It starts with a simple seed. But from that seed grows strong, vibrant and sustainable companies that are ripe for investment. Venture Northwest (formerly Venture Oregon) is the premier forum for new and emerging investment opportunities in exciting companies from Oregon, Washington, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Learn about the region's growth segments, explore exciting new technology and research, and connect with entrepreneurs from the area's hottest emerging companies including nanotech, microtech, bioscience, sustainability and more.
This annual conference draws institutional investors and investment bankers from across the western US who are interested in the emerging companies that the Northwest has to offer. Companies that have presented at Venture Oregon have raised over $1.3 billion in venture capital since 1996 and over $68 million in angel investment.
Not all companies who presented had investments reported in Venture Source
Interested in applying to present at Venture Northwest 2008? If so, then visit the Venture Northwest 2008 Application & Guidelines page for more information.

White Buffalo, 4040 Westcliff Drive, Hood River 5:30-7:30 PM Admission: $10 in advance; $15 at the door Information: 541-387-6863

Join us for the Jefferson Grapevine, a gathering of business entrepreneurs, investors, bankers, and others interested in promoting new business development in Southern Oregon. Jefferson Grapevine events celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship in Southern Oregon and strive to provide a unique forum where leaders of growing businesses can network with fellow entrepreneurs, key advisors, business professionals and qualified funding sources. Featured speakers for our November gathering will be David Chen of the Oregon Innovation Council and Bob Ward of Capybara Ventures.

To register for this event, please visit the SOREDI website at www.soredi.org.

Doing anything in a vacuum is not a good idea, so why would you go it alone when starting your business? Creating an effective advisory board can be an inexpensive way to learn from experts who have done it before. You also can gain credibility and you can get connections that can help propel your business forward.

Attend this webinar led by serial entrepreneurs Spencer Brown and Jim Moon and learn what ideas a CEO should consider when forming an advisory board and/or a governing board for their start-up company. They will also discuss the following topics every entrepreneur must consider when forming an advisory board:

* Forming your Board
* Managing your Board
* Compensating your Board
* Replacing your Board Members
* Using your Board Effectively
* Holding your Board Accountable

Speakers - Spencer Brown and Jim Moon

Spencer Brown Spencer Brown is currently consulting for companies preparing for mergers and acquisitions. His prior management experience includes roles as Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at both private and public companies that include Euro RSCG Portland, 800.com, Now Software, Sundance Electronics, TriQuint Semiconductor, GigaBit Logic, CR Technology, and Compact Video. Spencer combines his operational and management expertise with his substantial finance experience, and has managed several mergers and acquisitions aggregating over $250 million. Spencer is also a retired Certified Public Accountant, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He has been a guest speaker at U.C.L.A.'s Graduate School of Management, Marylhurst University, University of Portland, Portland State University, Concordia University, George Fox University and the University of Oregon Law School of Entrepreneurship.

Jim Moon, MSEE, Chief Executive Officer, Lifecom Prior to becoming CEO of Lifecom, Mr. Moon was CEO of Serveron Corporation. He was the founder and CEO of Protocol Systems. Under his leadership Protocol Systems pioneered portable patient-monitoring equipment that remains the standard of the industry. Mr. Moon served as chairman of the Oregon Chapter of the American Electronics Association. He held engineering and management positions with SpaceLabs, Intel, and ESL, Inc. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Santa Clara University.

* Appetizers will be served
* Open to the public
* Door prizes & gift certificates
* Networking mixers
* Space is limited
* Cost is just $5

OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk - Call for Applications - Due Friday, December 4 at 5:00 PM

OEN's Seed Oregon is a unique competition held during four consecutive PubTalk events. The competition is for Oregon and Southwest Washington seed-stage companies who are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. One winner from each preliminary round will move on to a championship round, where a finalist will earn a coveted presenting opportunity at OEN's Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest.

Nine presenting companies in total will be selected to compete in the 2009-2010 Seed Oregon tournament. Each will have 10 minutes to present their concept to the PubTalk audience, followed by a 10 minute Q&A session. Three companies will compete at each of the preliminary rounds, with the audience voting for the winning presentations to move to the championship round.

Online registration for this event closes Wednesday, January 13th. Please register at the door after that time.

Date and Time: January 13th, 2009, 5:15 pm - 7:00 pm Location: Bridgeport Brewpub - 1313 NW Marshall, Portland, Oregon Registration to attend: OEN Member: $15, Non-member: $25

Price to submit application: Member: $75 (includes entry at one PubTalk and the Seed Oregon application fee) Non-Member: $174 (includes entry at one PubTalk, a discounted one year OEN individual membership {$26 savings}, and the Seed Oregon application fee)

WHEN Tuesday, January 13, 2009 5:30-7:30 PM WHERE White Buffalo, 4040 Westcliff Drive, Hood River (Exit 62 off I-84 next to Charburger) WHAT PubTalk™ is an informal event that provides ample time for networking before the program. Typically, two early stage companies present 10 minute pitches to the audience directly after the keynote speaker. These companies are most commonly seeking advisors or capital investment. As well-seasoned executives, keynote speakers provide advice and guidance related to many of the issues, challenges, and opportunities entrepreneurs will face along the path to success. WHO ATTENDS Entrepreneurs, investors, leaders of local companies, business professionals, consultants, and service professionals. AGENDA 5:30 Networking – Drinks & Snacks 6:15 Keynote Speaker: “Preparing your Company for Angel Investment” by Kirk Wright 7:00 Early Stage Company Presentations 7:30 Adjourn for More Networking ADMISSION $10 – includes program & snacks RSVP Contact Bill Fashing, Hood River County Office of Economic Development, 541-387-6863, [email protected] by January 9. Send checks payable to Hood River County to Hood River County Office of Economic Development, 601 State Street, Hood River, OR 97301.

White Buffalo, 4040 Westcliff Drive, Hood River 5:30-7:30 PM Admission: $10 in advance; $15 at the door Information: 541-387-6863

Price: OEN Member Fee: $45.00 Non-member Fee (includes a one-year OEN Individual Membership): $144.00

Visit the OEN events page to register: http://www.memberservicecenter.org/irmweb/wc.dll/orporntw?id=orporntw&doc=events

Off the record with a CEO is an opportunity to visit two successful Oregon entrepreneurs in their place of business.

Participants will briefly tour the business facility, then spend about an hour and a half with the host entrepreneur, asking questions regarding lessons learned through their entrepreneurial experience. Attendees have benefited from frank discussions about the unique challenges the entrepreneurs faced during the growth phase as well as what challenges lie ahead. After they've completed the second visit, the tour ends at a pub for some networking.

The companies featured in the April's "Off the Record" are Castor & Pollux with CEO Brian Connolly and AboutUs with CEO Ray King.

Castor Pollux: Castor & Pollux Pet Works® is a leader in organic and natural products for pets. They are dedicated to uncompromised quality, they celebrate pets in people's lives, and are committed to feeding pets in need.

About us: AboutUs is a wiki for and about businesses, organizations, blogs, forums, and really anything or anyone that has a website. AboutUs aims to provide you with both an introduction to sites in the areas you care about as well as a way to share your knowledge of those websites.

Come learn how these CEOs are succeeding despite really challenging economic times.

Speakers Brian Connolly - Pack Leader, Castor & Pollux A 20-year veteran of the premium pet industry, Brian began his career as a Hong Kong distributor for Iams Company, expanding first to Taiwan and South Korea. In 1991, he began consulting to Iams to drive distribution in New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan.

In 1993, Brian and his wife and business partner Shelley Gunton acquired T&K Pet Products in Portland, building the business from $4 million in revenues to $26 million in 1999.

In 2000, he and Shelley launched Pet Appeal, Inc. d/b/a Castor & Pollux Pet Works. C&P produces Organix, the leading brand of dog and cat organic food and treats, the Natural Ultramix brand of natural food, and Cesar Milan's Dog Whisperer food line.

Brian lives in Portland with his wife and three children. He holds an MBA degree in international marketing from the University of Western Ontario.

Ray King is the CEO of Aboutus.orgRay has worked at four startups and enjoys the technical and business challenges that go along with birthing totally new ideas. In high school he and a friend launched "The Computer Workshop" to train students on the use of Apple II's and IBM PCs. This company was featured on EyeWitness news and the New York Times. Several years later, while in college at M.I.T., he wrote project management software for his father's architectural firm. This project turned into a company, Semaphore, Inc. and in 1990 had risen to be rated #1 among all of the competitors in the space (by ARCHITECTURE Magazine). By 2000, the company had over 2,500 clients, 100 employees and was acquired by Deltek.

Later that year, Ray moved to from New York City to Portland, Oregon to co-found SnapNames.com. Inventing several new ways for people to acquire domain names, the company eventually grew to over $49MM in revenue and was ultimately acquired by Oversee.net. His current venture, AboutUs.org has pioneered the idea of an "editable overlay" for the entire web. Serving over 8 Million unique visitors per month, the company profitably employs 30 people in both Portland and it's branch office in Lahore, Pakistan.

White Buffalo, 4040 Westcliff Drive, Hood River 5:30-7:30 PM Admission: $10 in advance; $15 at the door Information: 541-387-6863

Today, if someone took a poll of your customers and constituents, asking if you matter to them, what do you think the response would be?

If you ceased to exist tomorrow, do you think anyone would care? In other words, has your product, service or brand established an emotional connection with your customers to the extent that they are invested in your enduring success?

You're invited to participate in a dynamic exploration of how to matter with Stewart Emery co-author of the critically acclaimed bestseller Do You Matter? – an insightful analysis of how great design for the human experience builds ardent, lasting bonds between you, your company and your customers.

As author of the international bestseller, Success Built to Last, and leader of Belvedere Consultants, Emery has delivered and led workshops, seminars and keynotes all over the world. On May 27th, he'll talk about design as a total concept from how a product looks, operates, sounds and feels to designing a company culture that is authentic and customer-centric focused – and how it's the cornerstone of your survival in a marketplace of mediocrity. This rare opportunity is one you don't want to miss.

Date & Time: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 4:00 – 6:30 Location: The Hilton Portland, 921 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97204 (The Pavilion Room) Max Light Rail (Trimet Max Pioneer square two blocks from hotel) Cost: $50

Sponsored by: Cappelli Miles [spring] - http://www.cm-spring.com

Visit this site to register for this event: http://www.memberservicecenter.org/irmweb/wc.dll/orporntw?id=orporntw&doc=events/event&kn=80

We're in a world now where people use brands to construct their personal, professional and social identities—where the meaning of a brand is based on the connections between people that transcend charts and graphs. It's all about cultural relevance and emotions—not hype.

Forward '09 is more than an event, or even two events. It's a powerful community where networking and collaboration provide a launching pad for lasting relationships.

Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 Time: 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM

1313 NW Marshall Portland, OR 97209

Join OEN at Bridgeport Brewpub and see Living Harvest Foods, manufacturers of organic and natural hemp food products, share how they grew a relatively unknown food product, hemp seeds, into a $5 million business. Hemp, stigmatized and under-valued in the U.S. over the years, has now become the darling of the natural foods industry. Learn how Living Harvest took a super-food to the top of the category with the development of a patented food technology and by understanding the competitive market arena, brand positioning, and the consumer. www.LivingHarvest.com

Christina Volgyesi, VP Marketing/co-founder of Living Harvest Foods, Inc. brings 12 years of marketing expertise and entrepreneurship to Living Harvest. Following her family's discovery of a local hemp foods company in Vancouver, Canada in 2002, Christina put her passion for health and nutrition to the test, when she committed to bring hemp foods to the U.S.; promising the creation of a consumer friendly and approachable brand that would legitimize hemp along the way. As the company has grown from a home business to a 15 person team, Living Harvest continues to grow market penetration and consumer awareness for its great tasting, nutritious and planet-friendly foods.

Online registration for this event closes Tuesday, June 9th. Please register at the door after that time.

Date and Time: June 10th, 2009, 5:15 pm - 7:00 pm Location: Bridgeport Brewpub - 1313 NW Marshall, Portland, Oregon Registration: OEN Member: $15, Non-member: $25

On June 11th, Greenlight Greater Portland in partnership with the Regional Business Plan, Regional Partners, the City of Portland and the Portland Development Commission host the second-annual regional economic summit: The Greening of Greater Portland. Registration will open at 7:30AM and the program will begin at 8:30AM.

At noon, Greenlight’s annual meeting and luncheon will begin, which will feature the release of the 2009 Greater Portland Prosperity Index and keynote speaker Tom Szaky of Terracycle.

The StartUp Exchange is about bootstrapping in the creation of a software company followed by organic, grassroots growth. Instead of a formal Board of Advisors, we are like a Board of Peers. Our events are for tech startup executives only - sorry services providers you can't attend.

This month's Featured Tech Leader Attendees: Doug Fieldhouse, CEO, Vesta

Meet with peers and people who have "been there" to discuss your most pressing business critical issues, ideas, and concerns. Feel free to pass word along to people. There is plenty of space and beer at Chime.

Request to join the StartUp Exchange group on the social network. It's an invite only group where ideas can be circulated between entrepreneurs.

Here's 4 helpful tips to successfully arrive there:

It's on the eastside of the river

Park under overpass on Morrison or a nearby street

Follow signs leading from door on Morrison to freight elevator

Take freight elevator to 7th Floor

Connect networking 5 : Sustainable Networking, Tue, Jun 23rd Keen Footwear HQs 926 NW 13th Avenue, Ste 210
Portland, OR 97209

Build your network… meet professionals from PDX groups: AMA OEN SAO SECP PRSA AIGA ASMP PAF

Time: 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM Location: Keen Footwear Headquarters

             926 NW 13th Avenue, Suite 210  Portland, OR 97209

Cost: $10 - members & non members Registration Deadline: 06/23/2009 Topic: Connect networking 5 : Sustainable Networking

Appetizers will be served Open to the public Door prize: Networking lunch with a Creative CEO at McCormicks Networking mixers Space is limited

In these tough economic times, Oregon's economy needs innovators and entrepreneurs to develop new opportunities for economic growth. SwapMeet is a great way to meet the people who are the drivers of this effort.

Join us at the OEN SwapMeet, a networking program specifically for people looking to connect with entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and the people who can help Oregon businesses grow.

There's no entrance fee, and no pressure. Just networking, connecting, and a no-host happy hour! We hope to see you there.

This presentation will be a collaboration between Lee Foster and Steven Prewitt at Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt. Steven will present on the legal framework of IP that assists in the creation of economic scarcity. That's what makes an intangible asset valuable! Lee will present on the creative science behind the valuation of various types of intangible assets.

Speakers: Lee Foster and Steven Prewitt

Date and Time: Wednesday August 5, 10:00 am - 112:00 am Location: OEN Online Registration: Members - No Cost Non Members - $30

Come see five companies put it all on the line in a speed pitching competition. In this competition both the judges and the audience will tell the competitors if they’ve got what it takes to be a fundable company. A winner will be selected by the judges who will advance to the first round of OEN’s Seed Oregon: http://www.oen.org/events_seed.aspx. The audience favorite will be mentioned on the OEN blog.

After the judges select the winner by voting with OEN Dollars, the judges will give feedback on each presentation, explain how they chose the winner, and answer questions from the audience and the contestants.

Interested in Competing? To apply to "So You Think You Can Pitch?" visit the So you think you can Pitch Competition Community and submit your materials by Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

There you will need to submit the following information: (1) A copy of your executive summary – (no need for secret sauce or specific numbers, simply publish what you are willing to present in public) (2) A brief explanation (no more than 1 page, 12 pt font, single spaced) of why you think your company is a promising investment.

Registration: OEN Member: $15 Non - Member: $25

Join OEN at Bridgeport Brewpub and see the many faces of entrepreneurship in Oregon. This event highlights a sampling of companies that have been active in the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network programs as well as companies that have been through Mercy Corps NW programs. Successful start ups come from a wide range of backgrounds - and might receive $100K + angel or a $10K micro finance loan - but all add to the diversity and strength of our business community and all face many of the same challenges on a day to day basis. This event shows the dynamic variety that will help shape Oregon’s economic future.

Date and Time: Wednesday September 09, 5:15 pm - 7:00 pm Location: 1313 NW Marshall Portland, OR 97209 Registration: OEN Members - $15, Non Members - $25

Participants: OEN Revelation WeoGeo WickedQuick DesignMedix

Mercy Corps NW Sweet Elevens Plywerk Heart in Oregon Waste Away Marine Services

Learn More Click Here

This seminar reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 20 entrepreneurs.

Date and Time: Tuesday, September 22, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Location: Beaverton Library 12375 SW 5th St Meeting Room B Beaverton, OR 97005 Registration: Non Member - $155, OEN Member - $30

Celebrate entrepreneurial excellence at the 2009 OEN Tom Holce Awards for Entrepreneurship -- the 16th annual celebration of entrepreneurial spirit in action throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

This year we’re changing up this historic event.

You’ve asked for more time for networking, and we heard you. We’re compressing the awards program in order to give entrepreneurs more time for networking. We've simplified the format and we are passing the savings to you. Join OEN on September 24th for a premier evening of networking, heavy hors d'oeuvres and no-host bar while helping us recognize the best and brightest of entrepreneurship in Oregon.

Companies will be recognized for the following categories: OEN Development Stage Company of the Year OEN Working Capital Stage Company of the Year OEN Growth Stage Company of the Year OEN Entrepreneurship Award of Individual Achievement

Ticket Prices: Earlybird: Until July 31, 2009 Individual (no reserved seat) $99 Reserved half table (5 seats) $600 Reserved table (10 seats) $1200

Regular: August 1 through September 24, 2009 Individual (no reserved seat) $115 Reserved half table (5 seats) 675 Reserved table (10 seats) $1350

Please contact Julie Brown at 503-222-2270 x 11 or [email protected] if you wish to reserve half a table or a full table and wish to be invoiced instead of paying online.

