Startup and tech news, jobs, and events in Portland and Oregon
So if you’re a regular car sharing user here in town, you’ve likely tried both ReachNow and car2go, two of the providers here in Portland. Not so long ago, those two entities merged and started calling everything Now. ThisNow, ThatNow, NowNow. So when news that ReachNow was shutting down in Portland and Seattle broke, everyone seemed to conclude that we had no more car sharing in town. That is not the case.
There’s nothing quite like peer support. That’s why I’m always a fan of events and programs that get peers together. Not even necessarily to talk shop. Just to let them know that they’re not alone. And if you’re the cofounder of a company, one of those events is happening tomorrow: Coffee with Co-Founders.
It’s always interesting to watch the ebb and flow of the Silicon Florist job board. It’s a great barometer for what’s happening in both the Portland startup community and the broader Portland ecosystem. So who’s hiring these days? Take a look.
In my experience, Portland founders are pretty good at giving back. Through volunteer work. Or donations. Or participating in organizations like Business for a Better Portland. But like so many things Portland, the measurement of that participation is largely anecdotal. That’s why it’s nice to see a survey working to capture more details and metrics on this behavior.
We’ve all heard — and perhaps even subscribed to — the mythology about starting a company. You come up with an idea. Someone recognizes your genius. They give you a bunch of money to build it. And then, before you know it, you’re wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.
I know, I know. You’re still trying to get back into the groove after having a weird Thanksgiving in the summer sort of vacation vibe. I get it. But best to hit the ground running because there are two deadlines approaching this week that you won’t want to miss.
Going into the long weekend, I thought you could use some longer form stuff to read. And clearly, I’m never going to find the time to write it. So I’m going to give you someone else’s content. Like Willamette Week which just published a cover story on the current state of Oregon startups and the infrastructure that seeks to support them.
There’s so much sneaker culture in Portland, one sneaker focused week won’t do. That’s why there’s Colorways, a celebration of streetwear culture and the sneaker community, taking place July 4-7, 2019. And like every other Portland celebration, it takes place at a bunch of different spots around town.
We’ve seen it time and time again. The next big thing. Web, open source, cloud, mobile… And time and time again, Portland, with its early adopter culture, has been at the forefront of nascent industries, patiently waiting for their markets to form. I’ve been waiting to see what the next big thing might be. And with today’s news from RealWear, I’m inclined to think augmented reality may be the next industry that Portland is known for.