While it wasn’t a key part of my coverage area when I started this blog, these days I try to make it a regular habit of paying attention to Bend, Oregon. Because it seems more often than not, there are as many interesting startup stories coming out of Central Oregon as the metro region, as of late. Like this one: Bend’s Shape, an advertising management platform, has been acquired by digital marketing management company NinjaCat.
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Portland startup Caravel acquired by community management solution Commsor
Part of the ebb and flow of the Portland startup community — or any startup community for that matter — is a regular cadence of companies being founded, funded, and acquired. We’ve seen a great deal of the founding and funding over the past few years. And now, there’s another acquisition in our midst. PIE and Techstars Seattle alum Caravel has been acquired by Commsor.
Read MorePortland startup Workfrom launches Virtual Cafes on Product Hunt
The pandemic has inspired any number of new features and products — and sometimes whole new companies. One of those pivots hit really close to home as a hometown favorite for finding and researching alternative workspaces, Workfrom, suddenly had an entire user base working from home. But from that pain came inspiration. In the form of Virtual Cafes.
Read MoreAn exceedingly appropriate time for a Kermit gif: A Kids Company About partners with The Jim Henson Company
Portland media startup A Kids Company About started with books. And then expanded into podcasts and educational content. Heck, they’ve even done stuff with LeVar Burton. Now, they’re partnering with one of the biggest names in youth entertainment to produce TV shows about the same types of tough issues they’ve tackled in other media.
Read MoreConductorOne closes $15 million Series A
For all the news of economic downturns, founders are still out there, building businesses. And investors are still taking risks on those ventures. Because a downturn is often the best time to build the next great business. So it comes as little surprise that Portland startup ConductorOne announced its $15 million Series A.
Read MoreADT secures Portland IoT startup IOTAS for an undisclosed amount
An early local player in the Internet of Things and smart home industry is now part of the leading companies in home security. Portland startup IOTAS has been acquired by ADT.
Read MoreVancouver startup RealWear acquires Seattle startup and Pioneer Square Labs alum Genba
It’s always nice to see local startups continuing to grow. And sometimes, the best way to efficiently continue that expansion can be picking up companies with complementary technologies. Which is what happened this week as Vancouver, Washington, startup RealWear announced the acquisition of Seattle startup Genba.
Read MoreWeb traffic looking a little low as of late? International Persuasion Machines is here to help
It happens. Web traffic dips. Through no fault of your own. But that doesn’t change the fact that you committed to those KPIs. And now, there seems to be no way to ensure you’re going to secure that bonus. Fear not, Webmaster. Portland startup International Persuasion Machines is here to help you reach your quota.
Read MoreSeattle VC Flying Fish — which has been active in Portland — has a new $70 million fund for AI/ML startups
Seattle VC firm Flying Fish has a new cache of dry powder for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning startups. And given that they’ve been active in Portland in the past, that could mean good news for AI/ML startups seeking early stage funding.
Read MoreNew startup founder focused podcast
Realizing that there are a ton of podcasts vying for your ears, I always like to highlight local podcasts that may appeal to you. That’s why I’m recommending you add Kasey Jones’ new podcast, High Growth Founders, to your playlist.
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