Startup and tech news, jobs, and events in Portland and Oregon
In this day and age with the level of exposure and access to information, kids are often dealing with any number of topics far sooner than previous generations. And parents—who had a very different upbringing—are searching for ways to effectively support their kids. And that’s the opportunity that A Kids Book About is working to address. With books focused on kids that help parents discuss challenging topics.
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It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Darius Monsef. And a lot of that is because I’ve been lucky to watch his efforts and growth over a dozen years or so. And with him now on the third Portland startup that he’s cofounded, I continue to be impressed with the maturity and perspective his significant startup experience — both within Portland and beyond — has wrought.
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You probably haven’t met Kat and Asa Miller. They’re very private folks. So it wouldn’t surprise me if their names don’t ring any bells. I was lucky enough to meet Asa early in the days of mobile in Portland. Back when PIE was still a coworking space and community event space. He was unassuming. And ridiculously talented. Like many Portland folks.
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It’s summer. So sometimes, it’s more difficult to keep track of schedules. And deadlines. Which is why I wanted to make sure to take a moment to remind you that you’ve got an application due on August 18, 2019. I mean, if you’re building a startup, that is. And if you’d like some support and mentorship around that effort.
It’s not like you’re actively trying to procrastinate. It’s just that you’re a founder. And you’ve got a million things to do. And a bunch of fires burning. So I’m not asking you to do anything at the moment. But I did want to remind you of four rapidly approaching deadlines for programs that could be beneficial for your startup.
These days, shopping is incredibly easy. Almost too easy. Search, research, click, and suddenly you have a thing. It’s almost like you don’t have to even think about it. Beep boop boop spend. But what if keeping track of your values and purchasing products from companies that share those values was as easy as ecommerce? It can be. With Portland startup Trestle.
I’m always encouraging founders to celebrate small wins. And to take pride in the progress they’re making. So for once, I’m going to follow my own advice and take a moment to celebrate. PIE, the startup accelerator that I helped cofound and continue to run as general manager, is turning 10 years old in August. So let’s celebrate.
If you’re working on a startup and you feel like you could use more help, connections, and mentorship, then I have a little homework assignment for you, this weekend. Because it might be time for you to apply to PIE or PIE Shop with your startup idea.
While some startup communities seem obsessed with the random application of technology, I’ve always been impressed with the Portland startup community’s continued interest in applying technology in ways that make people’s lives better. One of those areas — for decades — has been healthcare. And now, there’s a new player in that realm, specifically around urgent care for kids. Meet Brave Care.
Here in Oregon, we’ve got more than our fair share of amazing consumer product companies. I mean there’s Benchmade, Columbia, Deschutes, Keen, LaCrosse, Nike, Resers, and Tillamook, just to name a few. And there have been exits from companies like 10 Barrel, Brazi Bites, Dakine, Hydroflask, Pacific Foods, Schmidt Naturals, and Stumptown that rival any tech exit. So why in the world don’t isn’t there an accelerator program to connect all of this knowledge and experience with the next generation of consumer products companies?