While I greatly miss having Joe Maruschak as an example of how and why to work on startup communities — like he had in Eugene, Oregon, for so long, I’m incredibly happy to see him gaining the perspective and distance to be able to analyze and inform other community stewards who are still struggling to do the work and realize the opportunities.
Read MoreTag: joe maruschak
Loss (of a) leader: Startup community builder Joe Maruschak is leaving Eugene and Oregon
For some folks, this may come as a shock. For many of us in similar roles, we’re like “Yep. It was only a matter of time.” Joe Maruschak, who has been instrumental in mentoring, advising, and investing in startups in the Eugene, Oregon, and Lane County region, is leaving because the role he’s been serving is not effectively supported from a financial standpoint.
Read MoreGrowing local: Coast to Crest Fund established to provide seed funding for Lane County
While raising capital is never easy, it’s a lot more difficult when you don’t have any local resources on which to lean. That’s what a couple of Eugene entrepreneurs are hoping to fix with the Coast to Crest Fund, a new $3 million seed fund focused on Lane County startups.