Business leaders need to be exposed to the latest trends, as well as core business ideologies. So, OEN has developed the 2009 Executive Series curriculum to provide entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge to make critical business decisions. This four-week educational series is designed to offer entrepreneurs access to industry professionals via interactive and engaging sessions. We will assist you in building companies that are attractive to investors, customers, partners and employees via a series of focused, interactive educational sessions. Session I – Sales and Marketing - Presented by Bill Etheredge, WCE Consulting Session II – Understanding Cap Table Dynamics - Presented by Brent Bullock, Perkins Coie Session III – Understanding Financial Statements - Presented by Jared Holum, Perkins & Co. Session IV - Ask the Expert Panel

Dates and Times: October 6, 13, 20 and 27, 7:30 am – 9:30 am Location: Perkins Coie, 1120 N.W. Couch Street, Tenth Floor, Portland, OR 97209-4128. Parking in building garage will be validated. Cost: The course is $200 for OEN members for the entire Executive Series and $325 for non-members (includes a one year individual membership), and is available for a maximum of 20 participants.

Early-stage companies - understanding and managing your cap table

Startup and early-stage companies often exchange equity for capital. They also use it to incentivize employees and contractors. However, few entrepreneurs map out a comprehensive plan to manage their capitalization table through multiple rounds of capital or to maximize the efficiency of equity incentives. This workshop will help entrepreneurs understand how to create a capitalization plan that will serve the company today, as well as through potentially dilutive transactions in the future. It will be presented in an interactive case-study format and will be limited to ten participants.

Speaker: Doug Morris, Ater Wynne

Date and Time: Tuesday October 13, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm Location: Ater Wynne, 1331 NW Lovejoy Ste 900, Portland, OR 97209 Cost: OEN Member - $30, Non Member - $125 (includes a one-year OEN individual membership and the workshop fee is waived)

OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk - Call for Applications - Due Friday, September 18 at 5:15 PM

OEN's Seed Oregon is a unique competition held during four consecutive PubTalk events. The competition is for Oregon and Southwest Washington seed-stage companies who are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. One winner from each preliminary round will move on to a championship round, where a finalist will earn a coveted presenting opportunity at OEN's Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest.

Nine presenting companies in total will be selected to compete in the 2009-2010 Seed Oregon tournament. Each will have 10 minutes to present their concept to the PubTalk audience, followed by a 10 minute Q&A session. Three companies will compete at each of the preliminary rounds, with the audience voting for the winning presentations to move to the championship round.

Online registration for this event closes Tuesday, October 13th. Please register at the door after that time.

Date and Time: October 14th, 2009, 5:15 pm - 7:00 pm Location: Bridgeport Brewpub - 1313 NW Marshall, Portland, Oregon Registration to attend: OEN Member: $15, Non-member: $25

Meet. Greet. Repeat.

In these tough economic times, Oregon's economy needs innovators and entrepreneurs to develop new opportunities for economic growth. SwapMeet is a great way to meet the people who are the drivers of this effort.

Join us at the OEN SwapMeet, a networking program specifically for people looking to connect with entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and the people who can help Oregon businesses grow.

There's no entrance fee, and no pressure. Just networking, connecting, and a no-host happy hour! We hope to see you there.

Date and Time: Thursday October 22, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Location: Someday Lounge 125 NW 5th Ave Portland, OR 97209 Registration: No Cost

Join OEN and speaker Naomi Derner for an OEN Workshop Thursday, March 4th from 4:00-6:00 P.M.

As an early stage entrepreneur looking for the first round of funding, one of the most daunting tasks may be determining the valuation of your company. In this workshop, we will cover the basics of valuing a seed or launch stage company, and answer some questions, such as:

• Who sets the valuation - the company or the investor?
• What does pre-money and post-money valuation mean? How do I calculate it?
• How do I value my company if we don’t yet have revenues?
• How do investors determine the valuation?
• How have valuations changed in the economic downturn?

We'll explain the terminology, demystify the math and explain some of the ways that valuation is set during the funding process. There will be plenty of time for Q&A, so come armed with your questions and be ready to participate in a lively discussion about valuing early stage companies.

To sign up for this workshop, or for more information visit http://www.oen.org/events.aspx?id=133

Ready to innovate? Launch a company? Meet the mover's and shakers or Oregon's entrepreneurial community?

Oregon's economy is going to rebound and thrive with innovators and entrepreneurs leading the way by developing new opportunities for economic growth. SwapMeet is a great way to meet the people who are the drivers of this effort.

Join us at the OEN SwapMeet, a networking program specifically for people looking to connect with entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and the people who can help Oregon businesses grow.

There's no entrance fee, and no pressure. Just networking, connecting, and a no-host happy hour! We hope to see you there.

When: Thursday, March 25th Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Where: Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Ave, Portland, OR Cost: No fee

The OEN 2010 Executive Series provides entrepreneurial executives a refresher course on five elements critical to the success of any business, including:

* Understanding Financial Statements
* Selecting the Correct Legal Entity for your Company
* Human Resources Legal Compliance
* Marketing your Company Successfully to Potential Stakeholders
* Developing a Sales Process

This five-week educational series is designed to offer entrepreneurs access to industry professionals via interactive and engaging sessions. Space is limited to the first 20 attendees to register. Seasoned industry professionals will conduct a two-hour session focused on a specific topic (see above). The session will include a prepared presentation on the topic, with plenty of time set aside for interaction between the attendees.

When: Every Tuesday, starting April 6 and concluding May 4, from 7:30am to 9:30am

Where: Perkins Coie, 1120 NW Couch, 10th Floor, Portland, OR 97209

Refreshments: Perkins Coie has generously agreed to provide pastries and refreshments.

Parking: No validation of parking will be granted. Perkins Coie’s offices are located in the Brewery Block section of the Pearl District. The office is one block from the street car and both garage and street parking are available.

Pricing: $195 for OEN members for the entire 5-week Executive Series; $325 for non-members (includes a one-year individual OEN membership)

The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), Software Association of Oregon (SAO) , Oregon Business Association (OBA) and the Portland Business Alliance are presenting the 2010 Gubernatorial Candidate Forums. Tech America will be a supporting organization for the forums

Oregon’s economy is facing great challenges. The state is struggling with serious budgetary shortfalls and that is exacerbated by an unemployment rate that is hovering above 10 percent. With the recent passage of measures 66 & 67 many Oregonians question what the impact will be for Oregon businesses. Policies that support and encourage business growth and economic development are a top-of-mind priority for many Oregonians. These candidate forums are intended to provide an opportunity for members of the business community to ask the candidates from each party what they would do to help support business and economic growth in Oregon.

The Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate forum will take place on Wednesday, April 7 at Portland General Electric’s auditorium located at 121 SW Salmon St, 2WTC in Portland. It will feature Democratic candidates Bill Bradbury (www.bradburyfororegon.com) and John Kitzhaber, (www.johnkitzhaber.com).

The Republican Gubernatorial Candidate forum will take place on Tuesday, April 27 at the Multnomah Athletic Club 1849 SW Salmon St. in Portland. It will feature Republican candidates Allen Alley (www.allenalley.com) and Chris Dudley (www.chrisdudley.com).

Tickets are required for onsite attendees and individual live stream access. Registration is recommended for satellite venues.

The gubernatorial candidate forum will be held prior to the primaries and will be moderated by Laural Porter of KGW News (twitter.com/lauralkgw). Check-in begins at 4:00PM. The program will begin at 4:30 PM and will run to 6:00 PM. Tickets are $20 for members of presenting or supporting organizations and $40 for non-members. We encourage attendees to pre-register online using the link below.

The forums will be streamed live over the web. Individual web stream tickets can be purchased for $10 in advance, but business community members outside of the Portland area may attend a satellite event in their local area at no charge.

For more information about the forums, or to register for either of these events, please go to:

Democratic Candidates Forum: www.sao.org/event/dgp

Republican Candidates Forum: www.sao.org/event/rgp

Follow the discussions on twitter: #pdxGDP & #pdxRGP.

Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc., will lead an interactive discussion that will help entrepreneurs gain some insightful perspectives on Boards of Directors. Come share your challenges, observations and successes with other CEOs of emerging businesses. The group will discuss strategies for selecting, structuring and making your board more effective. You will also receive a high-level recap of the discussion from Frank.

Open only to CEOs or Presidents of currently operating companies that have employees. Box lunch will be served. This program is limited to 12 participants, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Speaker: Frank Helle, Axian, Inc. - www.axian.com

Frank Helle is CEO of Axian, Inc., a 20-year old privately-held web-services company creating collaboration portals and business intelligence (software & data). Prior to 2002 he was a senior global manager at Monsanto Company. During that career he lived in Brussels Belgium for 5 years managing manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. He then lived in Singapore for 5 years as Asia-Pacific Managing Director for 3 Monsanto Divisions.

Frank's leadership helps organizations realize more of their full potential, and often focuses on turnarounds and turbo-charging growth.

Aside from positioning Axian to be "built to last," Frank mentors and coaches local CXOs to help them compete in the global marketplace and create more jobs in Oregon. Frank is an active Board Director of Oregon's Association for Corporate Growth as Chair Emeritus & Past-President, is an active Board Director of Oregon’s high tech trade association,Tech America, and is an active volunteer with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network - chairing the CEO Roundtable.

The Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council (SWWDC) is partnering with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) to bring a vital connection with the world of entrepreneurship to Southwest WA. We are leveraging the network and expertise of OEN to support innovation and growth.

OEN entrepreneurs tell good stories. They have to if they want their business to succeed. They also need access to information, contacts and capital. The OEN PubTalk™ is a great starting place for entrepreneurs to find just that.

OEN's PubTalk™, held the second Wednesday of every month (except July and December), is a unique mix of educational panel discussions delivered by successful entrepreneurs, investors or business experts combined with opportunities for entrepreneurs to gain expertise in delivering investment pitches. Entrepreneurs can present as a featured company at a monthly PubTalk or they can compete in OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk™ competition.

During the monthly PubTalk's™, OEN selects two emerging entrepreneurs to present their five-minute pitch on who they are, and what they do in front of a live audience of experienced entrepreneurs. Presenting Northwest business entrepreneurs receive feedback on their products, services, business model, marketing strategy, or other integral component of their business. The objective is to leverage the strength and experience of the community, providing an invaluable learning opportunity for young entrepreneurs.

You are invited to join us at the 3rd Gorge Angel Conference 2010. This is an event that will match up the Columbia Gorge’s brightest emerging companies with qualified investors.

Come enjoy lunch, a keynote presentation and network with entrepreneurs and members of the local business community. Watch companies compete for an investment prize of at least $100,000 and enjoy the one-minute pitch competition where companies compete for additional exposure. To date a total of $205,000 has been invested in Pistil Designs and eProduce Sales, both in Hood River. Get a glimpse of the trends of emerging business at this fun event that celebrates the entrepreneurial nature of the Gorge. We hope to see you at the event on April 27, 2010.

Event Details Date and Time: April 27th, 2010, 11:30 AM - 4:30 PM Location: Best Western Hood River Inn, 1108 E. Marina Way Hood River, OR Prices: Participant Registrations @ $75 per person ($100 after April 22nd, 2010)

Business Presenters must register by contacting Nick Kraemer at Hood River County ([email protected]).

This seminar reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

When: Thursday, April 29th Time: 4:00 - 6:15 PM Where: Beaverton Library, 12375 SW 5th St, Meeting Room B, Beaverton, Oregon 97005 (corner of SW 5th St. and SW Hall Blvd)

SW Washington PubTalk: W 6/16: 5:15 – 7pm

The SW WA Workforce Development Council (SWWDC) is partnering with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) to bring a vital connection with the world of entrepreneurship to SW WA. We are leveraging the network and expertise of the OEN to support innovation and growth in Clark County. OEN entrepreneurs tell good stories. They have to if they want their business to succeed. They also need access to information, contacts and capital. PubTalk is a great starting place to meet people and build business networks.

hosted by OEN & CREDC

SW WA PubTalk

 Wednesday, June 16, 2010    
 5:15 – 7pm 

Venue:
 AHA! (Alling Henning Associates Inc) 
 415 West Sixth St., Suite 605 
 Vancouver, WA 98660 
 (360) 750-1680 

Google Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=AHA!&cd=1&ei=8f3YS7CdJ5WKsQP-iKnWDw&sig2=-wD9RZIG4_cUZ-McOp5gCg&ie=UTF8&hl=en&view=map&cid=4281369456162678840&ved=0CBwQpQY&hq=AHA!&hnear=&z=16&iwloc=A

Today, big businesses are all chasing "user generated content" and "social media" strategies. But how does that apply to startups? How do you participate with limited resources? Where should you be? What should you do? Go everywhere or focus? Get everyone involved or just a spokesperson?

There are a ton of questions. And the answers only come with experience. The good news? Gaining that experience is easier than you might think.

Join Rick Turoczy as he shares some quick tips on how to start participating in social media, getting your bearings, and understanding how you can become a valued member of communities that match your startup's goals.

Speaker: Rick Turoczy

Come see four companies put it all on the line in a speed pitching competition. In this competition both the judges and the audience will tell the competitors if they’ve got what it takes to be a fundable company. A winner will be selected by the judges who will advance to the first round of OEN's Seed Oregon. The audience favorite will be mentioned on the OEN blog.

After the judges select the winner by voting with OEN Dollars, the judges will give feedback on each presentation, explain how they chose the winner, and answer questions from the audience and the contestants.

The judges: Nick Stanley

Diane Fraiman

Kathleen A. Sego

Interested in Competing? There is no fee to apply to compete, however, you must be an OEN member to be eligible. If you are not an OEN Member, join here or call Rori Homme, OEN's Director of Membership, at 503-222-2270 x 13 to join.

To apply to "So You Think You Can Pitch?" visit the OEN website and submit your materials by Monday, August 2nd, 2010.

There you will need to submit the following information: (1) A copy of your executive summary (no need for secret sauce or specific numbers, simply publish what you are willing to present in public) (2) A brief explanation (no more than 1 page, 12 pt font, single spaced) of why you think your company is a promising investment

Items For Purchase Click here to use your OEN Member Login Information to register for the OEN Member items. (Please note that if the item is grayed out it means you have not yet logged in)

Available Items Price Qty
OEN Member Registration: $15.00 *
Non-Member Registration: $25.00 *

Come see five companies put it all on the line in a speed pitching competition. In this competition both the judges and the audience will tell the competitors if they’ve got what it takes to be a fundable company. A winner will be selected by the judges who will advance to the first round of OEN's Seed Oregon. The audience favorite will be mentioned on the OEN blog.

After the judges select the winner by voting with OEN Dollars, the judges will give feedback on each presentation, explain how they chose the winner, and answer questions from the audience and the contestants.

The judges:

• Nick Stanley
• Diane Fraiman
• Kathleen A. Sego

Interested in Competing? There is no fee to apply to compete, however, you must be an OEN member to be eligible. If you are not an OEN Member, join here or call Rori Homme, OEN's Director of Membership, at 503-222-2270 x 13 to join.

To apply to "So You Think You Can Pitch?" visit the OEN website and submit your materials by Wednesday, July 21, 2010.

There you will need to submit the following information: (1) A copy of your executive summary (no need for secret sauce or specific numbers, simply publish what you are willing to present in public) (2) A brief explanation (no more than 1 page, 12 pt font, single spaced) of why you think your company is a promising investment

This seminar reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

When: Wednesday, August 18th Time: 4:00 - 6:15 PM Where: Beaverton Public Library - Library/Conference Room 12375 Southwest 5th Street, Beaverton, 97005

Items For Purchase Click here to use your OEN Member Login Information to register for the OEN Member items. (Please note that if the item is grayed out it means you have not yet logged in)

Available Items Price Qty
OEN Member: $30.00 *
Non-Member $70.00 *

Facebook and Myspace wont land you a job or help you grow your business. Get back to basics and learn how to build your own personal network! Join the Oregon Entrepreneurial Network for a two-part event, exclusively for graduate students, aimed at providing you with the skills you need to build a successful network and successfully leverage your contacts.

Start with a roundtable discussion led by Bill Etheredge, a long time entrepreneur, recently retired VP of Sales for Tektronix, and currently Principal of WCE Consulting Group. Learn the ins and outs of personal networking including how to strategically build your network, how to present yourself effectively, and how to manage your contacts.

Then head over to Backspace for free entry into OEN's September Pub Talk, put your skills to the test and begin building your network by engaging with local entrepreneurs, investors and service providers.

Locations: • Miller Nash (Networking Workshop), 111 SW 5th Ave, Portland OR 97204

• Backspace (PubTalk), 115 NW 5th Ave, Portland OR 97209

Schedule: 4:00 - Round Table Discussion Starts 5:00 - Networking Starts at PubTalk 5:30 - Company Presentations Start 7:00 - Continue Networking

Cost: $35 for non-members; Free for student members. If you are a student member and unsure of how to log in, please contact Larry Williams, OEN Web/IT Manager, at 503-222-2270 x 17 or [email protected] and he can take care of your registration.

Portland is rapidly becoming a mecca for innovation in activewear. From interchangeable shoe soles, to breathable outerwear for cycling and snowboarding, to sustainable fashion designs, there are terrific innovations happening locally! Activewear firms design, develop, manufacture, market, distribute and sell apparel, footwear and gear for active outdoor recreation. The activewear category consists of more than 300 firms in Oregon, employing more than 14,000 people with an approximate payroll of $1.2 billion. The activewear industry cluster is growing in Oregon and includes numerous start-ups that are creating local jobs and using the rich and talented local knowledge base. This exciting industry cluster is designing and producing innovative products that address niche markets that are currently underserved by the local giants.

