Have you ever wondered if your product truly has the upside you believe—or have sold to your investors? Given the remarkable failure rate of new products, it’s worth understanding what separates the winners from the losers, and how you can see more clearly which of those paths you’re on.

“From Half-Baked to Fully-Baked: Getting Your Product Right for Faster Market Uptake” is for entrepreneurs who run lean and can’t afford a new product failure. The talk is based on case studies with local Inc.-5000 companies that, while smart, made product blunders costing millions of dollars because of overconfidence and hubris.

Launching a life sciences company requires more than a breakthrough idea—it demands building the right corporate foundation from day one. In this Virtual Lunch & Learn session, aspiring founders will gain practical, actionable insight into two core pillars of early‑stage biotech company formation. First, we will cover why corporate formation matters and what founders need to get right early on: choosing the appropriate corporate structure, properly issuing founder equity, creating and maintaining a clean cap table, establishing a functional board of directors, and preparing for future financing. These elements are essential for attracting investors, protecting founder ownership, and avoiding preventable legal and operational pitfalls.

Second, attendees will learn what to expect when in‑licensing foundational intellectual property from a university, academic medical center, or research institution—the critical step that often enables company formation in life sciences. We will demystify the tech transfer process, discuss typical economic and diligence terms, and highlight common negotiation and operational considerations so founders understand both the opportunities and obligations that come with licensing core IP. Whether you are preparing to launch your first venture or exploring commercial pathways for your science, this session will provide clarity, context, and confidence as you take the next steps on your entrepreneurial journey.

Oregon's Flagship Startup Hiring Event

​The Oregon Hiring Festival brought to you by MeeBoss, Oregon Entrepreneur Network [OEN], and WeWork, is HERE! We'll be bringing together 10+ hiring companies and ~100+ job seekers for an afternoon of matchmaking, conversation, and in-person connections.

​Here’s how it works: once you register, MeeBoss will get your open roles live within 48 hours. Our match-first, chat-first platform connects you directly with qualified candidates ahead of time so you can begin conversations online before the event. Then, at the festival, you’ll meet those candidates face-to-face at your booth, alongside new walk-ups who discover your team on the spot.

​​To keep things flowing smoothly, the hiring block runs for three hours straight. While some job seekers step out for lunch or attend the panel discussion, others stay engaged at the booths. Creating a natural rotation and steady candidate flow without overwhelming lines. Please bring more then one person to support your booth.

​​This streamlined format guarantees high-quality interactions while giving you the buzz, PR spotlight, and networking energy of a full-day festival, but without requiring your team to commit an entire day.

Think & Drink Trivia Night is back at OBI and we’re kicking off the year strong.

Join us at the Oregon Bioscience Incubator for an evening of dinner, drinks, and smart competition. Whether you roll in with friends or show up solo, you’ll be placed on a team of four or fewer to keep things fair and fun. No trivia steamrolling allowed.

Your ticket includes a hearty catered dinner and two drink tickets to fuel both your brain and your confidence.

Expect classic pub-style trivia covering a wide range of general knowledge topics. Nothing too obscure, nothing too easy, and just challenging enough to spark a little trash talk.

Doors open at 5:30 PM for networking and mingling. Trivia starts promptly at 6:00 PM and yes, there will be prizes worth bragging about.

Come for the trivia. Stay for the community. Leave with bragging rights.

Built from the Core: Values that Guide is a focused, one-hour virtual webinar designed for entrepreneurs navigating the complexity of building and scaling bioscience ventures. Participants will identify their core values and examine how those values show up in real-world professional decisions, particularly in high-stakes, regulated environments. Through a practical, values-based decision tool, founders will learn how to bring clarity and consistency to tough choices involving science, speed, and more. The session closes with actionable strategies to stay grounded amid uncertainty, enabling entrepreneurs to lead with intention, credibility, and confidence as they grow their organizations.

