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Category: OEN

Oregon Entrepreneur Network Tom Holce Awards finalists feature a couple of Silicon Florist regulars

And I’m happy to report that, with the announcement of the finalists for the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network Tom Holce Awards, there are a couple of Silicon Florist regulars—out of the 14 nominees—getting the recognition they so richly deserve.

Rick Turoczy on July 9, 2009

[HTML3]Now, I know many of you continue to work and slave on your entrepreneurial pursuits because you’re driven to do so. Quite frankly, you can’t help it. You just have to do it. So, whether you’re recognized or not, you’re going to keep doing what you’re doing.

But still, isn’t it always nice to be recognized? Sure it is. And I’m happy to report that, with the announcement of the finalists for the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network Tom Holce Awards, there are a couple of Silicon Florist regulars—out of the 14 nominees—getting the recognition they so richly deserve. Read More

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) could use your help

Meyer Memorial Trust has awarded the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) a grant, but it’s a matching funds grant. That means OEN’s money is contingent on one small thing: their ability to raise $50,000 by June 30.

Rick Turoczy on June 23, 2009

If you’re a startup in the Portland area, you’ve probably come into contact with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN). And if you haven’t, you should. The OEN is a non-profit organization focused on helping your startup make it through the initial phases of building a business. From helping first-time entrepreneurs learn the ropes to giving startups the opportunity to practice their pitches to helping seasoned entrepreneurs find funding through events like Angel Oregon, the OEN uses its available resources to ensure that Oregon has a healthy entrepreneurial scene.

But all of that could be in jeopardy if we don’t act quickly. Read More

GadgetTrak and WeoGeo make OEN Angel Oregon final round

Rick Turoczy on February 24, 2009

I’m happy to report that GadgetTrak and WeoGeo have been selected for the final round of OEN Angel Oregon 2009 competition, “the nation’s premier investor/entrepreneur matchmaking event.”

That puts the two companies in the running for a first place prize of $150,000 or a second prize of $75,000.

For those of you who haven’t yet encountered these two cool Portland companies, GadgetTrak is “the company that turns your stolen electronic devices into a sentient Neighborhood Watch for nabbing thieves.” While WeoGeo “supplies surveyors, engineers, cartographers, and scientists with the ability to conveniently store, search, and exchange global mapping and geo-content.”

So who is the competition? The Biotech/CleanTech track features DesignMedix and Tau Science Corporation and the Consumer track features Glide Cycle (I could not stop watching their demo video… something strangely mesmerizing about it) and Wicked Quick.

There are also 20 other companies who get to fly through a one minute elevator pitch—but unfortunately I don’t have their names, yet.

Now, I’m hoping the tech folks can do us proud. We’re still trying to recover from 2008, when Angel Oregon selected an apparel company as the winner.

The Angel Oregon 2009 event will be held March 12 at the Governor Hotel. For more information, see OEN Angel Oregon 2009 on Upcoming or Calagator.

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Angels among us? Only if you apply by January 7

Rick Turoczy on January 6, 2009

OENIt’s that time of year again.

Time for a bunch of startups to begin vying for funding via Angel Oregon, the annual competition from the OEN that pits startup against startup during stumping sessions at PubTalks. Why? Hopes of securing some much needed funding for their companies.

OEN’s Angel Oregon is the nation’s premier investor/entrepreneur matchmaking event. Angel Oregon brings together Oregon and SW Washington’s brightest entrepreneurial talent with qualified angel investors. The top six companies who apply, including the OEN Seed Oregon PubTalk winner, will present at the OEN Angel Oregon conference on March 12th at the Governor Hotel. Two investment prizes will be awarded by a final vote of the OEN Investment Committee.

In 2007, an architectural software company walked away with the prize. In 2008, it was an apparel company. Could this be the year that a Silicon Forest Web company takes the big prize? I don’t know. Are you going to apply?

You have until the end of the day on January 7 to get registered. Go get ’em, tiger.

[Editor: The link to the guidelines on the main page seems to be broken, so here’s a direct link to the 2009 OEN Angel Oregon application guidelines.]

Venture Northwest 2008: AboutUs, Collaborative Software Initiative, Revelation, SplashCast make the cut

Rick Turoczy on October 8, 2008

Venture NorthwestMy favorite thing about entrepreneurs? They’re scrappy.

So today, it came as a pleasant surprise that—even in light of the not-so-hot economic environment—our plucky local organization of entrepreneurs, the Oregon Entrepreneur Network (OEN), has chosen to unveil the presenters for the upcoming Venture Northwest 2008.

“The companies presenting at the conference represent some of the most innovative and creative companies from across the Northwest,” said John Hull, chair of the OEN Venture Northwest 2008 and managing director at OVP Venture Partners. “Some of these companies are seeking their first institutional venture financing while others have already received first rounds of capital from top-tier venture firms. In total, this list of companies represents well the broad spectrum of investment opportunities that flourish in our region”

Not only that, but I’m happy to report that there are some Web startups—and at least one open-source-focused company—on the list.

And four out of 14 isn’t bad.

So which of the Silicon Florist crowd got a nod to present?

Interested in who else is presenting? The Oregonian‘s Mike Rogoway has a complete list of the 14 Venture Northwest presenters with links.

OEN’s Venture Northwest is the premier forum for new and emerging investment opportunities in exciting companies from Oregon, Washington, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. This annual conference draws institutional investors and investment bankers from across the western US who are interested in the emerging companies that the Northwest has to offer. Companies that have presented at Venture Oregon have raised over $1.3 billion in venture capital since 1996 and over $68 million in angel investment.