Join the OEN at the September Pub Talk to hear from four activewear entrepreneurs who will share their stories of how they got started, how they have grown, and the unique opportunities available to them because of their presence in this hotbed of innovation.

Moderator: Rob Langstaff - RYZ

Panelists: Bill Worthington - OluKai Sean Beers - Korkers Ed Dalton - Showers Pass Carrie Atkinson - Sock it to me

OEN Member Fee: $15.00
Non-Member Fee: $25.00

As an early stage entrepreneur looking for the first round of funding, one of the most daunting tasks may be determining the valuation of your company. In this workshop, we will cover the basics of valuing a seed or launch stage company, and answer some questions, such as:

Who sets the valuation - the company or the investor?

What does pre-money and post-money valuation mean? How do I calculate it?

How do I value my company if we don’t yet have revenues?

How do investors determine the valuation?

How have valuations changed in the economic downturn?

We'll explain the terminology, demystify the math and explain some of the ways that valuation is set during the funding process. There will be plenty of time for Q&A, so come armed with your questions and be ready to participate in a lively discussion about valuing early stage companies.

$30 for OEN Members; $70 for non-members.

Speaker: Naomi Derner Naomi Derner, CFA is the founder and managing director of Derner Valuation Consulting. Prior to 2008, she was a Vice President in the San Francisco office of Houlihan Lokey Howard and Zukin. After joining Houlihan Lokey in 1999, she performed and managed fairness opinions and the valuations of public and private securities as well as intangible assets for a wide variety of purposes including financial reporting purposes, tax reporting purposes, transactions, IPO planning, litigation, stock and stock option grants, recapitalizations, gift and estate tax planning, ESOP updates and general corporate planning purposes. Ms. Derner has valuation experience across a wide variety of industries, with specific expertise in technology and life sciences companies at all stages of development.

Items For Purchase Click here to use your OEN Member Login Information to register for the OEN Member items. (Please note that if the item is grayed out it means you have not yet logged in)

Available Items Price Qty
OEN Member Registration: $30.00 *
Non-member Registration: $70.00

As an early stage entrepreneur looking for the first round of funding, one of the most daunting tasks may be determining the valuation of your company. In this workshop, we will cover the basics of valuing a seed or launch stage company, and answer some questions, such as: • Who sets the valuation - the company or the investor? • What does pre-money and post-money valuation mean? How do I calculate it? • How do I value my company if we don’t yet have revenues? • How do investors determine the valuation? • How have valuations changed in the economic downturn?

We'll explain the terminology, demystify the math and explain some of the ways that valuation is set during the funding process. There will be plenty of time for Q&A, so come armed with your questions and be ready to participate in a lively discussion about valuing early stage companies.

OEN Member Registration: $30.00
Non-member Registration: $70.00

SW WA PubTalk ： Wed. Sept 15, 2010 ： 5:15pm – 7:15pm

DETAILS ： Come join us at the Sept 15th SW WA PubTalk… A great place to meet people, build business networks, share relevant information, and connect start-up firms w/ VC capital.

LOCATION ： AHA! 415 West Sixth St., Ste. # 605 Vancouver, WA 98660 (360) 750-1680

REGISTER ： OEN member cost ： $15 Non-member cost ： $25

Registration： @ 123.signup ： https://s07.123signup.com/servlet/SignUp?PG=1520184182300&P=152018400

HOSTED by ： OEN ： CREDC ： SWWDC SPONSORS ： Bullivant Houser Bailey PC ： Blind Onion Pizza

Google Map： http://maps.google.com/maps?q=AHA!&hl=en&cd=1&ei=QQNrTPePFZCyoAT03tDEBw&sig2=HthE8VxOTlmvnrWZ-WLxgg&ie=UTF8&view=map&cid=4281369456162678840&ved=0CB4QpQY&hq=AHA!&hnear=&ll=45.625458,-122.675421&spn=0.008704,0.021544&z=16&iwloc=A

This webinar led by Leslie Bottomly, partner at Ater Wynne LLP, will cover employment law basics for start-ups. Topics include: hiring, firing, discrimination, wage and hour compliance, and development of policies and procedures.

Speaker: Leslie Bottomly, Partner, Ater Wynne LLP Leslie Bottomly’s practice focuses on employment matters. She regularly advises public and private employers on such matters as employee discipline and termination, compliance with family and medical leave, discrimination, wage and hour, and other employment laws, development of employee handbooks, drug testing programs and international issues. Serving as Ater Wynne LLP's Director of Human Resources gives Leslie unique insight into the practical challenges employers face day to day.

Items For Purchase Click here to use your OEN Member Login Information to register for the OEN Member items. (Please note that if the item is grayed out it means you have not yet logged in)

Available Items Price Qty
OEN Member Registration $0.00 *
Non-member Registration $30.00

OEN offers many ways for you to connect with the Portland entrepreneurial community and leverage your contacts to create success for your business. Come to our next event on June 24th, 2010, 4PM at Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Avenue and hear how you can use all of the benefits that are part of OEN membership!

Join us for the OEN SwapMeet immediately following the Member Orientation to practice your networking skills, meet new people and have some fun. Swap Meet is a free quarterly networking event also held at Someday Lounge, and begins at 5PM.

Join us at OEN's premier annual fundraising event to get inspired while you give entrepreneurs the support they deserve.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010 Doors open: 5:30 PM

Networking & Opening Reception: 5:30 PM

Silent wine Auction featuring select Oregon Wineries

Welcome & Awards Ceremony: 7:00 PM

Awards will be presented in four categories that allow competition between companies in different markets based on performance during a particular stage in the company’s development: OEN Development Stage Company of the Year

OEN Working Capital Stage Company of the Year

OEN Growth Stage Company of the Year

OEN Entrepreneurship Award for Individual Achievement

2010 OEN Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards Pricing Earlybird: Until August 2, 2010 Individual seat: $165 Table of 10 (includes wine at table): $1700

Regular Pricing: August 3 - September 22 Individual seat: $185 Table of 10 (includes wine at table): $1900

Cancellation Policy: For cancellations before August 20th registrants will receive a refund. Sorry no refunds after August 20.

Available Items Price Qty
Early Bird Ticket - Individual seat: $165.00 *
Early Bird - Full Table Reservation: $1,700.00

Join us at OEN's premier annual fundraising event to get inspired while you give entrepreneurs the support they deserve.

Networking & Opening Reception: 5:30 PM • Silent wine Auction featuring select Oregon Wineries

Welcome & Awards Ceremony: 7:00 PM

Awards will be presented in four categories that allow competition between companies in different markets based on performance during a particular stage in the company’s development: • OEN Development Stage Company of the Year • OEN Working Capital Stage Company of the Year • OEN Growth Stage Company of the Year • OEN Entrepreneurship Award for Individual Achievement

Individual Seat: $185.00
Full-Table Reservation: $1,900.00

OEN offers many ways for you to connect with the Portland entrepreneurial community and leverage your contacts to create success for your business. Come to our next event on June 24th, 2010, 4PM at Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Avenue and hear how you can use all of the benefits that are part of OEN membership!

Join us for the OEN SwapMeet immediately following the Member Orientation to practice your networking skills, meet new people and have some fun. Swap Meet is a free quarterly networking event also held at Someday Lounge, and begins at 5PM.

The business concept development workshop is an opportunity for the prospective entrepreneur to meet face-to-face with two experienced people from within the emerging business sector, who would provide an honest, impartial critique of the business idea or model, in an informal setting. This review gives you one hour with two experts - where you can pose your business model for feedback, discussion and advice on next steps. It's one of the best ways to prepare you for that next step: creating your business plan.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 10 entrepreneurs.

Registration Fee: $30.00

Drop by the OEN SwapMeet, a networking program specifically for people looking to connect with entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and the people who help them both grow. As the Oregon economy continues to develop, there will be more and more opportunity to work with, work for, or start new companies in growing industries. SwapMeet is a great way to get connected to the people making it all happen. There's no entrance fee, and no pressure. Just networking, connecting, and a no-host happy hour!

Don't miss the pre-event: Interested in learning about how to leverage your OEN membership? At 4:00 pm we are hosting an OEN Member Orientation where current OEN members will share some tips about getting the most out of your OEN membership. You also will meet some OEN staff and get an overview of the organization and it programs. Please register for both events.

Cost: FREE

Drop by the OEN SwapMeet, a networking program specifically for people looking to connect with entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and the people who help them both grow. As the Oregon economy continues to develop, there will be more and more opportunity to work with, work for, or start new companies in growing industries. SwapMeet is a great way to get connected to the people making it all happen. There's no entrance fee, and no pressure. Just networking, connecting, and a no-host happy hour!

Don't miss the pre-event: Interested in learning about how to leverage your OEN membership? At 4:00 pm we are hosting an OEN Member Orientation where current OEN members will share some tips about getting the most out of your OEN membership. You also will meet some OEN staff and get an overview of the organization and it programs. Please register for both events.

Registration: $0.00

OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk - Round 1 - Call for Applications - Due Friday, September 10 at 5:00 PM

Want to learn what it takes to raise capital? OEN’s Seed Oregon PubTalks are for you. Apply to participate or register to attend Round 1 of OEN’s Seed Oregon PubTalk.

To apply: Companies must be current OEN members and can pay the application fee below. Your email confirmation will take you to the online application form. For more information about the application process visit the OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk Application & Guidelines Page.

Note: To be considered for the final round of OEN’s Seed Oregon competition, companies must also have applied to OEN’s Angel Oregon.

To attend: People interested in attending the event can register below.

Event Description: For entrepreneurs with companies on the fundraising path, OEN’s Seed Oregon is a unique opportunity to not only to compete for funding opportunities, but to learn the rules of the road of effective fundraising. This entertaining and educational competition is the program for OEN PubTalks during October and November of 2010 and then again January and February of 2011.

The competition is for Oregon and Southwest Washington seed-stage companies who are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. One winner from each preliminary round will move on to a championship round, where a finalist will earn a coveted presenting opportunity at OEN’s Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest.

Online registration for this event closes Tuesday, October 12th. Please register at the door after that time.

Items For Purchase Click here to use your OEN Member Login Information to register for the OEN Member items. (Please note that if the item is grayed out it means you have not yet logged in)

Available Items Price Qty
PubTalk Member Registration: $15.00 *
PubTalk Non-Member Registration: $25.00 *

Includes entry at one PubTalk and the Seed Oregon application fee.
$75.00 *
Seed Oregon Application Fee - Non-Member: [+] Seed Oregon Application Fee - Non-Member:

Includes entry at one PubTalk, a discounted one year OEN individual membership {$26 savings}, and the Seed Oregon application fee.
$174.00

For entrepreneurs with companies on the fundraising path, OEN’s Seed Oregon is a unique opportunity to not only to compete for funding opportunities, but to learn the rules of the road of effective fundraising. This entertaining and educational competition is the program for OEN PubTalks during October and November of 2010 and then again January and February of 2011.

The competition is for Oregon and Southwest Washington seed-stage companies who are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. One winner from each preliminary round will move on to a championship round, where a finalist will earn a coveted presenting opportunity at OEN’s Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest.

Online registration for this event closes Tuesday, October 12th. Please register at the door after that time.

PubTalk Member Registration:$15.00
PubTalk Non-Member Registration:$25.00
Seed Oregon Application Fee - Member:$75.00
Seed Oregon Application Fee - Non-Member: $174.00

EthicsPoint's President and CEO, David Childers, in conjunction with the OEN Gazelle Peer-to-Peer Group, invites CEO’s of companies with revenues between $10M - $30M to a frank conversation and sharing of ideas on Effective Strategies for Managing Your Board and Determining Executive Compensation Packages.

No fee but registration is required.

Speaker: David Childers, CIPP, President and CEO, EthicsPoint Mr. Childers is a pioneer in the field of Governance, Risk and Compliance and serves as a Board Member for the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE). He is a member of the Ethics & Compliance Officer Association (ECOA), the International Association of Privacy Professionals - where he has been trained and is certified as an Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), and the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) - where he has completed the Director of Professionalism course and is certified in Director Education. He is a charter member of the Open Compliance and Ethics Group (OCEG), a coalition of the nation's business leaders assembled to develop compliance standards and guidelines. He is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and serves as the Vice Chairman for the Software Association of Oregon (SAO). Mr. Childers is a frequent lecturer on the subject of business ethics and was named one of the "100 Most Influential People in Finance" by Treasury & Risk Magazine in 2008.

Light a Fire A Portland Monthly event benefiting OEN's Entrepreneurs Foundation of the Northwest

The Light A Fire Awards banquet honors the non-profit organizations and individuals whose extraordinary acts of service embody the spirit of giving in the Portland area and beyond.

The event features a cocktail hour, live entertainment, dinner and the awards presentation, including inspiring stories behind those who are quietly and profoundly helping the community.

OEN's EFNW Company of the Year receives their award at this event as well, spotlighting their contributions to building our community now and into the future.

Date:Wednesday, October 27, 2010 Time: 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm Location: Portland Art Museum, Kridel Grand Ballroom Tickets: $600 for a table of six or $100 for individual seats

To purchase tickets: Call: 503-222-5144 x135 Purchase online at the Portland Monthly website.

For more information, contact: Connie Apa, Portland Monthly Magazine, 503-222-5144 X135 and [email protected] Lisa Sloan, OEN's EFNW, 503-957-5501 and [email protected]

This seminar reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 20 entrepreneurs.

Registration Fee: $30.00

This seminar reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 20 entrepreneurs.

Date: Thursday, October 28, 2010 Time: 4:30 – 6:30 PM Location: City of Hillsboro Civic Center, Conference Rooms 113B & C 150 E. Main Street, Hillsboro, OR 97123

Registration: $30 (same as the OEN Member rate)

Entrepreneurial Innovation - The Future of the Northwest Ready to converge on the Northwest and discuss what makes it a great place for early and growth stage businesses? The Northwest is teaming with talent, rich with innovative ideas, and replete with people who know how to build great companies. But, what will make us even more attractive to entrepreneurs and investors? This year we're bringing together three critical drivers of the Northwest entrepreneurial economy to discuss what successfully fuels innovative business.

You'll hear leading VC's from across the country, dynamic state and local government leaders, as well as innovators from successful university commercialization programs share, debate and strategize new ideas for driving our economic success. You'll see presentations from 10 of the best early/growth stage companies in the region, seeking funding and partnership.

Converge at OEN's Venture Northwest. Be part of the conversation. Bring ideas for discussion. Help define the future of the Northwest's economic growth. Find new investment opportunities. Harness the power as we advance an exciting new era of entrepreneurial innovation.

Use this pricing chart to select the correct item and quantity below.

Prices for Individual Conference Attendees • Early Bird Registration (through Sept. 24th) - $275 Includes: VNW Conference attendance, Resource Guide, and Printed Attendee List

• General Registration (after Sept. 24th) - $325 Includes: VNW Conference attendance, Resource Guide, and Printed Attendee List

• Academic - current student/professor - $225 Includes: VNW Conference attendance, Resource Guide, and Printed Attendee List

Prices for Applicant Company Conference Attendees • Company Registration package for 10 Selected Companies – $300 * Available only to companies selected to present at the conference Includes: Venture Northwest Conference attendance for two people (Please name attendees in comments field), Intel / Perkins Coie Investor Reception, presentation coaching session, Resource Guide, and Printed Attendee List

• Company Registration package for Applicant companies – $195 * Available only to applicant companies who were not selected Includes: VNW Conference attendance for two people (Please name attendees in comments field), Resource Guide, and Printed Attendee list

• Additional Associates from Registered Company – $195 * Available only to applicant companies who were not selected Includes: VNW Conference attendance, Resource Guide, and Printed Attendee List

Revenue and profits are, of course, the lifeblood of any business. One of the primary goals for entrepreneurs when they start a company is to get to a sustainable level of revenues and to get to profitability. Once those goals are reached, however, revenue growth becomes a prime imperative for most entrepreneurs, especially those hoping to raise capital or sell their company some day. How fast you can grow your revenues is a function of your industry, your products, and your resources but it may be possible for you to create a sales culture in which you can try and double your sales each year independent of those external factors.

In this OEN workshop, led by MergerTech CEO, Nitin Khanna, you’ll learn why exponential growth can be very good for your company and 10 tips on how to double your revenue every year.

Limit 20 attendees.

Speaker: Nitin Khanna Nitin Khanna is the CEO of MergerTech Advisors, a boutique investment bank that facilitates mergers and acquisitions for technology companies with less than $100MM in revenue.

Prior to MergerTech, Mr. Khanna was the founder, Chairman and CEO of Saber Corp. a Portland based national firm focused on providing technology solutions to government clients. Mr. Khanna started Saber in July 1998 and helped grow it a minimum of 50% each year. Some of the highlights of Saber’s growth included the Inc. 500 award in both 2006 and 2007, the Deloitte Fast 500 award, and being #1 on Oregon’s Fastest Growing Companies list in 2007.

Saber's dramatic growth led to a significant investment in the company by Accel-KKR Private Equity in 2005 with an eventual sale of the company for $460MM to EDS in December 2007 (Saber’s revenues were $120MM and pre-tax earnings were $21MM in 2007). S

Mr. Khanna currently serves on the board of directors of a diverse range of non-profit, startup, and public companies in both the US and Europe, including Saber Swiss Holdings AG, NAVTEQ Advisory Board, Freewire Broadband, eROI, and ResponderLife. He is also active with MercyCorps and is a mentor to several entrepreneurs in the Portland area.

Mr. Khanna has a Master’s and Bachelor's of Engineering from Purdue University. He resides in Portland and with his children Natasha and Madox.

The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network would like to invite your company to participate at this year's Internship Workshop and Job Fair event. Interns not only provide excellent work, they can bring new energy and enthusiasm to your organization. Learn how to maximize the internship experience for both yourself and your interns and have some of Oregon's brightest young minds join your team.