Being in bioscience, your world is all about R&D—Research and Development. It's the protocols, the trials, and the data. And there's another R&D...the one that kicks in when your experiment fails, funding gets weird, or your team is just plain burnt out. This is Leadership R&D—Resilience and Determination. It’s the core skill set for navigating the uncertainty, failure, and long-term grind of innovation. Come spend your lunch hour to get research-backed, practical tools to build real resilience for yourself, and learn how to create an environment where your team can do the same. Join business coach Josh Ellison for a candid, insightful, and supportive session where you’ll walk away with strategies you can use to practice Leadership R&D that same afternoon.

This month in the spirit of our strong Portland community we're holding our founder.coffee at Heretic Coffee Co, which recently raised money for many of our neighbors losing Snap benefits.

The objective of this meetup is for you to connect with your fellow founders, talk about what you are struggling with, and just get to know the community.

Hope to see you all there!

Josh & Mark

As a business owner, you are faced with many challenges. You're forced to make decisions every day that could make or break your business. founder.coffee is a way to network with other entrepreneurs to allow free-flowing information with the intent to collaborate and help each other. So often we're challenged, and there's very little we can do to express our challenges with the people we work with or the people we care about. Think of founder.coffee as your own personal support group for business owners. We're all here to help!

RSVP (free): https://www.meetup.com/founder-coffee/events/311802451/

Join Us for OBI’s December Accelerate Biotech Happy Hour

This is it. The most attended and most popular Happy Hour of the entire year. If networking had a season finale, this would be it.

Come connect with innovators, founders, researchers, and bioscience professionals at our December Accelerate Happy Hour, proudly sponsored by Davis Wright Tremaine. Whether you are building something new, scouting opportunities, or trying to remember what life felt like before you lived in your inbox, this event will boost your energy before the holiday chaos arrives.

When: Thursday, December 4, 2025 | 5:30 to 7:00 PM Where: OBI Event Space | Suite 230

What you can expect:

• Packed room with new faces and fresh perspectives from biotech, digital health, and medical devices • A relaxed, collaborative space where ideas and introductions happen without forced small talk • Light food and beverages while you grow your network and your confidence

Want to share what you are working on? We offer quick two minute speaking spots at future Happy Hours. These spots are currently open beginning in March 2026. If you'd like to get on the list, email [email protected].

RSVP now and close out the year with the people who understand the joy of things like clean data and well formatted slide decks.

Are you an aspiring or early-stage entrepreneur exploring the world of AI?

Join us for a free, interactive webinar to learn more about the Oregon AI Accelerator — a new premier program designed to help founders turn their AI ideas into scalable businesses.

During this session, you’ll:

Get a clear overview of the Oregon AI Accelerator — who we are, our mission, and what makes the program unique. oregonaiaccelerator.com

Understand the benefits: mentorship, technical assistance, access to investors, and collaboration with Oregon’s top tech organizations and universities. oregonaiaccelerator.com

Explore the application process: eligibility criteria, timeline, and what we look for in prospective founders.

Ask your questions live: we’ll dedicate time to a Q&A so you can get clarity on whether this accelerator is a good fit for you.

Learn next steps: how to apply, key dates, and how to prepare a strong application.

Are you an aspiring or early-stage entrepreneur exploring the world of AI?

Join us for a free, interactive webinar to learn more about the Oregon AI Accelerator — a new premier program designed to help founders turn their AI ideas into scalable businesses.

During this session, you’ll:

Get a clear overview of the Oregon AI Accelerator — who we are, our mission, and what makes the program unique. oregonaiaccelerator.com

Understand the benefits: mentorship, technical assistance, access to investors, and collaboration with Oregon’s top tech organizations and universities. oregonaiaccelerator.com

Explore the application process: eligibility criteria, timeline, and what we look for in prospective founders.

Ask your questions live: we’ll dedicate time to a Q&A so you can get clarity on whether this accelerator is a good fit for you.

Learn next steps: how to apply, key dates, and how to prepare a strong application.

Join Us for OBI’s November Accelerate Biotech Happy Hour!

Fall is in full swing, and so is the momentum at OBI. Come mix and mingle with innovators, entrepreneurs, and bioscience professionals at our November Accelerate Happy Hour, generously sponsored by Davis Wright Tremaine. Whether you’re building a startup, supporting the ecosystem, or simply curious about what’s next in biotech and digital health, you’ll find yourself in the right place.

