Many technology and science start-ups that require outside capital have found investor groups with open doors but closed wallets this past year. But not everyone has struck out. Come hear how two early stage new ventures have closed their Series A rounds and are well on their way with Series B rounds. Also on the panel will be two early stage VCs who have their finger on the pulse of the changing investor market and can give the inside scoop on what to expect for 2010.

RSVP to [email protected] This event is free of charge, bring a lunch if desired.

Startup Magic .Live is a 1/2 day workshop for entrepreneurs lead by serial entrepreneur and lead mentor from Google's Launchpad Accelerator Chris Heuer. Leveraging his insights from over two decades of advising, consulting and mentoring startups around the world, this workshop will teach you secrets that improve your chances for startup success.

Join us to learn the 10 essential pieces of magic that will differentiate you and your startup from the thousands of others vying for attention from potential cofounders, investors, customers and early supporters. Work with Chris to improve the foundation upon which you will build your startup and begin serving customers.

Have an idea for a new venture, or need help growing your existing venture? Want to learn more about equity financing and the options available in Oregon? Join Laura Kubisiak and Ana Chaud for an interactive session on resources available to entrepreneurs looking to start a new business, as well as existing ventures looking for higher growth.

Laura Kubisiak is the Venture Catalyst for Washington County and will talk about the services and resources for early-stage entrepreneurs, as well discuss equity financing to raise capital. She will be joined by Ana Chaud, founder of Garden Bar. Ana successfully sold the business in 2019 and is now giving back to the entrepreneurial community in a variety of ways, including as a TiE Oregon angel investor and an Executive Partner in Elevate Capital. She’ll share her experience as an entrepreneur, as well as her thoughts on working with angel investors and venture capital firms.

Topics to be discussed:
• The Venture Catalyst (VC) Network
• The VC Services in Washington County
• Equity Financing as part of the Funding Ladder
• Types of Equity Investors
• Local Venture Funds
• Straight Scoop from Ana on being an Entrepreneur and an Investor

The focus is on traded sector, but all business are welcome!
There will be plenty of time for questions.

Speaker Backgrounds:

Laura Kubisiak serves as the Venture Catalyst for Washington County. She is an “on the ground” resource for helping traded-sector companies start-up and scale-up. She meets one-on-one with entrepreneurs, assesses their business needs, and then connects them to people, programs and financial capital to help fuel their growth. Laura also leads programming to educate entrepreneurs and give them an opportunity to network with others in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Prior to this role, Laura served as a senior executive in marketing, sales and business development at companies ranging from start-up to Fortune 500.

Ana Chaud started her career as a financial and business manager in the San Francisco Bay Area. In January 2014, Ana co-founded Garden Bar, the first fast casual, salad concept restaurant in the NW. In five years, Garden Bar grew ~600% in revenue and expanded from 9 to 120 employees. In 2019, Garden Bar was acquired by Evergreens, which provided Ana with a full circle experience – from concept to exit. Ana recently joined the Board at TiE Oregon and will share her insights on being an entrepreneur, as well as investing in new ventures through TiE Angels and Elevate Capital.

WHAT: Westside Pitch is a startup competition for Washington County entrepreneurs seeking to showcase their early-stage businesses and pitch their venture concept to a panel of local investors. Plus, thanks to generous sponsors, we are thrilled to offer several cash prizes: • First place $5,000 • Second place $2,500 The team is also seeking offerings of in-kind services provided by local businesses, such as accountants and attorneys.

WHO’S ELIGIBLE: Early-stage business ventures that currently operate or plan to operate in Washington County, Oregon, as well as people living in Washington County, are eligible to compete. Selected businesses will have developed or be in the process of developing a unique, scalable product or service that solves a major industry problem. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1INTyR-jntmZiZYVWxnARqQGq9yeQlNFkp-_9swDmrOk/viewform?ts=611ee6d2&edit_requested=true&fbzx=111765315301126417

WHEN: Thursday, March 10, 2022 at the Walters Cultural Arts Center in Hillsboro

DON’T WANT TO COMPETE: Join us in celebrating these innovative entrepreneurs! General admissions tickets can be purchased here: Purchase here https://oregon.tie.org/westside-pitch-2022/

KEY DATES: January 5, 2022 — Application process opens February 4, 2022 — Application deadline by 5pm PT February 21, 2022 — Finalist Announcement March 10, 2022 — Westside Pitch Competition

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: • Gold Sponsors: Washington County, City of Hillsboro, PGE • Silver Sponsors: City of Tigard, City of Sherwood, City of Beaverton, City of Tualatin • Supporting Sponsors: TiE Oregon, Buchalter, Vertigo Brewing (providing beer), D’Anu Wines (providing wine) • Appetizers provided by the Latina entrepreneurs who have graduated from the Adelante Mujeres Cocinemos Program

Join us for the first StartupGrind event in Portland in years, focusing on the journey of early-stage startups. This event will highlight insightful discussions with founders who have successfully bootstrapped their way through the pre-seed stage, navigating the challenges of building products from the ground up. Learn from their experiences, gain practical advice, and connect with the local startup community. Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale, this event is designed to inspire and equip you with the tools to grow your startup.

Sponsored by UpStart Collective and First City Foundry

Don’t miss this chance to network and learn from entrepreneurs who've been through it all!