Event Details Date: Wednesday, November 10th Where: University of Portland Campus Event Schedule: 11:30AM - Event begins 11:45 - Workshops begin 12:30 PM - Lunch Break 1:00- Internship Speed Dating begins 2:00 - Job Fair ends - 30mins of networking 2:30 - Event ends

What to Expect at the Workshop The 11:45 AM workshop will be held in a round table format of discussion between company participants and panelists focused on driving maximum value out of future internships.

What to Expect at the Job Fair Event At 1:00 PM the internship speed dating event will begin. Each company will have its own area to set up basic displays. Students will meet with you in a speed-dating format - they will meet with companies for about 2-3 minutes, then move to the next company. They'll give you their resumes, and you can discuss your internship options and answer questions.

This is a great opportunity for OEN companies to connect with eager students and have them join your team as interns. Don't pass it up!

To Register To register for this event please contact Kirsten Ringen at [email protected] by October 29th. If you are a company seeking interns, please prepare a one-paragraph description of your company's available internship opportunities.

OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk - Round 2 - Call for Applications - Due Wednesday, October 20 at 5:00 PM

Want to learn what it takes to raise capital? OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalks are for you. Apply to participate or register to attend Round 3 of OEN’s Seed Oregon PubTalk.

To apply: Companies must be current OEN members and can pay the application fee below. Your email confirmation will take you to the online application form. For more information about the application process visit the OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk Application & Guidelines Page.

Note: To be considered for the final round of OEN’s Seed Oregon competition, companies must also have applied to OEN’s Angel Oregon.

To attend: People interested in attending the event can register below.

Event Description: For entrepreneurs with companies on the fundraising path, OEN’s Seed Oregon is a unique opportunity to not only to compete for funding opportunities, but to learn the rules of the road of effective fundraising. This entertaining and educational competition is the program for OEN PubTalks during October and November of 2010 and then again January and February of 2011.

The competition is for Oregon and Southwest Washington seed-stage companies who are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. One winner from each preliminary round will move on to a championship round, where a finalist will earn a coveted presenting opportunity at OEN’s Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest.

Online registration for this event closes Wednesday, November 10th. Please register at the door after that time.

This seminar reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

When: Wednesday, November 17th Time: 4:00 - 6:15 PM Where: Beaverton Public Library - Conference Room 12375 Southwest 5th Street, Beaverton, 97005

The economy seems to be slowly recovering, and venture capitalists are slowly returning to fund new deals again. But what are they finding most interesting now? And what are the risks they are willing to take, versus those they aren't, in the aftermath of the recession and ten years of negative industry returns?

Gerry will take his historic "Four risks of venture capital startups" and bring it into focus for the coming years…

Speaker: Gerry Langeler, OVP Partners Gerry Langeler joined OVP Venture Partners in 1992 and focuses on investments in the digital energy, software, imaging and digital biology sectors. His investments include Captivate Network, Carbonflow, Elekom, EnerG2, Foundstone, Max-Viz, Now Software, Portland Software, Preview Systems, Surplus Software, TView, Unify, Vascular Solutions, Viral Logic Systems Technology (VLST), and Webridge. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Carbonflow, Collaborative Software Initiative, EnerG2, GainSpan, Max-Viz, and Viral Logic Systems Technology (VLST) and is a Board Observer to DataSphere, Serus and Tigo Energy.

Prior to joining OVP, Gerry was co-founder of Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) in Portland, OR in 1981. There he served as President, and over eleven years helped lead Mentor through its IPO to over $400M in worldwide sales and over $1B in market capitalization. He began his technology career at Tektronix.

Gerry received his AB in Chemistry from Cornell University and his MBA from Harvard University. He is the author of The Vision Trap (Harvard Business Review, 3/92). He also authored a chapter in Venture Capital Best Practices (Aspatore Books, 2005). Gerry serves on the Advisory Board of Highway 12 Ventures in Boise, Idaho.

He is the father of two boys, and enjoys skiing (when his knees can stand it) and golf.

OEN offers many ways for you to connect with the Portland entrepreneurial community and leverage your contacts to create success for your business. Come to our next event on June 24th, 2010, 4PM at Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Avenue and hear how you can use all of the benefits that are part of OEN membership!

Join us for the OEN SwapMeet immediately following the Member Orientation to practice your networking skills, meet new people and have some fun. Swap Meet is a free quarterly networking event also held at Someday Lounge, and begins at 5PM.

OEN offers many ways for you to connect with the Portland entrepreneurial community and leverage your contacts to create success for your business. Come to our next event on Dec. 2nd, 2010, 4PM at Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Avenue and hear how you can use all of the benefits that are part of OEN membership!

Join us for the OEN SwapMeet immediately following the Member Orientation to practice your networking skills, meet new people and have some fun. Swap Meet is a free quarterly networking event also held at Someday Lounge, and begins at 5PM.

Drop by the OEN SwapMeet, a networking program specifically for people looking to connect with entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and the people who help them both grow. SwapMeet is a great way to get connected to the people making it all happen. There's no entrance fee, and no pressure. Just networking, connecting, and a no-host happy hour!

Don't miss the pre-event: Interested in learning about how to leverage your OEN membership? At 4:00 pm we are hosting an OEN Member Orientation where current OEN members will share some tips about getting the most out of your OEN membership. You also will meet some OEN staff and get an overview of the organization and it programs. Please register for both events.

Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc., will lead an interactive discussion about the art and science of negotiation. Attendees will learn how to leverage their instincts for more bargaining power when negotiating. Share with other CEOs your experiences, insights and frustrations from past transactions and gain strategies for more successful future outcomes.

This session will feature expert content provided by Donald (Don) W. Douglas, Managing Director of Leveraged Negotiations, LLC.

Our group will examine how best to prepare for a critical negotiation, the methods and styles of negotiation that are most effective, when and how to adjust to differing situations, optimal strategies to employ, and tactics of persuasion found to be most effective. You also will receive a high-level recap of the discussion and an application of these principles to a participant’s current transaction.

Open only to CEOs or Presidents of currently operating companies that have employees. Boxed lunch will be served. This program is limited to 12 participants, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Moderator: Frank Helle, Axian, Inc. - www.axian.com Content Expert: Don Douglas, Leveraged Negotiations, LLC- http://www.linkedin.com/in/leveragednegotiations

Date: Wednesday, December 8, 2010 Time: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Location: 309 SW 6th Ave. Ironstone Bank Conference Room Portland, OR 97204

Speaker: Frank Helle Frank Helle is CEO of Axian, Inc., a privately-held web-services software and data engineering firm providing collaboration portals and business intelligence. Previously, he was a senior global leader at Monsanto Company. During that career he lived in Brussels Belgium for 5 years managing manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. He then lived in Singapore for 5 years as Asia-Pacific Managing Director for 3 Monsanto Divisions.

Frank's leadership helps organizations realize more of their full potential, and often focuses on turnarounds and turbo-charging growth.

Aside from positioning Axian to be "built to last," Frank mentors and coaches local CXOs to help them compete in the global marketplace and create more jobs in Oregon. Frank is an active Board Director of Oregon’s Association for Corporate Growth as Chair Emeritus & Past-President, is an active Board Director of Oregon’s high tech trade association, Tech America, is on the Software Association of Oregon CEO Roundtable Steering Team, and is an active volunteer with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network - Chairing the CEO Roundtabl

Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc., will lead an interactive discussion about the art and science of negotiation. Attendees will learn how to leverage their instincts for more bargaining power when negotiating. Share with other CEOs your experiences, insights and frustrations from past transactions and gain strategies for more successful future outcomes.

This session will feature expert content provided by Donald (Don) W. Douglas, Managing Director of Leveraged Negotiations, LLC.

Our group will examine how best to prepare for a critical negotiation, the methods and styles of negotiation that are most effective, when and how to adjust to differing situations, optimal strategies to employ, and tactics of persuasion found to be most effective. You also will receive a high-level recap of the discussion and an application of these principles to a participant’s current transaction.

Open only to CEOs or Presidents of currently operating companies that have employees. Boxed lunch will be served. This program is limited to 12 participants, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Moderator: Frank Helle, Axian, Inc. - www.axian.com Content Expert: Don Douglas, Leveraged Negotiations, LLC- http://www.linkedin.com/in/leveragednegotiations

Date: Wednesday, December 8, 2010 Time: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Location: 309 SW 6th Ave. Ironstone Bank Conference Room Portland, OR 97204

Speaker: Frank Helle Frank Helle is CEO of Axian, Inc., a privately-held web-services software and data engineering firm providing collaboration portals and business intelligence. Previously, he was a senior global leader at Monsanto Company. During that career he lived in Brussels Belgium for 5 years managing manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. He then lived in Singapore for 5 years as Asia-Pacific Managing Director for 3 Monsanto Divisions.

Frank's leadership helps organizations realize more of their full potential, and often focuses on turnarounds and turbo-charging growth.

Aside from positioning Axian to be "built to last," Frank mentors and coaches local CXOs to help them compete in the global marketplace and create more jobs in Oregon. Frank is an active Board Director of Oregon’s Association for Corporate Growth as Chair Emeritus & Past-President, is an active Board Director of Oregon’s high tech trade association, Tech America, is on the Software Association of Oregon CEO Roundtable Steering Team, and is an active volunteer with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network - Chairing the CEO Roundtable.

OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk - Round 3 - Call for Applications - Friday, December 03, 2010 at 5:00 PM

Want to learn what it takes to raise capital? OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalks are for you. Apply to participate or register to attend Round 3 of OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk.

To apply: Companies must be current OEN members and can pay the application fee below. Your email confirmation will take you to the online application form. For more information about the application process visit the OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk Application & Guidelines Page.

Note: To be considered for the final round of OEN’s Seed Oregon completion, companies must also have applied to OEN’s Angel Oregon.

To attend: People interested in attending the event can register below.

Event Description: For entrepreneurs with companies on the fundraising path, OEN’s Seed Oregon is a unique opportunity to compete for funding opportunities, and to learn the rules of the road of effective fundraising. This entertaining and educational competition is the program for OEN PubTalks during October and November of 2010 and then again January and February of 2011.

The competition is for Oregon and Southwest Washington seed-stage companies who are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. One winner from each preliminary round will move on to a championship round, where a finalist will earn a coveted presenting opportunity at OEN’s Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest.

Online registration for this event closes Wednesday, January 12th at noon. Please register at the door after that time.

Want to learn what it takes to raise capital? OEN’s Seed Oregon PubTalks are for you. This event is for entrepreneurs with companies on the fundraising path. This entertaining and educational competition is the program for OEN PubTalks during October and November of 2010 and then again January and February of 2011. In addition to networking with members of the entrepreneurial community, this event is a unique opportunity to compete for funding opportunities, and learn the rules of the road of effective fundraising.

Companies Competing in the OEN Seed Oregon final: 4-Tell http://www.4-tell.com/ GlobeSherpa http://www.globesherpa.com/ Indow Windows http://www.indowwindows.com/

OEN’s Seed Oregon is a competition held during four sessions of OEN’s PubTalk Networking events. It is for Oregon and Southwest Washington companies who are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. One winner from each preliminary round will move on to a championship round, where a finalist will earn a coveted presenting opportunity at OEN’s Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event, held at the Governor Hotel on Wednesday, March 16.

OEN members can register for this event online for $15 or $20 at the door of the event. Pre-register for a savings of $5.

Please note online registration for this event closes Wednesday, February 9th at noon. After that, please register at the door. No discounts will be applied if you miss the noon cut off.

PubTalk is sponsored by Ater Wynne and Comcast Business Services.

Date: Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Location: Backspace 115 NW 5th Avenue Portland, OR 97209 Time: 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM
OEN Member registration: $15.00
Non-member Registration: $30.00

WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? Picture this: standing up on stage: you, next to a projector screen filled with your slides.

Sitting in the audience: a room full potential investors and influencers who can either help you or dismiss you.

It's showtime. What, exactly, do you say? How, precisely, do you talk to an investor? And can you avoid the oh-so-common mistakes made by dozens of entrepreneurs who've pitched and failed?

If you're someone who's ready to ask for money - or even just someone who wants to get better at presenting - you don't even need to leave your desk. Just grab a cup of coffee and click on the URL that will be sent to you via email after you register for OEN's Webinar: How to talk to investors. Think of it as getting some practical presentation tips while wearing your bunny slippers.

You'll be able to watch presentation coach Dave Yewman demonstrate how to effectively communicate your message, how to get right to the point, and how to avoid common mistakes. You'll also be able to submit questions online.

Sponsor: BrandLive

Date: Monday, February 21 Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Location: Online http://www.oen.org/events.aspx?id=194 OEN Member Registration: $0.00
Non-member Registration: $32.00

Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc., will lead an interactive discussion about the art and science of raising capital. Attendees will learn the do-s and don't-s from some real-world hands-on experiences. Share with other CEOs your experiences, insights and frustrations from past efforts and gain insights for more successful future outcomes.

This session will feature expert content provided by "an old-pro" at raising capital, Spencer Brown, Board Chair of Oregon Aesthetics Technologies, Inc., who has raised over $250,000,000 for a variety of start-up and later stage companies, and by a "first-timer" who has recently raised Angel money for his company. Learn from their successes and frustrations to improve your odds!

Our group will discuss how to attract attention, methods and styles of presentations that are most effective, when and how to adjust to the unexpected, strategies to employ, and tactics of persuasion found to be most effective. You also will receive a high-level recap of the discussion.

Open only to CEOs or Presidents of currently operating companies that have employees. Boxed lunch will be served. This program is limited to 12 participants, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Moderator: Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc. - www.axian.com Content Expert: Spencer J. Brown, Board Chair of Oregon Aesthetic Technologies, Inc. - www.ansr.com

Speaker: Frank Helle Frank Helle is CEO of Axian, Inc., a privately-held web-services engineering firm building custom software and data solutions. Previously, he was a senior global leader at Monsanto Company. He lived in Brussels Belgium for 5 years managing manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. He then lived in Singapore for 5 years as Asia-Pacific Managing Director for 3 Monsanto Divisions.

Frank's leadership helps organizations realize more of their full potential, and often focuses on turnarounds and turbo-charging growth.

Aside from positioning Axian to be "built to last," Frank mentors and coaches local CXOs to help them compete in the global marketplace and create more jobs in Oregon. Frank is an active Board Director of Oregon's Association for Corporate Growth as Past-President, is an active Board Director of Oregon's high tech trade association, Tech America, is on the Software Association of Oregon CEO Roundtable Steering Team, and is an active volunteer with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network - Chairing the CEO Roundtable.

Date: Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Time: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Location: IronStone Bank, Conference Room 309 SW 6th Ave. Portland, OR 97204 OEN Member Registration: $46.00
Non-member Registration: $80.00

Connecting early stage and seed businesses with angel and venture investors in southern Oregon. Its mission is to encourage, accelerate and showcase start-up companies. Entrepreneurs and start-ups can submit their business plans for review and coaching, ultimately vying for an estimated $125,000 investment prize. The competition is expected to have real economic impact in southern Oregon, generating new business and jobs using local entrepreneurs, talent and intellectual property.

Event Fee: $99 per person up to February 25, 2011; $149 February 26, 2011 to March 9, 2011

Register here: http://www.southernoregonangelinvestors.com/Page.asp?NavID=10

Call for Applications Southern Oregon angel investors are calling for the best and brightest start ups to compete for an estimated $125,000 seed capital investment. The award will be announced at the March 9, 2011 Southern Oregon Angel Conference.

Where to Apply www.southernoregonangelinvestors.com early bird $99 application fee by Dec 15, $149 thereafter…DEADLINE JANUARY 7 (plans can be amended so apply now)

Date: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Location: Rogue Valley Country Club, 2660 Hillcrest Road, Medford, OR 97504 Web: http://www.oen.org/events.aspx?id=186

Oregon's entrepreneurial community is growing and thriving. In fact, Oregon entrepreneurs raised more than $200 million last year. Many of these companies have raised money in Oregon, but at some point, also made the decision to cast the funding net outside of the state.

Raising money for your company is never easy and looking out of state inevitably creates some new challenges such as; How do you go about getting connected to investors in other states? Do investors follow a different methodology when investing in companies outside of their state? Are most out of state investments done by VC firms or are there also angel investments?

Join us as we have a panel of experts discussing all aspects of out of state funding.

Event Panelists: Chris DeVore, Founders Co-op (Seattle) Chris Ulum, Agilyx Scott Kveton, Urban Airship

Moderator: Steve Morris, OTBC

Pre-register to Save! OEN members can register for this event online and save $5. Please note online registration for this event closes Wednesday, March 9th at noon. After that, please register at the door. No discounts will be applied if you miss the noon cut off.

PubTalk is sponsored by: Ater Wynne and Comcast Business Services.

Date: Wednesday, March 9 Location: Backspace 115 NW 5th Avenue Portland, OR 97209 Time: 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM OEN Member registration: $15 Online, $20 at the Door Non-member Registration: $30

OEN’s Angel Oregon is the nation’s premier angel investment award conference. It gives innovators the opportunity to connect with accredited angel investors, as well as the chance to win one of two investment awards. OEN's Angel Oregon is an opportunity for Oregon and southwest Washington’s brightest entrepreneurial talent to vie for a concept-stage prize of $25,000, as well as a launch-stage prize of ~$200,000.*

Whether you are an investor, an entrepreneur, a networker or an attendee, Angel Oregon 2011 is a conference you don’t want to miss.

Entrepreneurs interested in applying to present at OEN's Angel Oregon 2011 should visit the "Apply" page on the OEN Angel Oregon microsite - www.oenangeloregon.com.

*Anticipated investment award.