When: Thursday, November 6, 2025 | 5:30–7:00 PM Where: OBI Event Space | Suite 230

RSVP now and be part of the energy fueling Oregon’s bioscience community!

Using Intellectual Property to Grow Your Business Local experts will share invaluable insights into the world of innovation and business creation. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned small business owner, a university researcher with a revolutionary discovery, or a student charting your career path, this panel is for you!

Our speakers will delve into topics critical for any startup or university researcher,, offering firsthand accounts and advice on:

Intellectual Property (IP): Learn how to protect your brilliant ideas, from patents and copyrights to trademarks, and understand their strategic importance in the marketplace.

Starting Companies: Gain practical guidance on launching and scaling a successful business, navigating the challenges and seizing opportunities.

Licensing University Research: Discover the pathways for translating academic breakthroughs into commercial products and services, fostering collaboration between academia and industry.

Entrepreneurship: Hear inspiring stories and actionable strategies from those who have built their own empires, offering a candid look at the journey of an entrepreneur.

Featuring an expert lineup:

Justin Wagner - McCoy|Russell

Anna Brown - Stark Street Materials Corporation

Mark Ronay - Ronay Labs (founder, LiquidWire)

Andrew Greenberg - APDM/Tova/PSU

Dr. Robert Strongin - Captis Biotechnologies/PSU

This is a unique opportunity to learn from the best, network with like-minded individuals, and gain the tools you need to propel your ideas forward.

Your homework: Enter this prompt into the GenAI platform of choice: You're a savvy VC scouting for seed or Series A investments in (Life Science or Biotech or Medical Devices or etc) Produce a list of the top startups with the greatest potential for a significant return on investment which are likely to be seeking funding in the [name your industry vertical ex: epigenomics space]. Provide a brief summary on your rationale for choosing the companies, contact information, web addresses, and social channels for each.

Join our discussion with CEO and Founder of Seattle-based s2s Public Relations and Communications Eric Schudiske to learn the latest communications strategies to ensure you're building awareness to reach investors, potential partners, and increase equity in your brand. Don't forget to complete your homework, grades will be given!

Reserve Your Spot Today

Investor, entrepreneur and startup advocate Josh Carter from Upstart Collective answers your questions about how best to fund your early stage startup idea.

Are you an entrepreneur, community leader, or simply curious about fostering innovation in the Portland metro region? Join us for an engaging Information Session to learn about the Metro Region Innovation Hub!

📅 Date: September 24, 2025

⏰ Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm

📍 Location: Metro Region Innovation Hub

What You’ll Learn:

The vision and mission behind the Metro Region Innovation Hub.

Insights from research that shaped the Hub’s design, including the key challenges entrepreneurs face.

An overview of the Hub’s programs, including the Navigator Program, Skills Development, and Mentorship opportunities.

How the Hub fosters equity, inclusion, and collaboration across Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties.

Ways to get involved and benefit from the Hub’s resources.

Who Should Attend:

Entrepreneurs in the Portland Metro area at any stage of their journey.

Community members passionate about supporting innovation and economic growth.

Representatives from business service providers, investors, and academic institutions.

Anyone interested in learning how the Hub plans to make the Portland metro region a leader in inclusive innovation.

Why Attend: This session is your chance to connect with the the Hub, ask questions, and explore how this initiative can support your goals or community efforts.

🎟️ Registration: Attendance is free, but registration is required!

Let’s build a thriving, inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem together. See you there!

A unique opportunity for developers, vibe coders, and entrepreneurs to own a part of the AI healthcare ecosystem. Over the course of the day teams will prototype how they envision AI improving the health journey. Participants will learn about jobs that need to be done along the journey and a panel of healthcare experts available for discover.

Independent financial backers will attend the demos where teams will compete for cash prizes and potentially backing for POC development. CodyMD Accelerator will also be on the hunt for CodyMD Founders. If selected you will have access to a robust suite of resources including HIPAA compliant tech stack with token allowance, active CodyMD users for UAT and low cost customer acquisition, a proven go to market playbook, and expertise to help launch. Everything you need to launch your POC in weeks.

