Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:
Willie Wonka Inspired a Generation of Founders
That’s why, twenty years later, the kids who grew up with Gene Wilder became the entrepreneurs who built our modern world. They saw that the wildest dreams weren’t fantasy, they were prototypes. That science could feel like sorcery if you worked hard enough. That a factory could be a laboratory of joy. And that the song matters as much or more than the science.
Qorvo to merge with Skyworks in $22B semiconductor deal – Portland Business Journal
Qorvo was formed in the 2015 merger of Greensboro’s RF Micro Devices and TriQuint Semiconductor of Hillsboro, Oregon. Its two biggest customers are Apple and Samsung, for which it makes radio connectivity components.
Khosla-backed Mazama taps super-hot rocks in race to deliver 24/7 power | TechCrunch
Mazama Energy said today that it had drilled a well in Oregon that reached 629˚ F (331˚ C) at the bottom of the borehole. Vinod Khosla, whose firm Khosla Ventures incubated the company, mentioned the milestone on stage today at TechCrunch Disrupt.
If you don’t tinker, you don’t have taste
I have come to understand that there are two kinds of people, those who do things only if it helps them achieve a goal, and those who do things just because. The ideal, of course, is to be a mix of both.
GitHub Universe 2025
From open source projects and pancake breakfasts to playful moments that bring attendees together.
The Hidden Architecture of Startup Cities: How Real Ecosystems Outperform Hype
Stop modelling ecosystems around what looks good. Model them around what actually works. Every region has its niche. Entrepreneurs don’t need more theatre, they need a system that makes them visible, fundable, and sticky.
Data & AI Infrastructure Are Fusing | Tomasz Tunguz
The modern AI stack requires a fundamentally different architecture. Data flows from diverse systems into vector databases, where embeddings & high-dimensional data live alongside traditional structured data. Context databases store the institutional knowledge that informs AI decisions.
HTTP 402’s Modern Makeover | Pantera
This piece will trace how that abandoned relic of the early web has returned as the foundation of an emerging agent-driven economy. We’ll explore why HTTP 402 languished during the first e-commerce era, how stablecoins and blockchain rails are reviving its original vision, and how new standards like x402 and h402 could finally absolve the Internet of its original sin by making payments as native and as invisible as information itself.
How do I delegate when I can do it faster myself? – ValeriaVG
Here’s the paradox: the fact that I could do it faster was precisely the problem. Every time I jumped in to save time, I was robbing them of the chance to develop their own speed, their own judgement, their own mastery. I was optimizing for today’s velocity at the cost of tomorrow’s capability.
Radical flies full-size prototype for stratospheric drone – GeekWire
Last month’s flight test was conducted at the Tillamook UAS Test Range in Oregon, which is one of the sites designated by the Federal Aviation Administration for testing uncrewed aerial systems. Thomas declined to delve into the details about the flight’s duration or maximum altitude, other than to say that it was a low-altitude flight.
Online security startup ConductorOne raises $79 million – oregonlive.com
The company’s headquarters are in San Francisco but co-founders Alex Bovee and Paul Querna live in Portland. Bovee is ConductorOne’s CEO and Querna is chief technology officer.
Portland-Based Centrl Office to Open 34K-SF Coworking Space in San Francisco – Connect CRE
The space, leased from Jamestown LP, will feature private offices and meeting rooms for flexible memberships. Centrl’s new footprint occupies part of WeWork’s former space at 50 Francisco St., within the 437,800-square-foot complex, reported the Portland Sound Business Journal. WeWork had maintained a 62,000-square-foot location at 50 Francisco before the pandemic.
World Vegan Month 2025 Starts Saturday in Portland – Bridgetown Bites
World Vegan Month 2025 is happening in Portland throughout the month of November. Now in its third year, this is a great opportunity to try and experience the variety of vegan and plant-based offerings in Portland, through dishes made especially for this occasion.
Why AI at Work Makes Us So Anxious
As a result, these leaders are feeling anxious—and you might be, too. But unpacking your anxiety can be a superpower during this time of rapid change. In this article, I’ll first explore why AI provokes anxiety. Then, I’ll share tools that can help you name and explore your own emotions and values.
I Was Fired From My Own Startup. Here’s What Every Founder Should Know About Letting Go
It happened to me. I called that board meeting. I set the vote. We had to choose who would stay, me or my co-founder. The vote didn’t go my way.
The State Of Startups In 7 Charts: These Sectors And Stages Are Down As AI Megarounds Dominate In 2025
Venture funding has most definitely rebounded since the 2022 correction, but there’s a sharp divide between who’s getting funding and who’s not.
More Oregon startup stories