Angel Oregon 2011 Registration Pricing Early Bird Registration (Available through February 1) OEN Member: $175 OEN Non-Member: $274 (Includes one year discounted OEN Individual Membership) Academic (full time students and professors) - OEN Member: $128

Refund Policy: No refunds after February 16th

So, you are ready to start hiring. Is that an independent contractor or an employee? What are the legal compliance issues you need to consider? What essential processes and policies do you need to have in place? The presentation will cover the employment law basics in hiring employees and other contract workers.

Speaker: Renee Starr Renee Starr is a solo employment lawyer who focuses her practice on advising and defending employers in all aspects of employment law. Before becoming a lawyer, Renee started her career in human resources, and currently maintains certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR)

Come to Backspace and see OEN's Angel Oregon 2011 Concept-Stage winner, Marrietta Harrison of Soothie Suckers, present her emerging consumer business.

PubTalk is a lively forum where early-stage entrepreneurs from any industry get a chance to test their company pitch in front of an audience of their peers. Presenters and attendees alike, learn from the challenging questions, which test the presenting entrepreneur's business model.

Pre-Register and Save OEN members can save by pre-registering online. Online registration for this event closes Wednesday, April 13th at 12:00 pm. Please register at the door after that time, no discounts will be applied.

About SoothieSuckers: www.soothiesuckers.com Soothie Suckers delivers good health in great tasting, all-natural, herbal, freezable treats! Soothie Suckers come in three formulas: Immune Booster, Cold Fighter and Sore Throat Relief. "It's the cool way to feel better."

Marietta Harrison - Soothie Sucker's Founder, CEO, & Mom Marietta Harrison is a true "mompreneur." About 15 years ago, before most pediatricians stopped prescribing antibiotics for many common ailments, Marietta lost faith in the medical community. Relying on her own research and input from friends and fellow parents familiar with natural medicine, she began creating her own herbal remedies and mixing them with fruit juices to help treat her own children.

Years later, while brainstorming with her husband, musician Michael Allen Harrison, and his sister, they came up with the idea to put natural medicines into ice pops. As they began to move forward with their idea, they were amazed at the lack of products available to treat children for colds and other illnesses. Marietta's experience with adding herbal medicines to her children's fruit juice helped them develop a great tasting and effective product - and Soothie Suckers were born.

Date: Wednesday, April 13 Time: 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM Backspace, 115 NW 5th Ave. Portland, OR 97204 OEN Member Registration: $15
Non-member Registration: $30

The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network would like to invite you to participate at this year's Internship Workshop and Job Fair event. Internships not only provide excellent work experience, but also allow you to be an integral of an exciting and dynamic business environment. Learn how to maximize the internship experience and meet some of Oregon's hottest startups.

What Students Can Expect at the Workshop and Speed Dating Event: The workshop will be held in a round table format to generate an environment of healthy discussion between student participants and panelists focused on driving maximum value out of future internships. After the workshops the speed dating event will begin and each student will be able to meet with each company independently for 10 minutes. This will be your chance to make a connection and lay ground work for prospective internship opportunities. Directly following the Job Fair, you will have an additional 30 minutes available to follow up with the companies that best fit your future career aspirations.

Students: If you are a student that wishes to register for this event, please click on the Member or Non-member links below. If you are a student and unsure about the status of your OEN membership through your university, please contact Kirsten Ringen ([email protected]) or Larry Williams ([email protected]) to verify your membership.

Companies Seeking Interns: If you are a company seeking summer interns, the OEN invites you to participate at this spring’s Internship Workshop and Job Fair. Learn how to maximize the internship experience and connect with some of Oregon’s brightest business students. The workshop will be held in a roundtable format to generate an environment of healthy discussion between participants and 3-4 expert panelists. Topics include general best practices, tips for employing an intern and the legal consideration of internships. After the workshop, the Job Fair will be held in a speed dating format where each company will be able to meet with students independently for 10 minutes per session.

This event is open at all companies. Please send a couple of paragraphs describing your company and your internship needs to Kirsten Ringen, [email protected].

*Companies must be current OEN Members.

Panelists: Are you interested in being a Panelist for OEN’s spring Internship Workshop and Job Fair? We will hold two simultaneous workshops, one for companies and one for students, focused on driving maximum value out of the internship experience. The workshop will be held in a roundtable format to generate an environment of healthy discussion between participants and 3-4 expert panelists.

If you are interested in being a panelist or if you would like more information, please contact Kirsten Ringen, [email protected].

Dates: April 20 Time: 1:45 PM - 5:00 PM Location: University of Portland Campus Member Registration: No Fee Studnet Non-member Registration: $45

Clark County PubTalk
April 20th is Pitch Night @ Vancouver’s PubTalk

Join us at Vancouver’s PubTalk for a fast-paced networking evening where you’ll see 3 start-up companies pitches, & connect w/over 100 local start-ups, small-business owners, business professionals, investors, & service providers from both sides of the river.

Event Details:

    AHA!    
    415 W 6th Street Ste 605,    
    Vancouver, WA 98660    
    5-8 pm   
    Cost：OEN Members: $20   
                Non-Members: $25   

    Register： http://bit.ly/hNtYD9

Presenting Companies：
• GroEasy：Designer/Manufacturer of GroEasy Grow Bags
• Bowserwear：Designer/Manufacturer of Healers™ medical devices for the veterinary industry • Stark Foundations： Manufacturer of “no-concrete” proprietary fab systems used in erecting tower structures.

Event Sponsors:
• Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt
• Eric Fuller & Associates, Inc.
• Kristine M. Peterson | Talbot, Korvola & Warwick, LLP

For more info：

    contact Maria Swanson, PubTalk Coordinator： (678) 314-6228   
    [email protected]

Clark County PubTalk: • OEN • SWWDC  •  CREDC •

Do you know what to expect when applying for funding? Join OEN at Backspace for the skinny on local Angel Investment avenues. We’ve invited four local angel investment organizations to give an overview of their programs and share what kind of investments they make. You’ll learn the ins and outs of how to obtain funding including: how to apply, and tips about what investors are looking for, and how best to stand out against the competition.

Moderator: Rob Wiltbank, Willamette University

Panelists:

Julie Gulla, Portland Angel Network

Jim Huston, Portland Seed Fund

Angela Jackson, Keiretsu Forum

Eric Pozzo, Oregon Angel Fund

Pre-Register and Save

OEN members can save by pre-registering online. Online registration for this event closes Wednesday, April 13th at 12:00 pm. Please register at the door after that time, no discounts will be applied.

5-Minute Pitch

PubTalk is a lively forum where very early-stage entrepreneurs from any industry get a chance to test their company pitch in front of an audience of their peers. Presenters and attendees alike, learn from the challenging questions, which test the presenting entrepreneur’s business model. Companies who would like to apply to present at an upcoming PubTalk can apply here: http://www.oen.org/5_minute_pitch.aspx.

Sponsors

Ater Wynne Comcast Business Services

Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc., will lead an interactive discussion about what to look for as you're selecting and growing your executive team. We’ll focus on leadership team issues and the warning signs that, if left untended, can derail executives' careers -- and in the process can torpedo both the culture of your team and your growing company. Share with other CEOs your experiences, insights and frustrations in working with your own and others’ potential career derailers, and gain insights for proactively addressing these leadership issues.

Our featured content expert is executive coach Rebecca Perry. As a former manager in a Fortune 50 company, and with 20+ years of experience as coach and sounding board for leaders in start-up and growing organizations, she brings to our table her curiosity, insights and lessons-observed.

The content of this session will include a brief description of the Hogan Leadership instrument -- a unique personality assessment so incisive it’s a legally-defensible predictor of leadership success. You'll hear about the 11 most common ways leaders shoot their careers and their company cultures in the foot. This information can help you notice warning signs in your team before they become show-stoppers.

Our group will discuss lessons-learned in creating alignment on a leadership team, and fostering an environment where we’re bringing out each others' best especially during the intense and often stress-producing phases of a young company.

Open only to CEOS or Presidents of currently operating companies that have employees. Boxed lunch will be served. This program is limited to 12 participants, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 Time: 11:30-1:30 pm Location: 309 SW 6th Ave. Ironstone Bank Conference Room Portland, OR 97204 Registration: OEN Member - $46 Non-Member - $80

Moderator: Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc. – www.axian.com Content Expert: Rebecca Perry, Executive Coach – www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaperryleadership

Speaker: Frank Helle Frank Helle is CEO of Axian, Inc., a privately-held web-services engineering firm building custom software and data solutions. Previously, he was a senior global leader at Monsanto Company. He lived in Brussels Belgium for 5 years managing manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. He then lived in Singapore for 5 years as Asia-Pacific Managing Director for 3 Monsanto Divisions.

Frank's leadership helps organizations realize more of their full potential, and often focuses on turnarounds and turbo-charging growth.

Aside from positioning Axian to be "built to last," Frank mentors and coaches local CXOs to help them compete in the global marketplace and create more jobs in Oregon. Frank is an active Board Director of Oregon's Association for Corporate Growth as Past-President, is an active Board Director of Oregon’s high tech trade association, Tech America, is on the Software Association of Oregon CEO Roundtable Steering Team, and is an active volunteer with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network - Chairing the CEO Roundtable.

OEN offers many ways for you to connect with the Portland entrepreneurial community and leverage your contacts to create success for your business. Come to our next event on Thursday, May 26, 2011, 4PM at Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Avenue and hear how you can use all of the benefits that are part of OEN membership!

Raising equity capital can be a daunting task for entrepreneurs. OEN is proud to offer a workshop that provides entrepreneurs who are planning to try and raise capital from Angel Investors, an overview on what it takes to prepare.

The workshop covers a road map of how to improve your investor readiness. Topics will include: • Who is an Angel Investor - and what motivates them to invest. • Understanding Angel Investor realities. • Where to find Angels. • Investor readiness and preparation • The Due Diligence process. • Criteria of an ideal Angel Deal.

Dennis Powers, Cornerstone Management Resources Mr. Powers is the Managing Partner of Cornerstone Management Resources and has over 35 years experience in technology ventures. He has been an officer and/or director in a number of companies that have successfully gone from early formation to successful exits. He has experience on several boards of directors, is an active angel investor, and volunteer in the entrepreneurial community.

Ever try to solve a Rubik's cube? Most people can complete one side, but solving the whole puzzle is decidedly more difficult. Entrepreneurs experience the same thing when trying to solve the revenue growth puzzle. Achieving the first million is pretty straightforward, but growing revenues from $1M to $5M is complicated. You have to be thinking several steps ahead and managing several moving parts. Solving the revenue growth puzzle requires you to think of marketing, sales, staffing, training, financing, production and distribution. OEN has assembled a stellar panel of entrepreneurs who have successfully grown their companies’ revenues past the $5M mark and are willing to share their experiences, and answer your questions. Please join moderator Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc. and Program Chair for OEN's CEO Roundtable, along with the following three revenue-growth experts for an informative and entertaining panel discussion. There will be plenty of interactive Q&A time regarding how to drive revenue growth from the $1M marker to the $5M marker. Chris Marsh, Pulse Health Julie Pickens, Little Busy Bodies Mike Wright, Wellpartner You can cut to profitability but not to top-line growth...learn what these experts know This panel of local entrepreneurs knows how to create long-term value for all stake holders through top-line growth. They also have succeeded recently despite the challenging access to capital and the difficult economy businesses face today. This workshop is your opportunity to quiz them on their successes, frustrations, and lessons learned that you can apply to your growing business.

Ever try to solve a Rubik's cube? Most people can complete one side, but solving the whole puzzle is decidedly more difficult. Entrepreneurs experience the same thing when trying to solve the revenue growth puzzle. Achieving the first million is pretty straightforward, but growing revenues from $1M to $5M is complicated. You have to be thinking several steps ahead and managing several moving parts. Solving the revenue growth puzzle requires you to think of marketing, sales, staffing, training, financing, production and distribution. OEN has assembled a stellar panel of entrepreneurs who have successfully grown their companies’ revenues past the $5M mark and are willing to share their experiences, and answer your questions. Please join moderator Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc. and Program Chair for OEN's CEO Roundtable, along with the following three revenue-growth experts for an informative and entertaining panel discussion. There will be plenty of interactive Q&A time regarding how to drive revenue growth from the $1M marker to the $5M marker. Chris Marsh, Pulse Health Julie Pickens, Little Busy Bodies Mike Wright, Wellpartner You can cut to profitability but not to top-line growth...learn what these experts know This panel of local entrepreneurs knows how to create long-term value for all stake holders through top-line growth. They also have succeeded recently despite the challenging access to capital and the difficult economy businesses face today. This workshop is your opportunity to quiz them on their successes, frustrations, and lessons learned that you can apply to your growing business.

*NOTE - This listing says 9th, OEN listing says 7th....

Need to learn how to develop a solid business plan? This seminar is for you. Join OEN at OTBC to attend the OEN Business Plan Development Seminar. It reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business plan, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

Presenter: Steve Morris Steve Morris is the Executive Director of OTBC and the Managing Director of OregonStartups.com. He is a veteran of three start-ups, and has more than 25 years of management experience in the software, service, and semiconductor test industries at companies such as Hewlett Packard, Integrated Measurement Systems, Cadence Design Systems, Mentor Graphics, Credence Corporation and Teseda Corporation. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from Reed College and a Masters of Science degree from Carnegie-Mellon University Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now The Tepper School of Business).

Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 Remind Me Time: 4:00 PM - 6:15 PM Location: 8305 SW Creekside Place, Suite C, Beaverton, OR 97008 Web: http://www.oen.org/events.aspx?id=189 OEN Member Registration: $32.00
Non-member Registration: $70.00

Wednesday, September 14 5:15 PM – 7:00 PM Backspace, 115 NW 5th Avenue, Portland, OR, 97209

Want to learn what it takes to raise capital? OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalks are for you.

OEN's Seed Oregon is a unique opportunity for companies from Oregon and Southwest Washington that are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. In this competition, CEOs of emerging companies learn the rules of the road for effective fundraising and receive coaching from content experts to help them shine.

This entertaining and educational competition is the program for OEN PubTalks during September, October, November of 2011 with the finale in January of 2011. The overall winner of OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk will receive exposure at OEN's Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest.

5-Minute Pitch Company: MyReplayLive http://www.myreplaylive.com/

Round 1 Seed Oregon Presenting Companies: BikeTrak http://www.biketrak.com/ RES Equine Products Inc. http://www.resboot.com/ thedot http://thedot.tv/

Sponsored by: Ater Wynne http://www.aterwynne.com/ Comcast Business Services http://business.comcast.com/

Clark County PubTalk™

Thus Sept 15th: 5pm-8pm

PubTalk has a new VENUE!
PubTalk's moved to the Red Cross Community Room at Ft. Vancouver

Red Cross Building at Fort Vancouver

605 East Barnes St. Vancouver, WA 98661

Google Map: http://g.co/maps/arjka

PDF Map: http://bit.ly/qOoA2y

Are you investor ready?

Join us and find out if you are angel investor ready and if you fully understand the due diligence process. Also find out how to attract the right investor for your business and learn how a local success story, Ryonet Corporation, met the challenge of growing a company without adequate funding. Confirmed speakers:

Nathan McDonald, Keiretsu NW President Ryan Moor, President, Ryonet Corporation Rob Wiltbank, Assoc. Prof of Strategy & Entrepreneurship, Willamette Univ.

It's OPEN MIC night at PubTalk!

Register here: http://bit.ly/hNtYD9

$25 General registration

$20 OEN members

Drinks & hors d'oeuvre served.

Tonkon Torp's Intellectual Property Practice Group will provide practical guidance to new business owners on avoiding common intellectual property pitfalls when starting a business. The speakers will cover a number of important topics for new business owners, including branding, trade secret protection, financing/investor disclosure issues, idea submission and restrictions on use of internet materials. The presentation is intended to give attendees a roadmap for understanding and addressing potential IP liability issues when starting a business.

The speakers are all members of Tonkon Torp's Intellectual Property Practice Group:

Vicki Ballou, Partner, Tonkon Torp- Ms. Ballou specializes in intellectual property licensing

Jon Stride, Partner, Tonkon Torp- Mr. Stride practices commercial litigation, including intellectual property matters

Steven Wilker, Partner, Tonkon Torp- Mr. Wilker practice commercial litigation, including copyright, media and other intellectual property matters

Chris Erickson, Tonkon Torp- Mr. Erickson specializes in trademark and branding

Wednesday, Oct 12 5:15 PM – 7:00 PM Backspace, 115 NW 5th Avenue, Portland, OR, 97209

Want to learn what it takes to raise capital? OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalks are for you.

OEN's Seed Oregon is a unique opportunity for companies from Oregon and Southwest Washington that are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. In this competition, CEOs of emerging companies learn the rules of the road for effective fundraising and receive coaching from content experts to help them shine.

This entertaining and educational competition is the program for OEN PubTalks during September, October, November of 2011 with the finale in January of 2011. The overall winner of OEN's Seed Oregon PubTalk will receive exposure at OEN's Angel Oregon, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest.

Sponsored by: Ater Wynne http://www.aterwynne.com/ Comcast Business Services http://business.comcast.com/

OEN offers many ways for you to connect with the Portland entrepreneurial community and leverage your contacts to create success for your business. Come to our next event, meet other OEN members, and hear how you can use all of the benefits that are part of OEN membership from a veteran OEN member.