Join Us For Our First Hack & Back. Register To Attend Prizes A chance to win cash, get backed by an independent backer, and/or become a CodyMD Founder. Win Cash - Awards will be given for Gold ($1000), Silver ($500), and Bronze ($250)

Get Backed - Connect with independent backers at the demo and awards reception.

CodyMD Founder - Get the opportunity to build your POC in weeks on the CodyMD platform. Get access to customers to test your concept, prototype in a HIPAA compliant environment, and get the coaching to secure your seed round.

The Brief Demonstrate how AI can improve the health journey by completing a job to be done. CodyMD envisions an ecosystem of AI bots or agents performing a number of jobs to help make the healthcare journey more delightful, efficient, and effective. From pre-care, to care, to post-care the healthcare journey is defined by a number of “jobs” that need to be done by patients and providers. Currently these jobs are done with a lot of elbow grease and hundreds of incompatible systems. Redundancy and inefficiency reign as people wade their way through the friction in the system trying to complete hundreds of jobs including self diagnosis, health history, and payment.

Expert Panel Participants will have access to an expert panel of healthcare innovators and experts. Ask a panel of experts about how and why friction points exist in the health journey. Leverage insights to create your prototype.

Judges Our judges include leaders in health tech innovation, venture capital, and design/branding.

Laurel Burton is the CEO of Instrument, where she is leading the company to become the most iconic design and technology firm in the world. With deep expertise in emerging technologies, Laurel is a driving force in advancing the industry, transforming how businesses connect, create, and scale. A strategic builder and visionary leader, she brings a relentless commitment to innovation, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and charting the future of design and technology with confidence and purpose.

Portland-based entrepreneur and Portland Seed Fund Venture Partner Shashi Jain invests in deep-tech startups. A former Senior Strategic Innovation Manager at Intel, he pioneered applications in healthcare, AI for space, and blockchain. Shashi teaches entrepreneurship to high school students through TYE Oregon, mentors early-stage founders, and serves on the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum board. His book, The 100 Coffees Project, is forthcoming. Jain is passionate about innovation and supporting future innovators.

Kirk Gerner is the CEO of Health Interfaces, specializing in early-stage healthcare innovation and commercialization. With a background in strategic development and partnerships at Samaritan Health Services, he has been instrumental in launching and scaling health tech ventures globally. Kirk is committed to fostering equitable, data-driven healthcare solutions and actively supports startups through governance and investment.

Emery Han leads investments and corporate partnerships at Plug and Play, one of the world’s most active VC firms and open innovation platforms. Previously, he served as VP at Digital Domain and a technology investor at CMIG Capital. Emery holds a Master’s in Management Science from Stanford GSB and a BA from Columbia University.

Mohan Nair is a healthcare innovation leader and CEO of Emerge® USA, bringing over 30 years of executive experience driving transformational change in the health sector. As former Chief Innovation Officer at Cambia Health Solutions, he led groundbreaking initiatives that merged technology, data, and design thinking to reimagine care delivery. Mohan is passionate about mentoring the next generation of innovators and brings a keen eye for scalable, purpose-driven solutions that make a real-world impact.

The BUILDING BETTER BUSINESSES TOGETHER - 2025 Entrepreneur and Small Business Fair is a free public event showcasing the diversity of programs and services specifically designed for small businesses in the Mt. Hood Community College service area. Discover local city, county, state, and federal incentive programs, products and services available through financial institutions, the benefits of chambers of commerce, and how to access low to no-cost business advising and counseling services. Business owners will enjoy panel discussions on business and industry, one-on-one sessions, and networking opportunities with like-minded individuals. Registration is required for food and refreshment planning purposes. Local resources for your business

Business and industry panel discussions

Food & refreshments included with registration

Open to the Public - Registration is required Register today! Location: Mt. Hood Community College Vista Dining Hall/Town and Gown - 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Or 97030

Remember that amazing founder you saw on stage a few years ago? Where are they now? We want you to know.

