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Tag: Innovation

VertueLab’s David Kenney named to National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship

As the US government continues to spin up efforts to help aid recovery from a global pandemic, they’re focusing on more than just financial support. One effort by the US Economic Development Administration includes reestablishing the National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (NACIE), which had been on hiatus since 2018. And a familiar face is part of the board on this reboot: David Kenney of VertueLab.

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Washington Maritime Blue Innovation Accelerator demo day features three Portland startups

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: I still like demo days. Maybe not as their initial incarnation for fundraising. That doesn’t really seem to work. But as a celebration of companies being built and a graduation ceremony for an accelerator program? Absolutely. That’s why I’m looking forward to watching a trio of Portland-area startups on stage at the Washington Maritime Blue Innovation Accelerator demo day, this week.

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Three Portland area startups set sail in Washington Maritime Blue Innovation Accelerator

New year, new accelerator programs. And to kick things off, three Portland area startups have been selected to participate in the Washington Maritime Blue Innovation Accelerator, a nonprofit startup accelerator program focused on driving inclusive innovation in the “blue economy.”

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Former Simple exec and Seed cofounder to head up innovation at Lincoln Savings Bank

We don’t make a big deal of it, but Oregon punches above its weight for innovative fintech expertise. From the Simple diaspora to current players like Bumped, Expensify, and Sila, there are a lot of local folks rethinking finance and the infrastructure that runs it. And it’s always nice when other regions recognize how compelling that talent is. Like Lincoln Savings Bank which has recently hired former Simple exec and Seed cofounder Ryan Hildebrand to head up innovation.

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Missouri legislation calls for Office of Entrepreneurship and startup tax breaks

Given that the Oregon 10 year Innovation Plan is top of my mind, I’ve been poking around to see what other states are doing in support of innovation and entrepreneurship. And this proposed legislation for Missouri was interesting for a number of reasons.

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State of Oregon releases plan to guide innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment efforts over the next decade

Oregon now has a strategy for guiding the future of innovation in the state. The nearly 100 page document, created by TEConomy Partners from Ohio based on the insights from a number of interviews from around the state and months of guidance from the Oregon Innovation Council Futures Commission, provides strategic direction on recommended activities that will enable Oregon to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment over the next 10 years.

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True innovation: Fire ravaged Oregon community finds a creative solution for Internet connectivity

The Oregon wildfires of 2020. Devastating is an understatement. Many communities were razed to the ground in a matter of moments. Others had structures survive but were without left without much needed infrastructure and utilities. One of those communities — Oregon’s McKenzie River Valley — came up with a creative way of rebuilding Internet access.

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Planning for the next 10 years of Oregon innovation and entrepreneurship

I’ve been tracking with interest the state of Oregon’s efforts to outline and plan for the next decade of innovation and entrepreneurship for all of its residents. Business Oregon and TEConomy Partners — the Ohio consultancy hired to build out the plan — recently updated the Oregon House Committee on Economic Development on their progress.

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Puppet now has an active hand in supporting the next wave of Portland startups

Earlier this week, Puppet announced that they would be serving as the workspace for more than two dozen early stage Portland startups. For some, this might seem like a surprising move. But in actuality, it’s core to the culture of the company. And has been a hallmark of its existence, ever since Reductive Labs relocated to Portland.

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