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 MoreTag: techstars
Portland ecommerce startup Shop Latinx raises $1 million
I always say that Portland built its tech startup community on “engineers building tools for other engineers.” That began as far back as Tektronix and continues today with companies like Puppet and Sila. That being said, it’s always nice to see consumer facing tech startups beginning to find success here, as well. Like Shop Latinx, which just secured $1 million in funding.
Read MoreFormer Portland startup Vizify among “most successful accelerator cohort ever”
While the name Vizify might not be familiar to more recent transplants, it definitely rings a bell for folks who have been in the Portland startup community for a bit. An early investment for the then new Portland Seed Fund, Vizify was one of the first local companies to be selected to participate in a Techstars cohort. And apparently, that selection put them in rare company.
Read MorePortland startup Edify joins latest cohort of Techstars Seattle
Global startup accelerator program Techstars has grown to the size that there always seems to be an application period open or a new class starting. But there’s one Techstars program in particular that often has a Portland startup among its cohort: Techstars Seattle. And the 2021 cohort is no different. Portland’s Edify is part of this class.
Read MoreGlobal Online Startup Weekend Unite to Fight COVID-19 USA West takes place April 24-26, 2020
Looking for more ways to put your knowledge to work in the wake of this pandemic? Techstars, a global network of startup support and accelerator programs, is bringing their Startup Weekend model to help. With the Global Online Startup Weekend Unite to Fight COVID-19, a series of 54-hour sprints around the world seeking creative solutions to our most pressing issues.
Read MoreThen there were four: Portland startup Caravel selected for Techstars Seattle
Last week, we heard that three Portland startups had been selected for Techstars programs. This week, we heard that a fourth Portland startup, Caravel, had been picked to participate in a third program, Techstars Seattle.
Read MoreTwo Techstars take three Portland startups
Okay okay okay. Maybe I’m still a bit sore that Techstars passed Portland up to make Seattle its Northwest presence. (Admittedly, they made the right decision.) Or maybe it’s the fact that we were only home to a Techstars for a brief shining three months thanks to the inaugural “powered by” program.
Read MoreUpcoming startup accelerator events: Techstars at the beginning and Oregon Enterprise Blockchain Venture Studio at the end
I told you October is chock full of events… For startup founders, keeping track of all of the accelerator programs can be a challenge. So I wanted to make sure a couple of upcoming events were on your radar. One will help you decide on potential accelerators. Another will help you understand what participating in the culmination of an accelerator—affectionately referred to as “demo day”—is like.
Read MoreSome 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.
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.