That's why Built Oregon, Latino Founders, Pitch Black, Pitch Latino, PIE (Portland Incubator Experiment), and Vanport Studio are partnering to celebrate Pride Month with founders and community leaders by learning more about their journeys.

Join us for an evening of fireside chats hosted by Built Oregon mentor and board member Karmen Olson as we all get up to date on the latest and greatest from founders in our community.

Thanks to Instrument for hosting and to Prosper Portland for sponsoring.

When an entrepreneur has an idea for a startup, they often want to know: How good of a startup idea is this, really?

​In other words: How much should time and money should I invest in my startup idea?

This is where Nascent Startups 🪺 comes in.

​Nascent Startups methodology empowers early-stage founders (those still in the idea/validation phase with no customers) to quantitatively assess the strength of their startup idea in dollars ($). Nascent methodology enables entrepreneurs with minimal data to make faster, more confident decisions about the most important aspect of their startup idea: how much of their time, money and effort to invest. ​

​In this 2-hour interactive webinar, you’ll walk through a case study where a founder applied Nascent methodology and came to a decision by investing just 10 days and $0.

​What past participants are saying: ​“I love how applicable so many of the frameworks are. Everyone claims to have a one-size-fits-all solution—Nascent gives you Legos instead.” — Program Coordinator at an incubator

​“I thought that was an awesome presentation. I’ve attended every single workshop [at this startup incubator] since the beginning of last year. I think this is the best one.” — Founder of a medical education startup

​“I used the tools from this workshop to build a money-saving proposal to the NIH. I’m using the Quantified Pain Histogram for my patient profile—it's helping me translate ideas into a proposal that I can actually sell.” — PhD Candidate & Medical Doctor

​“Mike, your workshop was amazing. I was so excited for it to continue.” — Founder at a sports tech startup

Part of Portland Startup Week 2025

Remember that amazing founder you saw on stage a few years ago? Where are they now? We want you to know.

That's why Built Oregon, Latino Founders, Pitch Black, Pitch Latino, PIE (Portland Incubator Experiment), and Vanport Studio are partnering to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) founders and community leaders by learning more about their journeys.

Join us for an evening of fireside chats hosted by PIE mentor and alum Julia Niiro as we all get up to date on the latest and greatest from founders in our community.

For previous, "Where are they now…?" events see:

• Celebrating Black founders
• Celebrating women founders

Thanks to Instrument for hosting and to Prosper Portland for sponsoring.

PLEASE NOTE: Space is limited. Only registered attendees will be admitted.

We are headed BACK to Deadstock coffee as part of Portland Startup Week 2025! If you are unfamiliar, this legendary coffeeshop in Portland is founded by Ian Williams, a 2023 James Beard Media Award winner. Ian is a former Nike shoe designer turned coffee roaster and has won a ton of awards and accolades for his work in the community. He is the unofficial mayor of Old Town and works tirelessly to give back to the community.

This event is open to all area founders. We can't wait to learn more about what you are working on and how we can be helpful.

As always, be there thinking about ways you can help your fellow founders. No selling, no solicitations, just good conversations!

Josh & Mark

About founder.coffee: As a business owner, you are faced with many challenges. You're forced to make decisions every day that could make or break your business. founder.coffee is a way to network with other entrepreneurs to allow free-flowing information with the intent to collaborate and help each other. So often we're challenged and there's very little we can do to express our challenges with the people we work with or the people we care about. Think of founder.coffee as your own personal support group for business owners. We're all here to help!

Event Details: ​What is the PNW Battery Collaborative?: A community of battery entrepreneurs, scientists, and enthusiasts united to make the PNW the nation's leading hub of battery innovation.

​​What is this event?: Join us for an evening mixer with fellow battery innovators to exchange ideas, spark new partnerships, and explore opportunities to launch the next big breakthrough in battery technology. The main focus of the event will be a round of lightning talks by local battery innovators (~5 mins each), audience Q&A, and an opportunity for attendees to share announcements and learn about battery jobs/resource opportunities. This event is preceded by multiple meetups and site visits organized by the PNW Battery Collaborative in Seattle and attended by an aggregated total of nearly 200 participants.

