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Tag: Startups

For startups, Portland Seed Fund closing is a very good thing

In some industries, the idea of “closing” can be the worst possible outcome. But in the world of startups, closing is often a very good thing. And the latest news from the Portland Seed Fund is no different. The Portland Business Journal just revealed that PSF has just closed their third fund to the tune of $13.9 million.

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Calling all Portland startups (or startups willing to call Portland home): PIE and PIE Shop applications are open

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.

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Some folks pursue startups for independence. This weekend, folks will be pursuing startups in Independence. Oregon.

When it comes to helping people get their ideas going, there are few weekends that compare to a Techstars Startup Weekend. Fifty four hours of sprinting from idea to product and pitch. It just goes to show how quickly something can come together. And that’s why I’m always happy to hear about new and different flavors of the event. Like Techstars Startup Weekend Small Town Advantage which takes place this weekend in Independence, Oregon.

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Speaking of startup stress… A mental health manual for the modern workforce

There have been in any number of times throughout history where humans have done things that they thought were totally fine — only to find out later how detrimental those activities were. Pick your favorite. I’m not here to judge. That said, I am here to propose that the normalization of startup founders being constantly stressed out, never sleeping, and always on may very well be one of those things.

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Arguably the most important skill for mentors? Empathy

I’m lucky that I get the opportunity to sit at the nexus of passionate founders building early stage companies and the community of mentors who wants to support and bolster those founders as they strive to build the next great Portland company. While we all recognize that building a startup is ridiculously difficult, sometimes we forget that founders are suffering from any number of stressors and pressures, despite the stiff upper lip they project.

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Make some time to meet some makers and manufacturers: Friends of Fictiv happy hour

Like most things Portland, there are a ton of awesome makers and manufacturers in town doing a ton of awesome things. But thanks to our culture of aggressive humility, we don’t always know about all of that awesomeness. That’s why it’s nice to have things like the Friends of Fictiv happy hour. If only to bring some of those hidden gems in our midst to light.

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REMINDER: TechfestNW PitchfestNW applications are due January 16, 2019

Wait what? You thought the TechfestNW PitchfestNW applications were due in 2018? Well, they were. But that was only the first group. There’s a second application period. And it ends this week. So if you’ve been procrastinating, you should probably get on completing that application.

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Doing a better job of quantifying the Portland startup community with PDX Startups

You’ve heard me bemoan it any number of times. Ask someone what the Portland startup community is like and you’ll get any number of adjectives. But you won’t really get any numbers or metrics. We’ve just never seemed to capture that terribly well. But PDX Startups may help change that.

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