Portland startups, open source, and tech news, jobs, and events #pdx
As we become more and more dependent on technology, we have become increasingly worried about single points of failure. That issue where one particular component of your technology stack can hiccup and the whole house of cards comes tumbling down. So we have redundancy. And fail over. And load balancing. But there remains one incredibly critical single point for most everyone: our Internet connections. Read More
It’s always nice to see startups getting the support they need from local resources. And that’s why I’m always pleased to see a whole new crop of startups graduating from the Portland Seed Fund. This latest class—the sixth class for the program—presented to a group a local investors, yesterday. Read More
I’ve been following the Opal crew for quite some time. It’s been an interesting journey to say the least. With any number of hurdles. And any number of changes. But they’ve continued pushing and persevering. And while I’m not touting funding as much as I used to, this seems like one of those times where it’s warranted. Opal just raised $8 million in a round led by Madrona. Read More
It’s that time of year again. Time for you to stick your neck out and to start telling other folks about that startup you’re building. And there’s no better place to start than Portland Seed Fund. Because they’ll listen politely to your pitch—and then buy you a beer. Read More
Maybe I’m dating myself here, but… MTV used to show music videos. No. I’m serious. Like all of the time. No reality shows. Just videos. Song after song after song. And it was pretty awesome. So forgive me if I get a little nostalgic with Portland startup Vadio, which is bringing that exact same kind of original MTV-esque magic to radio stations. Read More
Startups move quickly these days. Portland startup Glider was no exception. The formation, rapid ascent, and exit of Glider—a startup that worked to help streamline the tangled mess of contracts, signatures, and approvals—took only a couple of years to complete the cycle. And today, with an acquisition by Dallas-based FPX, Glider moves on to its next phase, where it will continue its work as part of a larger entity with access to more resources. Read More
Now, let’s be honest here. Silicon Florist? Not exactly a “breaking news blog.” Usually, I’m not chasing exclusives or publishing as embargoes expire. But I tend to be lucky enough to know when Portland news is breaking—whether I actually act on it or not. Except for today. When I got fully scooped as Muut (nee Moot) hit TechCrunch with news of their rebrand and initial funding. Read More
It’s funny. These days, folks seem to look forward to holidays and breaks so that they can do more work. Focused work. Without interruption. And like it or not, I’ve got something awesome like that for your winter break task list. The Portland Seed Fund has successfully closed their second fund. And as such, they’ve opened applications for their next class. Read More
Portland Seed Fund and Upstart Labs alum Measureful has taken a dose of their own medicine. After carefully analyzing where their product was getting traction in the market, they’ve retooled their offering to focus their efforts on marketing and agency types. And it’s paying off. VentureBeat just called them the “Flipboard of data.” Read More
If you’re considering pitching Portland Seed Fund, this week, it might be good to do your homework. And I’m happy to help. Recently, Meet the Startup caught up with PSF alum and Oregon Angel Fund portfolio company Brandlive. Read More