​Why now?: The PNW is quickly becoming a key hub for battery innovation in the US. To maintain our region's competitive advantage and effectively support other regions in deploying batteries it is crucial that our local battery community be cohesive and inclusive.

​Who can join?: Any PNW locals working in or interested in supporting the region's battery industry.

​​Run of Show: - 5:30pm-6:00: check-in - ​6:00-6:15: introductions, agenda overview, & battery comms exercise - 6:15-6:35: lightening talks by speakers (listed below) - 6:35-6:50: speaker panel & audience Q&A - 6:50-7:00: audience announcements, resources, & job opportunities - 7:00-7:30: informal networking

​Lightening Talk Speakers:

• Grayson Shor, Founder (PNW Battery Collaborative)

• Duncan Miller, CEO (Rose City Robotics)

• Drew Lebowitz, Principal and Managing Director (PowerSwitch)

• Danny Lu, Senior Vice President (Powin Energy)

• Tyson Bittrich, Market Research Analyst (Mayfield Renewables)

• Shelly Whitlock, Executive Director of Development (Polaris Battery Labs)

​If you would like to speak at this event please reach out to event co-hosts Grayson Shor and Duncan Miller

​​Logistics: ​This event is hosted at the Metro Region Innovation Hub (google link)

​Please arrive between 5:30pm-6:00pm to sign-in. Programming will begin promptly at 6:00pm

​This event is free, please RSVP in advance

​This is an in-person only event

​​Have questions?: Reach out to event co-hosts Grayson Shor & Duncan Miller

​How to stay up to date on Collaborative activities?: Join our events calendar and our LinkedIn page

​========================================

​​Thank you to our generous sponsors: ​Metro Region Innovation Hub: is the hub for business innovation in the Portland metro region.

​Prosper Portland Green Cities: supporting companies producing innovative products, services, and technologies that address the climate crisis and solve environmental challenges.

UpStart Collective: a community-driven collaboration space for founders.

​Portland State University Business Accelerator: supports and serves the entrepreneur ecosystem and local startups from their early stage through growth.

​========================================

​​The views and opinions expressed by speakers during this event are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policies, positions, or perspectives of the organizers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. The event is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Attendees are encouraged to independently evaluate the information shared and seek additional professional advice where applicable.

Location Metro Region Innovation Hub 2130 SW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97201, USA

Event Details: ​​​Lightning Talk Speakers:

• ​​Rober Topple, Founder & CEO Electron Robotics
• Joseph Cole, Founder & CTO Rose City Robotics
• Spencer Lindsay, Founder E-tribe
• Erin Galiger, Director North American Markets at ROCSYS

​​What is the Rose City Robotics Collaborative?: A collaborative community of robotics entrepreneurs, scientists, machine learning experts, tinkerers, and fellow enthusiasts united to establish the PNW as the premier U.S. hub for robotics innovation.

​​Why join Collaborative meetings?: To meet with fellow robotics innovators to exchange ideas, spark new partnerships, and explore opportunities to launch the next big breakthroughs in robotics technology.

​​Who can join?: Any PNW locals actively involved in developing, deploying, or advancing robotics technology across various sectors.

​​How to stay up to date on Collaborative activities?: Join our newsletter and our LinkedIn page.

​​Thank you to our generous sponsors: ​Metro Region Innovation Hub: The hub for business innovation in the Portland metro region.

UpStart Collective: a community-driven collaboration space for founders.

​Portland State University Business Accelerator: supports and serves the entrepreneur ecosystem and local startups from their early stage through growth.

Location Metro Region Innovation Hub 2130 SW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97201, USA

Portland Design Thinkers is excited to present Chad Reynolds: AI Powered By People

AI agents are reshaping customer interactions, enhancing productivity, and revolutionizing brand engagement.

Hear from Vurvey Labs CEO, Chad Reynolds, about how they are deploying AI agents powered by people across three critical use cases: Consumer Personas, AI Assistants, and Brand Companions.

