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

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

The Founder’s Communication Cadence: Weekly, Monthly, and Annual Habits That Drive Results

I believe it’s critical for a CEO to be an effective communicator. They must convey their vision and strategies externally to customers, influencers, and investors, as well as internally to their teams. One of the most impactful ways to do this is through written communication, such as monthly investor updates, internal goals, project updates, or annual shareholder letters. This becomes especially vital during times of change when alignment and motivation are paramount.

I’m glad you asked. Otherwise, sharing this information that I have right in front of me would seem a little weird. But since you want to know. I’m happy to share who won the 2025 edition of TiE Oregon Columbia River Pitch, the competition among startups in Multnomah County, Oregon, and Clark County, Washington.

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times: “Why is it so hard to connect with people in the Portland startup community…? Am I missing a regular event or something.” Unfortunately, no. The answer isn’t as easy as that. But it does stem from the sort of secret hack that people tend to meet one another one-on-one for conversations. Rather than leaning on traditional “networking” events.

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

Intel will shut down its automotive business, lay off most of the department’s employees – oregonlive.com

“Intel plans to wind down the Intel architecture automotive business,” the company told employees Tuesday morning in a message viewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. The company said it will fulfill existing commitments to customers but will lay off “most” employees working in Intel’s automotive group. [Editor: I remember writing about Intel’s open source mobile and automotive pursuits way back when. And it’s Intel’s work in automotive that motivated Jaguar Land Rover to establish a presence here.]

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

2025 US Venture Capital Outlook: Midyear Update | PitchBook

As 2025 unfolds, the VC landscape is evolving in unexpected ways. While early-year optimism pointed to a rebound in liquidity and a revitalized IPO market, global tariff tensions have reshaped the narrative. IPO activity has slowed, but resilience is emerging in new forms.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the AIBiZ podcast to chat about startups and AI. Thought I’d share that conversation here in case you were interested.

Looking for an excuse to get out of the house or leave the office early…? There’s no better excuse than supporting local business. And the Portland Office of Small Business is happy to give you exactly that flavor of excuse. That’s right. It’s time for another Show Up for Small Business gathering. And this time, it’s happening up north. In St. Johns.

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

Portland Musician Amos Roddy Contributed Six New Songs to Minecraft’s Latest Update

Minecraft’s soundtrack is one of many aspects imbued in the memories of the generation the bestselling video game helped raise. Defined by soft, somewhat haunting pianos and echoing chimes and flutes, the ambient soundtrack is among modern gaming’s most recognizable. Minecraft’s latest update, released June 17, includes an expanded soundtrack with Portland musician Amos Roddy contributing six new tracks to the game.

Every Monday, I post a list of events to the Portland Startups Slack to help give folks some ideas of where they might want to be during the week. I’m pretty slow on the uptake. So it just dawned on me that it might be valuable to do that here, as well.

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

Why We Invested: Conveyor — Oregon Venture Fund

We’re particularly excited about their roadmap and believe Conveyor is poised to lead the evolution toward truly agentic, AI-driven B2B buying and selling workflows. The company is architecting a future where a buyer’s AI agent can query a vendor’s AI agent directly, vetting security posture and product fit in seconds. In that world, Conveyor becomes the neutral, always-up-to-date source of truth both sides rely on. We share that vision and are excited to help make it real.