OEN Venture NW 2011

When: Thurs Nov 3rd, 8am-5pm
Where: Governor Hotel 614 SW 11th Avenue Portland, OR 97205y

Venture NW: http://www.venturenw.org

OEN 2011 Venture Northwest:
On Nov 3rd come hear from the 10 NW Venture finalists:

10 Startup Finalists:
・ 4-Tell, Inc., Portland, OR
www.4-tell.com
・ Avado, Bellvue, WA
www.avedo.com
・ Cloudability, Portland, OR
www.cloudability.com
・ Meridian, Portland, OR
www.meridianapps.com
・ MotoCzysz, LLC, Portland, OR
www.motoczysz.com
・ Night & Day Studios, Inc., Portland, OR
www.nightanddaystudios.com
・ Northwest Analytics, Portland, OR
www.nwasoft.com
・ OpenSesame, Portland, OR
www.opensesame.com
・ Pacific Light Technologies Corp. Portland, OR
www.pacificlighttech.com
・ The Clymb, Portland, OR
www.theclymb.com

Ten great investment opportunities await you, and we have the coordinates! You’ll also hear from brilliant business leaders about trends in social media and mobile computing, as well as hear why some leading venture firms are plotting their course to the Northwest to find real treasures.

OEN’s Venture Northwest is an annual Portland-based conference that draws VCs, institutional investors and investment bankers from across the US and Western Canada, who are interested in early and growth stage companies.

OEN Venture Northwest is an outstanding networking opportunity for all entrepreneurs and investors. So whether you are chosen to present or not – we encourage you to register. How often are you in a room with 100 + investors? Don’t miss this invaluable opportunity.

Register: OEN Venture NW http://www.oen.org/events.aspx?id=219

The Light A Fire Awards Dinner honors the nonprofit organizations and individuals whose extraordinary acts of service embody the Portland spirit of giving to make our region more prosperous, beautiful, healthful, and sustainable— in a word, better—for all of us.

Proceeds benefit OEN’s Entrepreneurs Foundation of the Northwest.

6pm Cocktail Hour 7pm Dinner & Awards Ceremony

Special thanks to our sponsors below who make the evening possible.

OEN PubTalk – Nov 9th, 5:15-7:30pm

OEN PubTalk – Seed Oregon Round 3

Want to learn what it takes to raise capital? Then OEN’s Seed
Oregon PubTalks are for you. Apply to participate or register for
Round 3 of OEN Seed Oregon.

Presenting Companies

   • Chainge Capital 
      http://www.chaingecapital.com
   • My Replay Live 
      http://www.myreplaylive.com
   • Cloudfeet, Inc.  
      http://www.cloudfeet.com 

      Register: http://www.oen.org/events.aspx?id=225

Become a 5-Minute Pitch Company

PubTalk is a lively forum where very early-stage entrepreneurs 
from any industry get a chance to test their company pitch in front 
of an audience of their peers. 
Presenters and attendees alike, learn from the challenging 
questions, which test the presenting entrepreneur’s business 
model.
Companies interested in presenting at PubTalk can apply here: 
http://www.oen.org/5_minute_pitch.aspx

Venue: Backspace

      115 NW 5th Ave 
      Portland, OR 97209 
      www.backspace.bz 
      (503) 248-2900

Clark County PubTalk “Alumni Night”： Thur. 11/10: 5-8pm

Join us for another great networking event on Nov 10th to hear previous PubTalk early stage companies talk about their progress and lessons learned, and to celebrate their achievements.

Find out how former PubTalk 'Alumni’ companies have grown and evolved via their direct involvement w/the PubTalk experience. Network with over 150 local business professionals, entrepreneurs, and service providers to strengthen your social and professional connections and participate in the growing Clark County buzz!

Presenting Alumni Companies:

• REDpoint： http://www.redpointcorp.com
• Bowserwear： http://bowserwear.com
• Helidyne LLC： http://www.helidynepower.com
• Oasis： http://www.4saliva.com
• Hydrovolts： http://hydrovolts.com
• GroEasy： http://www.groeasy.com

Registration: http://bit.ly/tDpZYH

• $25 General
• $20 OEN members *$30 Walk-ins

Hosted by: SWWDC, CREDC, OEN

For innovators, investors, and networkers alike, OEN’s Angel Oregon is more than the northwest’s premier angel investment prize conference; it’s where breakthrough ideas are nurtured, new markets are tapped, and invaluable business connections are made.

At OEN’s Angel Oregon 2012 investment conference, Oregon and southwest Washington’s brightest entrepreneurs will be competing for the launch-stage investment award. It is the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs to present to accredited angel investors.

This must-attend event gives presenting companies excellent visibility and a chance to obtain substantial investment capital by bringing together Oregon and southwest Washington’s brightest entrepreneurial talent with accredited angel investors.

People interested in applying or investing should visit www.oenangeloregon.org to learn more.

Conference attendence includes: lunch, keynote speaker, presentations followed by questions and answers by Launch Stage Company Finalists and Concept Stage Company Finalists, vote for audience favorites, announcement of winners, and celebratory networking reception.

Pricing

•Early bird Member Registration: $185 (Early bird pricing ends March 22nd)

•Early bird Non-member: $310 (Includes a one-year individual membership to OEN)

•OEN Member Registration: $210 (After March 22nd)

•OEN Non-member Registration: $335 ( Includes a one-year individual membership to OEN)

•Academic Registration: $140

•Additional colleague from finalist company: $132

•OEN Board and Angel Oregon Committee Registration: $130

Paul O'Brien, who founded Visionary Networks/Tarot.com, will share his experiences and perspective as an entrepreneur who bootstrapped an innovative Internet-based content business, invented his own unique approach to monetizing it via 'micropayments', turned Google, AOL, MySpace and others into major partners in helping grow a following for the company’s horoscope readings to millions of users per month, and then sold the company for $21M in 2007. Paul will touch on motivation, desire, and innovation as they apply to successful entrepreneurship, and share in depth how he developed better decision making ability, which he credits as key to his process. Paul has served as the “Pathways” radio host for KBOO for 25 years, and now runs his own foundation. Whether you have started your own venture or are thinking about it, this presentation will give you plenty of food for thought.

$5.00 Gorge OEN Members $10.00 Non Gorge OEN Members Online Registration Deadline: Nov. 11, 2011 @ Noon

For information: Robin Cope, Gorge OEN, Executive Director, [email protected], 541-296-8080

Need to learn how to develop a solid business plan? This seminar is for you. Join OEN at OTBC to attend the OEN Business Plan Development Seminar. It reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from two seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business plan, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

Presenter: Steve Morris Steve Morris is the Executive Director of OTBC and the Managing Director of OregonStartups.com. He is a veteran of three start-ups, and has more than 25 years of management experience in the software, service, and semiconductor test industries at companies such as Hewlett Packard, Integrated Measurement Systems, Cadence Design Systems, Mentor Graphics, Credence Corporation and Teseda Corporation. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from Reed College and a Masters of Science degree from Carnegie-Mellon University Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now The Tepper School of Business).

Date: Wednesday, November 16 Time: 4:00 PM - 6:15 PM
Location: OTBC 8305 SW Creekside Place, Suite C, Beaverton, OR 97008 Web: http://www.oen.org/events.aspx?id=191 OEN Member Registration: $32.00
Non-member Registration: $70.00

This workshop will cover the basics concepts of angel investments that a company should know before negotiating with investors or participating in any angel competition, including understanding a term sheet, preparing for an angel investment, and understanding the process and timeline for completing an angel investment. The workshop will be led by experienced startup attorneys, and will cover the term sheet used in the Angel Oregon competition.

Speakers •Ernie Bootsma - Ater Wynne •Scott Davidson - Lane Powell •Jon Summers - White Summers

Learn about angel investing and OEN’s Angel Oregon experience and process at the Angel Oregon 2012 Investor Information Session & Reception. OEN's Angel Oregon is an annual investment conference for concept and launch stage companies. Investors looking for an opportunity to diversify their investment portfolios, learn more about angel investing, as well as have fun and network with the Oregon entrepreneurial community should attend.

Presenters:

•Drew Smith, Investor Recruitment Chair, Angel Oregon 2012 •Shelley Gunton, Chair, Angel Oregon 2012 •Bill Stevens , LLC Manager Panel of angel investors who have benefitted from their experience with Angel Oregon. Other AO12 Steering Committee members

**Note: Attendees must meet the SEC accredited investors' criteria. See requirements in the following link: http://www.sec.gov/answers/accred.htm.

Tonkon Torp's Intellectual Property Practice Group will provide practical guidance to new business owners on avoiding common intellectual property pitfalls when starting a business. The speakers will cover a number of important topics for new business owners, including branding, trade secret protection, financing/investor disclosure issues, idea submission and restrictions on use of internet materials The presentation is intended to give attendees a roadmap for understanding and addressing potential IP liability issues when starting a business.

The speakers are all members of Tonkon Torp's Intellectual Property Practice Group:

•Vicki Ballou, Partner, Tonkon Torp- Ms. Ballou specializes in intellectual property licensing •Ari Okano, Tonkon Torp- Ms. Okano's practice is focused on trademarks and copyrights •Steven Wilker, Partner, Tonkon Torp- Mr. Wilker practice commercial litigation, including copyright, media and other intellectual property matters

Learn about what angel investors look for in an angel investment, what it means to be "investor ready", the Angel Oregon application, how to use GUST (the software platform used by Angel Oregon to gather and review company information), the Angel Oregon process, and a brief overview of the Angel Oregon 2012 term sheet. OEN’s Angel Oregon is an annual investment conference for Concept and Launch stage companies. This year, the OEN Angel Oregon Steering Committee is hoping to raise in excess of $300,000 with a minimum of $200,000 going to the Launch Stage Company winner and the possibility of second and even third place investments too.

Speakers

•Kermit Yensen, Company Recruitment Chair, Angel Oregon 2012

•Dennis Powers, Angel Oregon 2012 Steering Committee and longtime angel investor/advisor.

•Shelley Gunton, Chair, Angel Oregon 2012 (and Angel Oregon 2005 winner)

•Julie Brown, OEN

Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc., will lead an interactive discussion on the use of strategic partnerships. The session will focus on options that can provide leverage to your organization when internal resources are scarce. Too often, CEO’s neglect these attractive options due to uncertainty on how to establish them or how to make effective use of them. Practical discussion will highlight:

Key areas for consideration:

•Determining where leverage is needed in your organization •Keys to initiating relationships •Practical suggestions for consideration Your insights and considerations will be welcome and integrated into the discussion.

Our featured content expert is Peter Arezzini, Principal, Arezzini Consulting. Arezzini Consulting specializes in strategic planning and development of growth strategies for mid-market companies. Peter Arezzini has served as a President/Chief Operating Officer for over 15 years. He has taken divisions of Fortune 500 companies to double-digit growth through organic as well as acquisition strategies that are simple, yet powerful. He has experience in high technology as well as industrial-based companies. Peter has successfully grown, consolidated and positioned companies for IPO and ultimate sale to other public companies.

Open only to CEOs or Presidents of currently operating companies that have employees. Boxed lunch will be served. This program is limited to 12 participants, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Moderator: Frank Helle, CEO of Axian, Inc. - www.axian.com. Content Expert: Peter Arezzini, Arezzini Consulting Inc.

To register for this event, please contact Kirsten Ringen, OEN Director of Membership Services, at 503-222-2270 x 113 or [email protected]. Registration: OEN Member - $46; Non-Member - $80.

Savvy business owners and leaders agree – the most valuable asset in any company is its employees. So are your current hiring practices set up to support your most valuable asset? While there is no exact science for guaranteeing the perfect hire, you can improve your chances of hiring right the first time through a well planned and executed process.

•Understand the legal considerations pertaining to the hiring of independent contractors and employees

•Develop a consistent and objective process to avoid negligent hiring practices and minimize costly turnover

•Acquire tips and tools to uncover a candidate’s skills, values and performance within your culture

For Gazelle CEOs whose companies have annual revenues between $3M - $30M. This event is part four of a five-part series, chaired and moderated by Sudhir Bhagwan. It provides informative and interactive advice to Gazelle CEOs. The OEN Running with the Gazelles CEO Forum of...fers attendees two topic discussions each session.

This session will cover: Protecting Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property 101: The goal of this presentation is to arm the attendees with a basic working knowledge of each of the distinct areas of intellectual property protection and provide practical approaches and clear options for protecting the intangible assets of a company. This session will cover the distinct legal concepts (trademark, copyright, patent and trade secrets) that are available to protect intellectual assets. We’ll address the common misconceptions, misnomers and pitfalls associated with each. Additionally, we’ll cover what intangibles can be protected; the process of protecting those intangible assets, the duration of protection, and the typical costs associated such protection.

Managing Your Business in Challenging Times

As companies grow and face an array of challenges, it is critical that the business remain nimble and continually develop new offerings / solutions. For this program, the speaker will discuss the challenges that his business has faced as it grew its revenue from $0 to $100M and its strategy to grow to the $200M+ level. In the present fast changing business and economic environment, CEOs cannot hang on to a static Business Plan or Strategy. They need to adapt to emerging competition and disruptions to stay in business. Lessons from Wellpartner will provide useful examples on how to make such maneuvers.

To Register: Contact Kirsten Ringen at [email protected] or 503-222-2270.

Session Sponsored by Davis Wright Tremaine Series Sponsored by: Davis Wright Tremaine Moss Adams Perkins Coie The Brentwood Group

Speaker Bios - Content Experts: Sheila Fox Morrison, Partner, Davis Wright Tramaine LLP Sheila Fox Morrison represents wineries, breweries, and liquor manufacturers, restaurants and food product companies in the U.S. and abroad with brand protection and enforcement efforts and other intellectual property protection needs. She also represents apparel companies, technology companies including a leading online market research firm, software companies, and those in biotech industries. Sheila speaks frequently on intellectual property topics, including international trademark law and prosecution.

Mike Wright, President, and CEO, Wellpartner As President and Chief Executive Officer of Wellpartner, a $100M revenue company, Mr. Wright has received numerous awards and recognition for the Company, including repeated listings as one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in Oregon by the Portland Business Journal, as well as being recognized by Inc 500 as one of the fastest growing companies in the US. Additionally, Wellpartner was recognized by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network as the Growth Company of the Year in 2005 and Mr. Wright was selected as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006. Prior to co-founding Wellpartner in 1999, Mr. Wright founded two other companies, Gene Therapeutics and MicroHeart, both of which were focused on developing site-specific drug delivery systems for the delivery of genetic agents in the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Previously, Mr. Wright was President and CEO of TomTec Imaging, a developer and manufacturer of advanced ultrasound imaging software and hardware. The bulk of Mr. Wright’s career, 27 years, was spent with the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies working in a number of the Johnson & Johnson operating units, both in domestic and international assignments. His last 15 years with the company were focused on acquisitions, turn-around scenarios and divestitures across a broad line of advanced medical products. Mr. Wright received a B.S. in Business Administration and Economics from Midwestern University. In addition to his business roles, Mr. Wright has been an active supporter of non-profit entities throughout his career, most recently having served as the Chairman of the Board of The Neuropsychiatric Institute at Oregon Health & Science University for a period of four years.

Moderator: Sudhir Bhagwan Sudhir Bhagwan is a local angel investor. He sits of several Boards and recently retired from the Advisory Board of the National Science Foundation SBIR/STTR program. Sudhir retired from Intel in 2000, after 21 years serving in several executive positions. From 2005-2008 he was Chairman & CEO of SnapNames.com, Inc., a Portland based internet software company, and led the company to profitably grow revenues 600% to $50million, and then sold it to Oversee.net in 2007. Sudhir was the first investor in, and Chairman of Second Porch, which was sold to HomeAway in May 2011. He is the Chairman of Your Next Step, a local 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. From 1988-1990 he was appointed by Oregon’s Governor Neil Goldschmidt as the founding President for the Oregon Advanced Computing Institute (OACIS), a unique partnership between industry, academia and government to spur the growth of the high-tech industry in Oregon.

Want to learn what it takes for entrepreneurs to raise capital? OEN’s Seed Oregon PubTalks are for you.

OEN’s Seed Oregon is a unique opportunity for companies from Oregon and Southwest Washington that are seeking capital within the range of $100,000 to $2,000,000. In this competition, CEOs of emerging companies learn the rules of the road for effective fundraising and receive coaching from content experts to help them shine; come show time. This entertaining and educational competition will showcase the winners from the OEN Seed Oregon September, October and November PubTalks.

Pitching Companies:

Comic Rocket

MyReplayLive

RES Equine

The overall winner of OEN’s Seed Oregon PubTalk will receive exposure at OEN’s Angel Oregon 2012 the premier angel investing event in the Northwest on April 18th.

Member Special: Pre-Register and Save

OEN members can save by pre-registering online. Online registration for this event closes Wednesday, January 11th at 2:00 pm. Please register at the door after that time, no discounts will be applied.

PubTalk Sponsors:

Ater Wynne

Become a 5-Minute Pitch Company

PubTalk is a lively forum where very early-stage entrepreneurs from any industry get a chance to test their company pitch in front of an audience of their peers. Presenters and attendees alike, learn from the challenging questions, which test the presenting entrepreneur’s business model. Companies who would like to apply to present at an upcoming PubTalk can apply here: http://www.oen.org/5_minute_pitch.aspx

Need to learn how to develop a solid business plan? This seminar is for you. Join OEN at OTBC to attend the OEN Business Plan Development Seminar. It reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business plan, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

Presenter: Steve Morris Steve Morris is the Executive Director of OTBC and the Managing Director of OregonStartups.com. He is a veteran of three start-ups, and has more than 25 years of management experience in the software, service, and semiconductor test industries at companies such as Hewlett Packard, Integrated Measurement Systems, Cadence Design Systems, Mentor Graphics, Credence Corporation and Teseda Corporation. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from Reed College and a Masters of Science degree from Carnegie-Mellon University Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now The Tepper School of Business).