This presentation highlights success stories across research, design, innovation, and marketers at global brands and agencies.

About our Speaker: Chad Reynolds is an American entrepreneur best known as the Founder & CEO of Vurvey Labs. Reynolds is considered to be one of the pioneers in Co-creation, who in 2008 developed collaborative research and design practices that have since been adopted by leading insight agencies and global brands. In 2015, Reynolds co-founded OCEAN, a startup accelerator who has funded over 60+ high tech ventures from over 10+ countries.

Reynolds graduated from University of Cincinnati’s renowned DAAP program (2000) and founded a series of successful technology and new business ventures. His latest company, Vurvey Labs, is pioneering the use of AI powered by people to make global research and innovation easily accessible for all companies. He is also the co-host of AI Powered by People, a weekly podcast detailing AI's impact on research, design, and human creativity.

As a founder or entrepreneur starting a new venture, validating your early-stage idea can be challenging. Getting relevant feedback and understanding key considerations is crucial, especially for first-time founders.

That's why Be01 built Flyway - a tool to help founders, entrepreneurs, and idea builders brainstorm, validate, and strengthen early business or product ideas. It helps evaluate each idea across dimensions like market viability, feasibility, and profitability, while providing guidance to navigate the early exploration phase. It's a resource to aid those looking to start new ventures and to support the community of builders.

Come join the meet up to

• Get a live demo and early access to Flyway
• Q&A
• Come check it out

Flyway has been in closed beta and recently began expanding to more founders who can benefit from the tool.

Flyway founder Sungjoon Steve Won has helped bring new products to life, from startups to larger companies such as Coda, Microsoft, and Samsung. Steve is currently running Be01, a software studio focused on creating better tools for ideas and idea builders.

Jonathan Evans is the maverick entrepreneur who saw drones before they were cool. As the cofounder of Skyward—a leader in drone operations—and KinectAir, he’s been at the forefront of integrating aerial technology into our everyday world. Jonathan’s knack for spotting opportunities in uncharted territory has made him a pivotal figure in reshaping airspace management and redefining how we capture and use aerial data.
He isn’t just following trends; he’s challenging the status quo, turning complex problems into innovative solutions that literally lift off the ground.
About the Startup Conversations Event
Each month we host a local founder who will give a short presentation about their company. They will focus on how it all got started, where they are today, and their plans for the future including the challenges they face to make their goals happen.
Following the presentation our host, Dave Barcos will dig into the founder's background, the company's story, and other observations. After the interview, we will have an audience Q&A session to help attendees ask direct questions of the presenter.
It has proven to be a great format to catalyze the local founders and the startups in the region. You won't want to miss it.
For more details on other North Bank events check our event calendar at https://www.northbankinnovations.org/events
About North Bank Innovations
North Bank Innovations is an organization based in Southwest Washington, committed to building a thriving ecosystem that helps early-stage startups.
Please note, that we encourage genuine networking, not hunting for sales or leads. If you are genuinely starting or working with a startup, this is the right crowd for you. Thanks for helping us keep it real.

Remember that amazing founder you saw on stage a few years ago? Where are they now? We want you to know.

That's why Built Oregon, Pitch Black, Pitch Latino, PIE, and Vanport Studio are partnering to celebrate women founders from our programs by learning more about the journeys of our alums since we last saw them on stage — even if that journey no longer involves startups.

Join us for an evening of fireside chats hosted by PIE mentor and community organizer Cami Kaos as we all get up to date on the latest and greatest from founders in our community.

Thanks to Prosper Portland for sponsoring.

PLEASE NOTE: Space is limited. Only registered attendees will be admitted.

Paul Anthony Troiano is an artist, entrepreneur, and investor. As an entrepreneur and investor, he’s had successful exits across the music, tech, manufacturing, hospitality, creative agency, and commercial real estate sectors. Artistically, Paul has collaborated with Grammy-award-winning artists, curated multi-million dollar art experiences, and exhibited his bespoke interactive music installations at festivals across North America.

