Last week, I got some early reports on a couple of winners at Bend Venture Conference 2025. Now, I have the complete list from the organizers. So I’m going to share it with you. Because you deserve it. Or something. And stuff.
According to BVC, the winners were:
Early stage
- Toast Wear Inc. (Bend, OR) – Received a $25k cash award made possible by the generosity of local community members, including Taylor Brooks, Rod Ray, Horan MediaTech Advisors, and Scott and Annie Allan. Cold is universal. Your gear is personal. Toast solves both with a personal thermostat for your jacket, making existing apparel your go-to for warmth.
- Yak Incorporated (Portland, OR) – Received a $15k investment from the Founder First fund. Yak is the all-in-one, automation and AI-powered platform that automates audits for accounting firms, cutting admin work in half and ending auditor burnout.
- SokoLife (Eugene, OR) – Received a $5k investment from the Founder First fund. SokoLife is revolutionizing cardiac care with innovative, non-toxic patches for congenital heart defect repair, reducing reinterventions and healthcare costs.
Growth stage
- Rapta (Tigard, OR) – Was awarded a $110,500 investment by BVC investors. Rapta supercharges U.S. manufacturing by increasing capacity 30% through eliminating 98% of errors and accelerating workflows 10x faster.
- Photon Marine (Portland, OR) – Was awarded a $65,000 investment by BVC investors. Photon Marine is building the world’s most capable electric fleet.
- Bold Reuse (Portland, OR) – Was awarded a $50,000 investment by BVC investors. Bold Reuse reduces costs and waste from single-use packaging through reusable packaging systems, a Bold Reuse is critical infrastructure for the circular economy.
- MarineSitu (Seattle, WA) – Was awarded a $32,500 investment by BVC investors. MarineSitu provides marine infrastructure monitoring through their AI software platform, preventing costly interventions, saving time and increasing efficiency.
For more information, visit “EDCO Announces Winners of The 2025 Bend Venture Conference.”