Clark County PubTalk： “Patents & Rock ’n’ Roll” Details： Wed Jan 18, 2012: 5–8pm Ft. Vancouver Artillery Barracks 600 E Hatheway Rd Vancouver, WA 98661

Feature Speaker: Kurt Rylander PubTalk features Vancouver patent attorney Kurt Rylander, discussing intellectual property protection under the new patent laws. http://www.rylanderlaw.com

Pitch: Young Guitars http://www.youngguitars.com

Registration: http://bit.ly/AebG8L OEN Members: $20 General: $25 Walk-ins: $30

Sponsors: • Rylander& Associates: http://www.rylanderlaw.com • Peterson & Associates: http://www.vancouvercpa.com • TKW: http://www.tkw.com • Coldwell Banker: http://bit.ly/AAbNRh • Fort Vancouver National Trust: http://bit.ly/A1qaL0

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is much more than just inserting keywords into your title tags. These days you need to go beyond the tags and ensure that your design and development of your site is search engine friendly. Learn 11 actionable SEO tactics that will cover optimizing your site backend, site copy, site assets, inbound links, and social signals. This is not just for geeks – marketers or those that are in charge of creating content and marketing it on search engines and social media sites are more than welcomed!

Speaker: Hallie Janssen, CEO of Anvil Media

Incubators. That word seems to be all the rage right now, but what really happens within these start up incubators? Do they help companies become successful or at least get over certain challenges? What type of companies and people find the incubator experience to be a positive? Are there downfalls to going through the experience?

Come to OEN's February PubTalk and hear from the companies that have just completed the local incubator sessions at PIE (http://www.piepdx.com), OTBC (http://otbc.org) and the Portland Seed Fund (http://portlandseedfund.com). It is sure to be an engaging evening filled with Q&A with the panelists.

Moderator Pinky Gonzales -Bio:http://www.linkedin.com/in/pinkygonzales

Panelist PDX Seed Fund Company - Viziify - Todd Silverstein, CEO and Cofounder Vizify showcases the best of you by creating a highly visual, interactive profile based on the sites and services you already use. http://vizify.com/

OTBC - SheerID - CEO Jake Weatherly For companies who currently offer or would like to offer discounts to groups like college students, association members, active-duty and veteran military personnel, government employees, etc., SheerID instantly establishes that your customer qualifies for the discount they are attempting to redeem. The SheerID verification platform ensures that your exclusive offers are only used by a verified member of the targeted group. It all happens instantly, quietly and without fraud. This means that you can freely offer any type of special promotions or discounts to your target market and it will be protected while keeping your customer experience seamless in your online shopping cart. For more information, go to www.sheerid.com.

PIE - Revisu - CEO Brad Heller Revisu allows designers to effortlessly share Photoshop, Illustrator, and other design files for their clients to review, comment, and approve--whether they have the right software or not. http://revisu.com

5 Minute Pitch Companies - Both from the Portland State Business Accelerator

Tellagence - Matt Hixson - Co-founder and CEO Tellagence develops and markets predictive social analytics software that gives companies insights on behaviors such as how people will share a message across a community or how individuals within the community will respond to a call to action. Understanding these behaviors are critical to any organization being able to optimize and measure their use of social networks for business objectives such as shaping brand perception, increasing awareness or lead generation.

Sight Line Applications - Jordan Holt - CTO SightLine Applications, LLC produces embedded video stabilization, object tracking, and image enhancement systems well-suited for airborne and ground video applications which demand high performance in a small, light, low-power package. SightLine systems reduce operator workload and increase situational awareness in surveillance and security applications. They are designed specifically to work on unmanned vehicles where low latency feedback to a camera gimbal system is critical. www.sightlineapplications.com

Member Special: Pre-Register and Save OEN members can save by pre-registering online. Online registration for this event closes Wednesday, February 8th at 2:00 pm. Please register at the door after that time, no discounts will be applied.

Become a 5-Minute Pitch Company PubTalk is a lively forum where very early-stage entrepreneurs from any industry get a chance to test their company pitch in front of an audience of their peers. Presenters and attendees alike, learn from the challenging questions, which test the presenting entrepreneur’s business model. Companies who would like to apply to present at an upcoming PubTalk can apply here: http://www.oen.org/5_minute_pitch.aspx

Attention Westside entrepreneurs: OEN is bringing PubTalk™ to Hillsboro on Wednesday, February 15! Join other entrepreneurs for the area’s premier networking event from 5:15pm to 7:00 pm at Coyote’s Bar & Grill, 5301 W Baseline in Hillsboro.

The Hillsboro Chamber, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, and Jones & Roth are pleased to partner in bringing you the OEN PubTalk™ - Hillsboro. If you haven’t already discovered, PubTalks are a unique mix of educational panel discussions delivered by successful entrepreneurs, investors or business experts combined with opportunities for entrepreneurs to gain expertise in delivering investment pitches.

At the February PubTalk, we’ll be hearing from the founders of ZH Brewing Company: Shauna Carter, Nick Roberts, and Alan Taylor.

5-Minute Pitch presentations from: Steven Speer, Cardiowise, and Mark Bates, Good Works Now.

Cost is $15/HCC, OEN, TiE and OTBC members and $30/non-members and guests. The OEN PubTalk™ - Hillsboro series is proudly sponsored by Jones & Roth.

Register below or contact Kirsten Ringen OEN’s Director of Membership Services at 503-222-2270 or [email protected].

Contact the chamber’s Special Events Director, Kris Carico at 503.726.2145 or [email protected] for more information about future programs or to get a pitch application.

Good managers and leaders agree - the most valuable asset in any company is its employees.

Is your hiring process set up to support your most valuable asset?

While there is no exact science for guaranteeing the perfect hire, you can improve your chances of hiring right the first time through a well planned and executed hiring process. This interactive session addresses the legal considerations associated with hiring and provides participants with tools to identify and uncover a candidate’s skills, performance and fit within their industry and workplace culture. Participants will practice interviewing and screening techniques and will develop a plan for refining their current hiring practices.

What You Will Gain: • Understand pertinent employment laws affecting the hiring and interview process • Implement practices to avoid negligent hiring practices • Acquire and practice the most effective interview styles and strategies • Plan and organize an objective interview and evaluation process

Who Will Benefit: • Supervisors • Managers • HR Professionals

Speaker: Molly Kelley with XeniumHR

Good managers and leaders agree - the most valuable asset in any company is its employees.

Is your hiring process set up to support your most valuable asset?

While there is no exact science for guaranteeing the perfect hire, you can improve your chances of hiring right the first time through a well planned and executed hiring process. This interactive session addresses the legal considerations associated with hiring and provides participants with tools to identify and uncover a candidate’s skills, performance and fit within their industry and workplace culture. Participants will practice interviewing and screening techniques and will develop a plan for refining their current hiring practices.

What You Will Gain: • Understand pertinent employment laws affecting the hiring and interview process • Implement practices to avoid negligent hiring practices • Acquire and practice the most effective interview styles and strategies • Plan and organize an objective interview and evaluation process

Who Will Benefit: • Supervisors • Managers • HR Professionals

Speaker: Molly Kelley with XeniumHR

Good managers and leaders agree - the most valuable asset in any company is its employees.

Is your hiring process set up to support your most valuable asset?

While there is no exact science for guaranteeing the perfect hire, you can improve your chances of hiring right the first time through a well planned and executed hiring process. This interactive session addresses the legal considerations associated with hiring and provides participants with tools to identify and uncover a candidate’s skills, performance and fit within their industry and workplace culture. Participants will practice interviewing and screening techniques and will develop a plan for refining their current hiring practices.

What You Will Gain:

• Understand pertinent employment laws affecting the hiring and interview process • Implement practices to avoid negligent hiring practices • Acquire and practice the most effective interview styles and strategies • Plan and organize an objective interview and evaluation process

Who Will Benefit:

• Supervisors • Managers • HR Professionals

You've got a great product but how do you sell it? This workshop will show you the foundations that you need to know, to move your product or service.

In this workshop, participants will learn:

•How to create and exchange value through building and fostering relationships. •Why and how customers choose to buy. •How to plan, prepare, and jump start an effective sales strategy. •How to successfully start and manage your own sales, even if you've never done it before. The first steps towards building a sales team and/or 3rd party sales networks.

People that will benefit from this workshop are:

•Entrepreneurs who are new to sales or are seeking to raise capital (there are some very similar principles that apply) •Business owners and leaders who may not be familiar with sales and want to improve their existing sales efforts. •Individuals that want to become more involved in their company's sales activities •Individuals wishing to start a career in sales or development.

Presenter: Robin Wang

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is much more than just inserting keywords into your title tags. These days you need to go beyond the tags and ensure that your design and development of your site is search engine friendly. Learn 11 actionable SEO tactics that will cover optimizing your site backend, site copy, site assets, inbound links, and social signals. This is not just for geeks – marketers or those that are in charge of creating content and marketing it on search engines and social media sites are more than welcomed!

In this OEN CEO Roundtable, Nitin will talk about the HR philosophy, culture, policies, and tactics that allowed Saber to grow from 20 employees to 1200 with zero voluntary separations from the company in its first 8 years. More importantly, 100% of the management team that drove this growth were promoted from within (programmers to executives) thus keeping our compensation and recruiting costs amongst the lowest in the industry.

Open only to CEOs or Presidents of currently operating companies that have employees. Boxed lunch will be served. This program is limited to 12 participants, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Who should attend this event: CEOs and VP of HR for current and future high growth companies though any CEO that wants to build a company with a fabulous performance based culture would benefit from this event.

To register for this event, please call Kirsten Ringen, OEN Director of Membership Services, at 503-222-2270 x 113.

Speaker: Nitin Khanna, CEO, MergerTech Nitin Khanna, CEO, MergerTech, a boutique investment bank that facilitates mergers and acquisitions for technology companies with less than $100MM in revenue. Prior to MergerTech, Nitin was the founder, Chairman and CEO of Saber Corp. a Portland based national firm focused on providing technology solutions to government clients. Nitin started Saber in July 1998 and grew it to $120MM in revenues by 2007. The company was sold to EDS in December 2007 for $460MM. Currently he is very active in the Portland tech entrepreneurial community as an advisor, investor, mentor, and teacher.

The March PubTalk features a panel of experts from companies who know the ins and outs of the mobile application space. Panelists include leadership from CrowdCompass and Meridian. These companies are creating innovative technologies, building partnerships and client networks, and securing funding sources.

Come hear experienced mobile entrepreneurs share their unique insights into what’s next for mobile development, including a conversation as to challenges and opportunities in finding talent, building revenue, raising investment dollars, and other topics. Tim Shields of Comic Rocket will lead the conversation as moderator.

5 Minute Pitch Companies: Splitsvil

Urban Airship powers the world's most successful mobile apps. It is great for brands because it make makes mobile apps far more engaging, effective, efficient and profitable. It is also one of the hot new mobile technology startups in Portland that is breathing excitement into the Portland entrepreneurial ecosystem and making the world take notice. In fact they were recently named as one of the Top 25 Mobile Companies by tech news site Informilo. With $21.6 M in funding and a potentially huge marketplace of app developers, Urban Airship is considered “one to watch”.

Come to OEN's April PubTalk and hear from Urban Airship’s CEO, Scott Kveton. He will share the story of Urban Airship’s journey since being founded in 2009. He will also share his goals for Urban Airship’s future and insights that entrepreneurs should think about as they work to make their own startup take flight.

Speaker: Urban Airship – Scott Kveton, Co-founder and CEO Scott Kveton is the co-founder and CEO of Urban Airship based in Portland, Oregon. He is widely recognized as an expert on mobile app strategy and cloud infrastructure. He speaks frequently on app monetization, engagement and the developer ecosystems around the various mobile platforms. Prior to starting Urban Airship, Kveton had more than a dozen years of experience building technology, developing business strategy and leading engineering teams with companies including Amazon.com, Rulespace, JanRain and Vidoop.

Students:

The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network would like to invite you to participate at this year's Internship Workshop and Job Fair event. Internships not only provide excellent work experience, but also allow you to be an integral part of an exciting and dynamic business environment. Learn how to maximize the internship experience and meet some of Oregon's hottest startups.

Companies seeking Interns:

If you are a company seeking summer interns, the OEN invites you to participate at this spring's Internship Workshop and Job Fair. Learn how to maximize the internship experience and connect with some of Oregon’s brightest business students. The Job Fair will be held in a speed dating format where each company will be able to meet with the students for 10 minutes per session.

For innovators, investors, and networkers alike, OEN’s Angel Oregon is more than the northwest’s premier angel investment prize conference; it’s where breakthrough ideas are nurtured, new markets are tapped, and invaluable business connections are made.

At OEN’s Angel Oregon 2012 investment conference, Oregon and southwest Washington’s brightest entrepreneurs will be competing for the launch-stage investment award. It is the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs to present to accredited angel investors.

This must-attend event gives presenting companies excellent visibility and a chance to obtain substantial investment capital by bringing together Oregon and southwest Washington’s brightest entrepreneurial talent with accredited angel investors.

People interested in applying or investing should visit www.oenangeloregon.org to learn more.

Conference attendence includes: lunch, keynote speaker, presentations followed by questions and answers by Launch Stage Company Finalists and Concept Stage Company Finalists, vote for audience favorites, announcement of winners, and celebratory networking reception.

Pricing

•Early bird Member Registration: $185 (Early bird pricing ends March 22nd)

•Early bird Non-member: $310 (Includes a one-year individual membership to OEN)

•OEN Member Registration: $210 (After March 22nd)

•OEN Non-member Registration: $335 ( Includes a one-year individual membership to OEN)

•Academic Registration: $140

•Additional colleague from finalist company: $132

•OEN Board and Angel Oregon Committee Registration: $130

Gorge OEN Pre-Conference Seminars & Reception and Gorge Angel Conference

Pre-Conference Seminars & Reception Date: April 23, 2012 Time: 1:00-7:00 PM Columbia Gorge Hotel 4000 Westcliff Drive Hood River, OR 97031

NEW! Pre-Conference Seminars & Reception, presented by Gorge OEN and Co-Sponsored by the Gorge Technology Alliance. Three seminars packed with information about business planning, company valuation and commercializing big ideas - from research to product. Seminars are followed by a Reception with food and cash bar. 1:00-2:00 PM - "Top Ten Business Plan Tips" - Palo Alto Software 2:00-3:30 PM - "Valuations for the Owner & Investor" - Cascadian Group and Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP 3:30-5:00 PM - "Big Ideas: Commercializing Oregon's Research" - ONAMI and OSU 5:30-7:00 PM - "Reception & Cash Bar"

5th Gorge Angel Conference Date: April 24, 2012 Time: 11:30 AM - 5:00 PM Columbia Gorge Discovery Center 5000 Discovery Drive The Dalles, OR 97058

Gorge OEN's Gorge Angel Conference matches the brightest companies with qualified investors. Seed-stage to established businesses with a connection to the Gorge will compete for a "Key(s)" to the Gorge Angel Investor Network (GAIN, LLC) "Negotiation Room" for an anticipated investment of up to $100,000.

Need to learn how to develop a solid business plan? This seminar is for you. Join OEN at OTBC to attend the OEN Business Plan Development Seminar. It reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business plan, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

Presenter: Steve Morris Steve Morris is the Executive Director of OTBC and the Managing Director of OregonStartups.com. He is a veteran of three start-ups, and has more than 25 years of management experience in the software, service, and semiconductor test industries at companies such as Hewlett Packard, Integrated Measurement Systems, Cadence Design Systems, Mentor Graphics, Credence Corporation and Teseda Corporation. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from Reed College and a Masters of Science degree from Carnegie-Mellon University Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now The Tepper School of Business).

Many small (and even large) businesses struggle with structuring the compensation of key employees. This webinar will focus on the some of the common ways to compensate key employees and the tax and other legal issues that are often implicated by such arrangements. Topics will include equity and quasi-equity arrangements, deferred compensation and how to comply with or be exempt from the grasp of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A, and common missteps in structuring key employee compensation.

Speaker: Ryan Nisle Ryan R. Nisle, a partner in the business department, joined Miller Nash in 2001. Ryan focuses his practice primarily on tax and business law, with an emphasis on partnership and corporate tax, state and local taxation, international taxation, executive compensation, and tax incentives related to energy and affordable housing.

According to Business Incubation Works, "Business incubators reduce the risk of small business failures. Historically,

NBIA* member incubators have reported that 87 percent of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business." In this webinar series, OEN will explore the ups and downs of starting a company in an incubator.

What really happens within start up incubators? Do they help companies become successful or at least get over certain challenges? What type of companies and people find the incubator experience to be a positive? Are there downfalls to going through the experience? These are just a few of the questions you can ask Jason Lander who has started his successful company in an incubator.

Want to submit your questions ahead of time? Email them to Larry Williams at [email protected] for the next session.

*National Business Incubation Association

Speaker Bios: Jason Lander

Jason Lander is the Founder and CEO of Hively. This is the second tech start up company he has founded here in Portland, Oregon. Through these companies Jason has learned a lot about the challenges of running a successful start up including the pros and cons of raising capital, boot strapping, building strategic over tactical features and going through a start up incubator.

According to Business Incubation Works, “Business incubators reduce the risk of small business failures. Historically, NBIA* member incubators have reported that 87 percent of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business.” In this webinar series, OEN will explore the ups and downs of starting a company in an incubator.

What really happens within start up incubators? Do they help companies become successful or at least get over certain challenges? What type of companies and people find the incubator experience to be a positive? Are there downfalls to going through the experience? These are just a few of the questions you can ask Josh Blank and Tom Turnbull who has started their successful company in an incubator.

Want to submit your questions ahead of time? Email them to Larry Williams at [email protected] for the next session.

According to Business Incubation Works, "Business incubators reduce the risk of small business failures. Historically, NBIA* member incubators have reported that 87 percent of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business." In this webinar series, OEN will explore the ups and downs of starting a company in an incubator.

