Portland Oregon startups, tech, news, events, jobs, and community

Finding your people is always a challenge. But when you’re from a very specific community, it can be even more difficult. That’s why — for the white water crew — there’s RallyCrew.

Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:

Oregon lawmakers who protect TikTok can count on my vote 

As the owner of a small family farm in Salem, I spend my days caring for our animals and welcoming visitors to our property. Alongside running my family business, Osher Farms, I also run a TikTok account that showcases what farm life looks like here in the Beaver State.

I know. You made a mental note about applying. And you had the best intentions. But then startups. So you’ve been putting it off. And putting it off. And now, the deadline is rapidly approaching. So time to lock in. And get your Bend Venture Conference application submitted.

Got the chance to speak at FOSSY 2025. Here are the slides. I think they recorded it, so when that is available I’ll make sure and post that. Because I’m not sure that the slides make a lot of sense without my voiceover.

Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:

Opinion: Oregon’s Business Exodus Was Inevitable After Years of Policy Failure

The 2010s began with optimism. Oregon’s tech sector was rising, tourism was booming, and new businesses were putting down roots. But while the surface shimmered, state leadership began layering on policies that slowly choked the environment that helped those successes grow.

Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:

I miss RSS

There was this incredible moment in the mid-2000s where it felt like everyone had their own blog, and those blogs all had RSS feeds. I’d start my day by scrolling through the latest posts (RIP Google Reader). It was sort of like social media today: ideas and insights from my industry peers were available to me in a handy little scrollable list, all in one place.

On my YouTube channel, I encouraged folks to be self-promotional about what they’re building. I only got one submission. So I’m sharing it here so it gets some more attention. Meet Neighborhood Value Plus.

Here’s a roundup of interesting startup links I came across today:

Seattle VCs: Startups must rethink defensibility in the fast-moving AI era – GeekWire

Gottesman noted that traditional defensibility based on ideas or basic IP is less reliable in this environment. “You have to think beyond where we typically thought about ways to build a moat,” he said. That includes exploring new pricing structures, delivery models, and user experiences — not just product features.

You can build the app any number of ways. But sometimes, getting that app from a test environment to a production environment can be more challenging than it should be. So if DevOps isn’t your thing, you may want to check out Limo, a new offering that simplifies that leap to production.