Which early stage startups are pitching to get the chance to pitch at Bend Venture Conference…?

I’m glad you asked. Because I can actually answer that question. You see, Bend Venture Conference just announced the early stage candidates for BVC 2026. But don’t get to celebrating just yet. They still have one more hurdle before they can take the main stage.

The 10 Early Stage semifinalists will take the stage at the September 24, 2026, Central Oregon PubTalk: Road to BVC, held at Worthy Brewing’s outdoor Drink Up, Dream On stage in Bend. Each company will deliver a three-minute pitch to a live audience and panel of judges, with both playing a role in determining which companies advance to the main stage at the Bend Venture Conference in October. The audience will also select one Early Stage company to receive a $5,000 cash award, courtesy of Washington Trust Bank.

So who is competing…? It’s a very Bend heavy crew:

• Closeoutdoor (Bend,OR) – Revolutionizing the way that brands deal with excess inventory.
• Core Defender AI (Hillsboro, OR) – Empowering the Future with AIR (AI & Robotics).
• Ebb Health, Inc. (Portland, OR) – Developing a platform for durable relief of neuropathic pain.
• EYEONIZE (Bend, OR) – Energize Your Eyes!
• Hungry Hound (Bend, OR) – A fresh, human-grade dog food subscription that wins the $41B market on trust, using community-led acquisition to scale from Oregon to national.
• Lateral Systems (Lake Oswego, OR) – Automated monitoring platform for commercial indoor farms watches out for what can go wrong 24/7 to reduce waste and improve farm efficiencies.
• Quilld (Bend, OR) – A strategy engine that builds undeniably distinct brands, giving founders the clarity to guide every AI tool and business decision.
• Regen8 (Bend, OR) – Redesigns how companies work, then builds the systems that help them remember, coordinate, decide, and improve.
• V4 Final, Inc. (Bend, OR) – AI for law firm clients that don’t want to give up their lawyer’s judgment. 
• VeriBuy (Bend, OR) – Turns a dealer’s phone walk-around into a defensible trade-in offer: an objective condition grade, a fair price and a report the seller can see.

For more information or to RSVP, visit “Bend Venture Conference Announces 2026 Early Stage Semifinalists.”