Paul's philanthropic efforts include co-founding the startup accelerator Starve Ups, the TEDxPortland speaker conference, and the RAINMaker Fund at the University of Oregon, committing over $300,000 to provide annual $5,000 seed grants to student entrepreneurs. Currently, Troiano serves as the Co-Founder and President of Metrognome, a provider of music rehearsal facilities to thousands of musicians, scaling from the Pacific Northwest across the United States.

About the Startup Conversations Event Each month we host a local founder who will give a short presentation about their company. They will focus on how it all got started, where they are today, and their plans for the future including the challenges they face to make their goals happen.

Following the presentation our host, Dave Barcos will dig into the founder's background, the company's story, and other observations. After the interview, we will have an audience Q&A session to help attendees ask direct questions of the presenter. It has proven to be a great format to catalyze the local founders and the startups in the region. You won't want to miss it.

For more details on other North Bank events check our event calendar at https://www.northbankinnovations.org/events

About North Bank Innovations North Bank Innovations is an organization based in Southwest Washington, committed to building a thriving ecosystem that helps early-stage startups.

Please note, that we encourage genuine networking, not hunting for sales or leads. If you are genuinely starting or working with a startup, this is the right crowd for you. Thanks for helping us keep it real.

Remember that amazing founder you saw on stage a few years ago? Where are they now? We want you to know.

That's why Built Oregon, Pitch Black, PIE, and Vanport Studio are partnering to celebrate Black founders from our programs by learning more about the journeys of our alums since we last saw them on stage — even if that journey no longer involves startups.

Join us for an evening of fireside chats hosted by Stephen Green, founder of Pitch Black and Vanport Studio, as we all get up to date on the latest and greatest from founders in our community.

Graciously hosted by Instrument, a longtime supporter, sponsor, and host for Pitch Black and current home of Vanport Studio.

PLEASE NOTE: Space is limited. Only registered attendees will be admitted.

The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), and partner Xcelerate Women, invite you to a dynamic gathering on Thursday, January 30th starting at 8:00 am where entrepreneur support and community organizations from the Portland Metro area will pitch their services, programs, accelerators and engagement opportunities directly to entrepreneurs, startup founders and business owners in 2 minutes with just a microphone!

Unlike traditional startup pitch events where founders give the pitch, we are flipping the script and bringing together organizations to pitch the services they offer that help entrepreneurs succeed.

Entrepreneurs will walk away from the event not only with new knowledge of regional resources but with valuable connections and actionable steps to help accelerate their business journey, from securing funding to enhancing their leadership skills to accessing support in other critical areas of business growth.

Join us for a morning interacting with the leaders and organizations that can help you figure out how to make your startup idea a reality!

Details

Location: Metro Region Innovation Hub, 2130 SW 5th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97201

Time: 8:00 – 10:30am

Agenda 8:00 am – Doors Open 8:30 am – Reverse Pitch Begins 9:30 am – Resource Fair & Networking 10:30 am – Event Ends

Cost: Free!

Please only register for this event if you are an Oregon or SW Washington founder or entrepreneur at an early, development or growth stage startup.

Why Participate?

Pitch Club is an event where entrepreneurs learn the criteria and methods used by real investors to evaluate their venture as a potential investment. This is done by recreating a typical investor meeting where a few companies pitch and receive feedback from TiE Oregon Charter Members. These meetings follow the same basic agenda of an investor meeting with three sections: the pitch, Q&A, and investor discussion & decision.

Who facilitates Pitch Club? Pitch Club is organized by Kari Naone, TiE Oregon Executive Director and led by Tom Kingsley, a TiE Charter Member who is an investor and successful entrepreneur.

What to expect? Please minimally prepare for a 5-minute pitch. If time permits each person could get up to 10 minutes so be prepared for that as well. This can include a slides/ppt that will be presented from your computer. Directly after pitching, Q&A and discussion will take place.

Those who attend pitch club will walk away with a better understanding of what investors look for in a pitch and how to answer the questions possible investor will ask. In addition, each presenter will receive a digital copy of their pitch and feedback from their peers and TiE Charter Members.

Interested in sponsoring Pitch Club - please contact [email protected].