Portland startups, open source, and tech news, jobs, and events #pdx
It will come as no surprise to anyone that I spend a lot of my time focused in a hyperlocal sort of way. On startups. Usually Portland. Sometimes other places in Oregon. But usually Portland. And usually tech. So it’s always nice to get the opportunity to muck around with more macro data. Or datasets that provide a broader context and indicators for what’s happening here around entrepreneurship.
Conferences and events can be the bane of a startup’s existence — or the key to serendipity and success. But it’s always hard to tell which conferences are which. That’s why I’m really happy to see the Case Foundation’s list of inclusive entrepreneurship conferences for this year.
I’m a huge fan of Brad Feld’s Startup Communities. (Well worth the read or listen, if you haven’t already. I reread it every year.) And with it, the concept of “leaders and feeders.” That’s the idea that there should be folks who lead the startup community — entrepreneurs — and those that feed the startup community — like government — but don’t attempt to lead. Most startup communities I visit have plenty potential leaders but a dearth of potential feeders. That’s why seeing a reboot of legislation like the bipartisan Startup Act (which, in itself, was a reboot of a previous effort) is heartening. But it’s only a small step forward.
Truth be told, I can’t even spell entrepreneurship. (I used spellcheck for that.) But there are many folks who can. Among them, there are even a few who understand all the ups and downs of the rollercoaster that is starting a business. And among them, are a select few who recognize and understand the potential impact government can have on startup ecosystems. And Business Oregon wants to talk to those folks.
The State of Oregon has been putting more and more time and energy into assisting our entrepreneurs and startups through Business Oregon. But you and I both know that there’s a ton going on. And if you don’t know that, trust me. There’s a lot going on. I mean a lot. So what’s Oregon to do? Staff up. Read More
When you work to build momentum, it’s always nice to have someone helping that momentum to continue. That’s why I’m incredibly happy to see the Portland Development Commission focusing staff resources on improving the collaboration among all of our entrepreneurial communities. Read More
If there is one thing that entrepreneurs get on a regular basis, it’s challenged. Be it building a business, finding customers, or having family constantly asking why they don’t have a real job, most startup types are in a constant state of defending their actions. Read More
This evening, entrepreneurs statewide gathered to celebrate the entrepreneurial achievements of their peers and colleagues. And I’m happy to report that the Portland tech startup scene made a fine showing. Read More
It’s Monday morning. And I can imagine, like most Monday mornings, you’re sitting there musing, “What, I wonder, is the current state of entrepreneurship?”
Well, you’re in luck, my friend. The Kauffman Foundation recently released their latest State of Entrepreneurship report. Long story short: States need to foster startup activity. Read More
[Editor: Dale Davidson of TrekDek shares another guest post with us.]
I recently sat down with Darius Monsef IV aka Bubs, the founder of COLOURlovers. Though much of the tech world is focused on the recent $1 million dollar funding they recently received, I thought I would try to get his perspective on the world of social entrepreneurship and Portland’s role in it. Considering that Darius is a co-founder and an active member of the non-profit All Hands, a disaster relief group, he is extremely knowledgeable about the subject. Read More