For more information, visit OEN’s Venture Northwest.

Silicon Florist 04: OEN Pubtalk, Silicon Forest Forum, Air Sharing, Portland Lunch 2.0

Rick Turoczy on September 16, 2008

This week on the Silicon Forest podcast, I’ve got the usual review and preview of all that’s happening in the Silicon Forest Web startup scene. With an added bonus. I took a few minutes to chat with Dave Howell, CEO of Vancouver-based Avatron, the company behind the uberpopular iPhone app Air Sharing.

Click the Play button above to start streaming or feel free to download the Silicon Florist podcast.

Links from this episode include:

Oopie: I meant 501 c 3. I’m as bad as KGW’s iPhone G3.

Smart-ups: OEN Eugene chapter

Rick Turoczy on March 21, 2008

The Oregon Entrepreneur Network (OEN) has announced a new group that has sprouted out of its fledgling Eugene chapter: Smart-ups.

Smart-ups is a new entrepreneurial support group in the Eugene/Springfield area. We’re a local chapter of the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) based in Portland, OR.

The new group will take charge of hosting a series of Pub Talks similar to those the OEN holds in the Portland area on a regular basis.

Caroline Cummings, CEO of OsoEco—whom you may remember from this year’s Angel Oregon—started the Smart-ups group. She talked to Eugene’s The Register-Guard about the inspiration behind the group.

“We know there are entrepreneurs in this community,” Cummings said. “What happens is they end up starting up their own little Yahoo groups, or they meet at coffeehouses, and they don’t realize there’s a lot of support out there, like the chamber, like the university. That’s what Smart-ups is all about — pulling all of these groups together.”

Sounds like a common problem. It will be interesting to see how Eugene goes about solving it. And I’ll be sure to keep track of what they’re doing.

For more information, see Smart-ups.

OEN announces the winner of Angel Oregon (and it’s not a tech company)

Rick Turoczy on March 5, 2008

I just received the official announcement from Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) naming the winner of the Angel Oregon competition. [Update: Who won the elevator pitch competition? Steve Morris has your answer over on Oregon Startups.]

And unfortunately, for me, the winner is an apparel company. (Upside? They have a blog.)

Well, that doesn’t really fit the Web startup flavor of Silicon Florist, so I’m going to cover the runners-up, instead. Because, honestly, these two finalists have the most potential of becoming regulars here on the Silicon Florist:

  • OsoEco, the first online community that allows consumers to shop and research green products and services with friends, interests groups and consumers
  • Revelation, a software company that optimizes qualitative market research, enabling companies to develop and harness rich understanding of customer experiences, behaviors and needs at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional research techniques

OsoEco and Revelation each received $57,500 investment awards for winning the Sustainability Investment and Technology/Biotech tracks, respectively.

“The entrepreneurs participation in the investor presentation coaching and exhaustive due diligence process really helped them to articulate their business plan and demonstrate the potential return for investors,” said, Bob Ward, Angel Oregon chair. “Angel Oregon is attracting really high caliber companies. Couple that with value of the exposure and the experience that competing companies get, and the value proposition of the event is pretty compelling for Oregon’s economy.”

For more information on the Angel Oregon program, visit OEN.

Angel Oregon: Three diverse Web-tech companies vie for funding

Rick Turoczy on February 20, 2008

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) has announced the seven finalists gunning for funding in its annual Angel Oregon competition. Among the seven are three particular companies who have decidedly focused some angle of their offering on a Web play.

And since we all know the Web is near and dear to my heart, I’m going to focus on them.

I’m not guaranteeing a win. But were I a betting man, I’d be putting my money on one of these:

OsoEco – OsoEco is positioned to exploit a significant gap in the E-commerce market for green products & services by launching the first Web-based “Sustainable Social Shopping” community w/a unique focus on local solutions. Members can connect, discover, research, and recommend green products & services to peers, interest groups and gurus.

Powermand, Inc. – Web service and solution to aggregate many small electric loads into a large virtual load for monetizing as “negawatts.” Low cost service fee per site per month paid by the negawatts customer.

Revelation – Revelation creates web software that optimizes qualitative market research, enabling companies to develop and harness rich understanding of customer experiences, behaviors and needs at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional research techniques.

For more, see the complete list of Angel Oregon participants. Visit Upcoming to RSVP for the event or register to attend at Angel Oregon.

OEN says every time a bell rings an Angel looks to fund a startup

Rick Turoczy on December 12, 2007

It’s that time of year again. Yes, the time of year when I start trying to write headlines based on obscure references to classic holiday movies.

But, it’s also time for the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) to open submissions for Angel Oregon, the annual competition that lands one lucky startup a chunk of Angel funding.

Angel Oregon 2008 is coming and it’s bigger than ever! Applications are being accepted now through Jan. 11, 2008. We invite companies to compete for $300K in investment prizes, awarded in three distinct investment tracks. A Grand Prize Winner will walk away with $150K, with two runners-up receiving $75K each [contingent on Angel Oregon hitting its recruitment goals].

Angel Oregon is a program of Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) and is the nation’s premier matchmaking event. Angel Oregon focuses on bringing together Oregon and SW Washington’s brightest entrepreneurial talent with qualified Angel investors. Last years Angel Oregon event was perhaps the most successful ever with the top company, M-Six, walking away with $230k. For more information or to apply, visit Angel Oregon.

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