which will be held the last Saturday of September the 27th. We have reserved the exact same beautiful room in the Multnomah County Library (Central).
Tobias Read Follow Up — Oregon Journalism Project
The Oregon Investment Council faces tough questions from lawmakers, unions and advocates. An email shows the former state treasurer shared their concerns.
My AI Predictions for 2027 — LessWrong
This blog post is mostly about me trying to register my predictions than trying to convince anyone, but I’ve also included my justifications below, as well as what I think went wrong with the AI 2027 predictions (assuming anything did go wrong).
Two other places I’m working | Marshall Kirkpatrick
I’ve been blogging here on Marshallk.com intermittently over almost 20 years of tech consulting, but if you find yourself here from another part of my life – in addition to consulting with tech companies I am doing all the more consulting with sustainability organizations via my consultancy Earth Catalyst . And now in 2025, one of my primary collaborations there is with RegenIntel, which was founded by the former leaders of the research team on Project Drawdown.
a16z speedrun
Joining speedrun gets you access to a stacked team of battle-tested operators who help cover your gaps, without adding headcount. You’ll get access to dedicated programs and support from experts across talent, recruiting, go-to-market, marketing, creators, capital network, HR, even visa support—it’s all on the table. Every part of speedrun is focused on helping you move fast and build a generational company. Join the community of over 600+ founders who actively support each other and serve as a powerful source of customer introductions and product feedback.
Applications open for 2026 SPIE Startup Challenge
Applications are now open for the 2026 SPIE Startup Challenge. The annual entrepreneurial pitch competition is held by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, as part of SPIE Photonics West. In 2026, Photonics West will be held 17-22 January in San Francisco’s Moscone Center, with the SPIE Startup Challenge finals being held 20 January.
Knowing when to quit – by Dr. Astrid J. Scholz
Knowing when to quit a particular pursuit or a leadership role is one of the hardest things to do, and there is no right or wrong way to do it.
State of the software engineering job market in 2025
The job market feels pretty weird right now; software engineers applying for roles are finding it harder to get responses – while hiring managers tell me it now takes longer to fill positions even though overall recruitment is, confusingly, slightly up.
Statsig Joins OpenAI: A Successful Unicorn Exit & Even Brighter Future
In a time when the world was figuring out remote and hybrid models, Statsig doubled down on five days a week in the office. That choice fostered a high-performing, deeply collaborative culture; a reminder that sometimes the simplest choices create the strongest foundations.
Why the VC Secondary Market Is Booming in 2025
The venture capital machine was designed to be simple: fund startups, help them grow, then cash out through IPOs or acquisitions. But in 2025, that engine is sputtering. IPOs are scarce, M&A has slowed to a crawl, and billions in paper gains are stuck inside private portfolios.
Apologies: You Have Reached the End of Your Free-Trial Period of America! – The Atlantic
We were so excited to reach 340 million free users. But now it’s time to streamline our product so that it appeals more to paid subscribers, and that means some changes for everyone else. We are adding a lot of features no one asked for that will make your experience worse and also cost a lot of money! Freedom isn’t free! Nor is it, exactly, the freedom you’ve been used to! Yes, that is the National Guard in your city. We know that you didn’t request it; it’s just a new feature we’re rolling out, possibly for 30 days, possibly for even longer!
Founders Better World Breakfast: Friday 10/10, Fri, Oct 10, 2025, 7:00 AM | Meetup
We are Portland’s startup founders. We are Portland’s social entrepreneurs. We are Portland’s business owners. We make business, and we make business do good things.
More Portland startup stories
