Category: Links

Deals go big: Why 2021 was a huge year for M&As in the Portland region

Among more than 50 deals that occurred last year involving Oregon and southwest Washington companies or assets, the Business Journal found just 20 in which terms were disclosed last year. These amounted to $25.3 billion in cash, stock and debt transaction, little more than half of the haul in 2015, but a 334% increase over the value of disclosed deals in 2020. This compares to just a 34% increase in deal value across the U.S. — from $1.1 trillion in 2020 to $1.5 trillion in 2021 — according to Capital IQ data gathered by the Institute for Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances.

Rose City’s Finest: Celebrating 100 Black Leaders In Portland

When Built Oregon Board Chair Stephen Green and I met in early February to talk about ways we could collaborate to commemorate Black History Month, we landed on an idea pretty quickly.

Portland’s Pensole lands $2M investment to build first US Black-owned footwear factory

Portland-based Pensole announced Wednesday morning a $2 million investment from DSW’s parent company, Designer Brands Inc. (NYSE: DBI), to open the first Black-owned footwear factory in United States.

Portland Startup to Mine Artisanal Bitcoin Using Only Slide Rules and Graph Paper

A pair of Portland entrepreneurs say they’re bringing authenticity back to Bitcoin mining by eschewing purpose-built AntMiner S19 Pros in favor of hand-crafted hash made using only graph paper and slide rules.

Wyden and Heinrich: Newly Declassified Documents Reveal Previously Secret CIA Bulk Collection, Problems With CIA Handling of Americans’ Information

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., both members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called for new transparency about bulk surveillance conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency, following the release of documents that revealed a secret bulk collection program and problems with how the agency searches and handles Americans’ information.

VC funds at / below $200M in size

A list of investors managing funds that are $200 million or less, raising the likelihood that they’re making early-stage startup investments.

Sorry for the radio silence and lack of links. I’ve been battling the latest flavor of autumn illness. But I’ve still been trying to keep tabs on what’s happening. So here are a few of the interesting things I’ve found. All while sniffling like Trump at a presidential debate. Read More

For links today, rallying Portland founders to help one another, tracking TriMet, understanding the call of entrepreneurship, understanding that it’s not about race, and the entire history of Kickstarter city by city. Read More

Today’s links feature OEN award winner Tyrone Poole, black and latina women founders, Steve Case says Peter Thiel is wrong, and venture capital is one hell of a drug. Read More

Today on the precious linkses, Puppet hires new execs, Semaphoria unveils new Uncorked awesomeness, Miru takes on a white male dominated industry, Brian Michael Bendis provides business guidance from the world of comics, and more. Read More