What really happens within start up incubators? Do they help companies become successful or at least get over certain challenges? What type of companies and people find the incubator experience to be a positive? Are there downfalls to going through the experience? These are just a few of the questions you can ask Nathan Taggart who has started his successful company in an incubator.

Want to submit your questions ahead of time? Email them to Larry Williams at [email protected] for the next session.

*National Business Incubation Association

Speaker Bio: Nathan Taggart

Nathan Taggart is CEO of LaunchSide, a Portland Seed Fund company. He's acts as marketing advisor to UpStart Labs, mentors at Startup Weekend, and is active in Portland's startup community.

The Hillsboro Chamber and the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network have partnered to bring you the OEN PubTalk™ Hillsboro. Attend and you’ll find a unique mix of educational panel discussions, delivered by successful entrepreneurs, investors or business experts, combined with opportunities for entrepreneurs to gain expertise in delivering investment pitches.

Join us on May 16th, 2012 for an informative panel on the “Three Stages of a Start-Up”. This event will feature a panel of entrepreneurs representing companies from early stage to mature. Each panelist will share their triumphs and tribulations, along with their plans for the future, as they make the move along the path to success!

You've got a great product but how do you sell it? This workshop will show you the foundations that you need to know, to move your product or service.

In this workshop, participants will learn:

How to create and exchange value through building and fostering relationships. Why and how customers choose to buy. How to plan, prepare, and jump start an effective sales strategy. How to successfully start and manage your own sales, even if you've never done it before. The first steps towards building a sales team and/or 3rd party sales networks.

People that will benefit from this workshop are:

Entrepreneurs who are new to sales or are seeking to raise capital (there are some very similar principles that apply) Business owners and leaders who may not be familiar with sales and want to improve their existing sales efforts. Individuals that want to become more involved in their company's sales activities Individuals wishing to start a career in sales or development.

Presentor: Robin Wang Robin Wang is the Co-Publisher of the ReDirect Guide, a media company focusing on promoting sustainable lifestyles in Portland, Salt Lake City, and Denver/Boulder. Robin began his career as an Engineer and at that time never envisioned pursuing a career in sales. Since then, Robin has spent the vast majority of his career performing and managing sales across a wide spectrum of industries including telecommunications, software, professional and consulting services, advertising, events, media, real estate and even an occasional used car.

According to Business Incubation Works, "Business incubators reduce the risk of small business failures. Historically, NBIA* member incubators have reported that 87 percent of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business." In this webinar series, OEN will explore the ups and downs of starting a company in an incubator.

What really happens within start up incubators? Do they help companies become successful or at least get over certain challenges? What type of companies and people find the incubator experience to be a positive? Are there downfalls to going through the experience? These are just a few of the questions you can ask Sheetal Dube who has started his successful company in an incubator.

Want to submit your questions ahead of time? Email them to Larry Williams at [email protected] for the next session.

Presented by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network

*National Business Incubation Association

Sheetal Dube of AudioName

Speaker Bios: Sheetal Dube

Need to learn how to develop a solid business plan? This seminar is for you. Join OEN at OTBC to attend the OEN Business Plan Development Seminar. It reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business plan, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

Presenter: Steve Morris Steve Morris is the Executive Director of OTBC and the Managing Director of OregonStartups.com. He is a veteran of three start-ups, and has more than 25 years of management experience in the software, service, and semiconductor test industries at companies such as Hewlett Packard, Integrated Measurement Systems, Cadence Design Systems, Mentor Graphics, Credence Corporation and Teseda Corporation. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from Reed College and a Masters of Science degree from Carnegie-Mellon University Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now The Tepper School of Business).

Learn the: Who, What, When, Why, Where, & How of Sell-side Mergers and Acquisitions! Come ask your questions directly to an active dealmaker. Learn from an insider/expert how to sell your company for THE MAXIMUM PRICE. All business owners eventually exit their business, but most do not know the mechanics to achieve the full value for their firm.

Topics will include: Am I ready? What is accomplished with a valuation? What advisors will be required and why, and what you should expect from them? How to plan for the unforeseen. When and what should be disclosed? How not to say too much. How to do due diligence on the buyers.

Speakers:

Michael S. Crawford, Sr. Partner & Managing Principal, at The Merger Expert, Inc who is a sell-side M&A firm exclusively. Michael began his M&A career in 1983 and has 41,000 hours of M&A experience. For the first 12 years he was on the buying side of transactions for large private, and latter, publicly-traded, companies. In 1995, he founded a full-time, sell-side exclusively, M&A firm specializing in companies with $3-40 million in revenue.

Bruce Slater, Partner, The Merger Expert, INC. has over 69,000 hours experience within the consumer products manufacturing industry for three FORTUNE 500 Global companies. Bruce's M&A experience includes actively participating on the successful acquisition team at BLOUNT International for 14 years.

According to Business Incubation Works, “Business incubators reduce the risk of small business failures. Historically, NBIA* member incubators have reported that 87 percent of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business.” In this webinar series, OEN will explore the ups and downs of entrepreneurs starting a company in an incubator.

What really happens within start up incubators? Do they help companies become successful or at least get over certain challenges? What type of companies and people find the incubator experience to be a positive? Are there downfalls to going through the experience? These are just a few of the questions you can ask David Embree who has started his successful company in an incubator.

Want to submit your questions ahead of time? Email them to Larry Williams at [email protected] for the next session.

*National Business Incubation Association

The world of benefits is changing. This webinar will provide entrepreneurs with an overview of the basics of implementing a group benefit program, the many different plan options available and the benefits to offering a group program. You will gain a better understanding of the basic benefit concepts and explanation of terminology, state and federal laws and programs available. We will share helpful hints on low or no cost solutions, plan comparison examples and ideas on how to be a better consumer in the health care arena. We will end on the most up to date information on health care reform legislation and information on industry trends.

Speaker:

Tracy Vicario has over 20 years of experience in operations management, human resources and employee benefits. After a move from California in 2010, she joined Coordinated Resources Group as a Benefit Consultant and is Operations Manager of the agency. She has a degree in Business Administration and a Certification in Human Resource Management from California State University with licenses in California, Oregon, Washington and Mississippi. Tracy is a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and a Notary Public. Her integrity and expertise in customer service has earned her many accolades and referrals from clients and colleagues.

When not working, you will find Tracy actively volunteering in the community. She is on the board of the Portland Pearl Rotary where she received the Transformer Award for energy, dedication and integrity. She is a mentor for two Salvation Army White Shield teens and an active member of the Pearl District Business and Neighborhood Associations. She volunteers on the Membership Committee of OEN and helps entrepreneurs with human resources and employee benefits. You can also find Tracy running the Portland trails and local races in the community.

Oregon continues to build on its reputation as the place to go for artisan beer, wine, and spirits. The July OEN Pubtalk™ features a panel of experts who are on the forefront of that movement and who know what it takes to build a successful brewery, winery, and distillery. Panelists include leadership from Ninkasi Brewing Company, Seven Bridges Winery, and Bull Run Distillery. Kerry Finsand, CEO of Taplister will be moderating.

Come hear experienced entrepreneurs share their unique insights into developing quality products, arranging supply channels, and maneuvering regulatory requirements, among other topics.

Speakers:

Ninkasi Brewing Company – Nikos Ridge, President and CEO

Ninkasi Brewing began on June 15th, 2006 when Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge spent 17 hours brewing their first batch of Total Domination IPA in leased space inside a German restaurant in Springfield, Oregon. Once a brewery, the building was equipped with a 15 barrel brew house set up for brewpub brewing. A year later, Ninkasi moved to its current location at 272 Van Buren Street, in the Whiteaker neighborhood of Eugene.

The brewery now features a 50 barrel brewing system, and uses it to produce beer that is distributed throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and San Francisco. The Ninkasi family of beers has grown from a single IPA (Total Domination) to include Tricerahops Double IPA, Believer Double Red, and Oatis Oatmeal Stout, as well as some popular seasonals: Spring Reign, Radiant Ale, and Sleigh'r Dark Double Alt.

Bull Run Distilling Company – Lee Medoff, President and CEO

Naturally pure water, the finest raw grains and sugar, precise barrel aging and an ideal blend of art and science. These are the elements that define Bull Run Distilling Company. Bull Run Distilling Company are producers of small-batch, crafted distilled Rum, Whiskey and an revolving collection of other unique spirits sold only at our distillery under our Temerance label.

Bull Run Distilling Company (BRD) was founded by acclaimed Portland distiller, Lee Medoff, and business partner Patrick Bernards in the spring of 2010. What began as a "what if" conversation over cocktails a few years ago evolved into a full-on crusade in late 2009. Hundreds of hours, a few business plans and a couple of emptied bank accounts later Bull Run Distilling Company became a reality.

Seven Bridges Winery – Kevin Ross, CEO

Seven Bridges Winery is an urban winery in Portland Oregon founded in 2008. We make rich, big, Bordeaux-style reds from Washington State fruit. We started small, at just 350 cases, and have expanded production to approximately 1000 cases/year. Our focus is on making quality wine using traditional techniques. We self-distribute through our wine club, tasting room, and to a few local restaurants and wine shops.

Moderator:

Taplister – Kerry Finsand, Founder & CEO

While working for Citysearch, Kerry Finsand caught the start-up bug and left to try something new. Over a 3 year span he worked as a marketing consultant at a variety of start up companies in the technology and hospitality industries. These opportunities lead him into a position in sales and eventually the creation and testing of a Community Manager role with Groupon. Along the way, Kerry has combined his passion for craft beer, technology and marketing into various beer related projects including Taplister.com a resource to help craft beer fans find their favorite beers on tap or to discover new ones. Now his full time role is CEO of Taplister where Kerry is working on creating a marketing platform for the craft beer industry.

In his free time Kerry puts together beer events, blogs about beer and is a monthly regular on KXL's Beer O'Clock. When he is not working on Taplister you can find Kerry checking out some of the best craft beers in the world in Beervana aka Portland, Oregon.

Member Special: Pre-Register and Save: OEN members can save by pre-registering online. Online registration for this event closes Wednesday, July 11th at 2:00 pm. Please register at the door after that time, no discounts will be applied.

Become a 5-Minute Pitch Company: PubTalk is a lively forum where very early-stage entrepreneurs from any industry get a chance to test their company pitch in front of an audience of their peers. Presenters and attendees alike, learn from the challenging questions, which test the presenting entrepreneur’s business model. Companies who would like to apply to present at an upcoming PubTalk can apply here: http://www.oen.org/5_minute_pitch.aspx. In order to present, you must be a current OEN member.

$15 for Members $30 for Non-members

As an early stage entrepreneur looking for the first round of funding, one of the most daunting tasks may be determining the valuation of your company. In this workshop, we will cover the basics of valuing a seed or launch stage company, and answer some questions, such as:

Who sets the valuation - the company or the investor?

What does pre-money and post-money valuation mean? How do I calculate it?

How do I estimate a premoney value for my company if we don’t yet have revenues?

How do investors determine the valuation?

Recent trends in valuation for Portland start ups

We'll explain the terminology, demystify the math and explain some of the ways that valuation is set during the funding process. There will be plenty of time for Q&A, so come armed with your questions and be ready to participate in a lively discussion about valuing early stage companies.

Speaker: Naomi Derner

Naomi Derner, CFA is the founder and managing director of Derner Valuation Consulting, where she performs valuations of businesses, securities and intangible assets, primarily for tax and fair value reporting compliance in connection with merger and acquisition transactions and stock option issuance. Ms. Derner has valuation experience across a wide variety of industries, and possesses specific expertise in technology and life sciences companies at all stages of development.

Prior to 2008, she was a Vice President in the San Francisco office of Houlihan Lokey Howard and Zukin. Prior to joining Houlihan Lokey, Ms. Derner held positions in the financial valuation services group at Arthur Andersen LLP, the financial institutions equity research group at NationsBanc Montgomery Securities, and the financial analysis unit at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Ms. Derner holds the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst and is a candidate member of the American Society of Appraisers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in managerial economics from Carnegie Mellon University and a master’s degree in economics from the University of California Santa Barbara.

According to Business Incubation Works, "Business incubators reduce the risk of small business failures. Historically, NBIA* member incubators have reported that 87 percent of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business." In this webinar series, OEN will explore the ups and downs of starting a company in an incubator.

What really happens within start up incubators? Do they help companies become successful or at least get over certain challenges? What type of companies and people find the incubator experience to be a positive? Are there downfalls to going through the experience? These are just a few of the questions you can ask Daniel Clancey who grew his successful company in an incubator.

Want to submit your questions ahead of time? Email them to Larry Williams at [email protected] for the next session.

*National Business Incubation Association

You asked for it, so here it is! An OEN PubTalk™ that is all networking. Plus, we are invading Urban Airship! Come, have a beer, meet some good people and enjoy the beautiful space that is Urban Airship!

Register today because space is limited to 80 people. We don't want the fire marshall coming in and shutting the party down!

Sponsored By: Ater Wynne and KS&Co.

And many thanks to OEN Member, Urban Airship, for allowing entrepreneurs to use their great space!

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Need to learn how to develop a solid business plan? This seminar is for you. Join OEN at OTBC to attend the OEN Business Plan Development Seminar. It reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business plan, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

Presenter: Steve Morris Steve Morris is the Executive Director of OTBC and the Managing Director of OregonStartups.com. He is a veteran of three start-ups, and has more than 25 years of management experience in the software, service, and semiconductor test industries at companies such as Hewlett Packard, Integrated Measurement Systems, Cadence Design Systems, Mentor Graphics, Credence Corporation and Teseda Corporation. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from Reed College and a Masters of Science degree from Carnegie-Mellon University Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now The Tepper School of Business).

It’s back-to-school time! With high school graduation rates falling, student achievement lagging and new Common Core Standards on the way, K-12 education reform is a hot topic around the U.S. and in this election year.

What’s exciting is that a new generation of “edupreneur” entrepreneurs has emerged to disrupt education in innovative ways with new solutions that are transforming the way we learn, teach, communicate and share information. And some of them are right here in Oregon!

Join us this back-to-school season at our Sept. 12th, OEN PubTalk™ “Back-to-School with Edupreneurs” and learn how some of Oregon’s most innovative education startups, including EdCaliber, Membean and Sublime Learning, are changing the face of education. Bill Kelly, a veteran of the education startup world, will be our moderator.

Register today for the OEN Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards dinner! Early bird pricing for the event ends on Wednesday, August 15th, at midnight.

Earlybird Pricing:

Member Pricing

Individual Seat - $175

Table of 10 - $1700

Non Member Pricing

Individual Seat - $195

Table of 10 - $1850

Pricing after August 15th:

Member Pricing

Individual Seat - $195

Table of 10 - $1900

Non Member Pricing

Individual Seat - $215

Table of 10 - $2050

Besides employee payroll, "Office, Industrial, or Retail Space" is usually a company's highest business expense. Yet many entrepreneurs put this on the back burner and deal with their space needs at the last minute.

This workshop will cover what you need to know when your company is growing and you are ready to take the next step for new space or ready to expand/relocate from your current location. This session will help you plan, as well as begin thinking of future space needs so you do not lose your leverage with landlords or get thrown into a space that will cost you and your investors money that could and should be used towards other business expenses.

Topics covered in this session will be:

Timeline for the real estate process

Lease terms

Typical length of leases and expectations for Tenant Improvements

Costs the Landlord should pick up, NOT the company

Costs other than the rent you should expect

Typical steps during the real estate process

Presenter: Josh Schweitz

Josh Schweitz is in the 13th year of his commercial real estate career, and is dedicated to providing the best service and value for his clients. During his career, he won the Commercial Association of Realtors' "Rookie of the Year" award, was listed as one of Oregon Business Magazine's 2003 top ten "Up-and-Coming Brokers," and ranked among Costar's top 20 "Power Brokers." Josh has successfully negotiated over 2.9 million square feet in office/flex transactions worth approximately $245 million in consideration. Josh focuses on high tech, creative, communications, and advertising companies and has been very involved with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, serving on their board in 2006.

Education University of Oregon, 1995

Licensed Real Estate Broker, Oregon and Washington

USPTA Certified Tennis Teaching Pro

An opportunity for entrepreneurs to ask questions to a panel of investors.

Need to learn how to develop a solid business plan? This seminar is for you. Join OEN at OTBC to attend the OEN Business Plan Development Seminar. It reviews all components of an effective, compelling business plan. You'll learn from seasoned OEN experts why certain information is important and how your audience will evaluate what you present. Besides learning what is critical to include in an effective business plan, you'll take away valuable handouts and a listing of key resources.

Registration is required, and space is limited to 15 entrepreneurs.

Presenter: Steve Morris Steve Morris is the Executive Director of OTBC and the Managing Director of OregonStartups.com. He is a veteran of three start-ups, and has more than 25 years of management experience in the software, service, and semiconductor test industries at companies such as Hewlett Packard, Integrated Measurement Systems, Cadence Design Systems, Mentor Graphics, Credence Corporation and Teseda Corporation. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from Reed College and a Masters of Science degree from Carnegie-Mellon University Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now The Tepper School of Business).

There are only so many shopping days left until the holidays are here! How will next generation technology influence your spending decisions? Can merchants personalize your online shopping experience? What about your traditional in-store shopping? Will you realize it if they do? Join us at the OEN Pubtalk™ on November 14 to discover how three local companies – 4-Tell, Shopigniter and Embodee – are helping drive sales this holiday season. Hint: The retail landscape has changed! The distinguished panelists will describe the techniques and tactics that merchants are using to make this season’s shopping experiences different from last, and provide insight into what consumers might expect for holiday 2013.

Panelist: Ken Levy, CEO of 4-Tell 4-Tell is an ecommerce software company that provides personalized product recommendations giving a more engaging shopping experience by automatically recommending products that online shoppers are likely to buy. Its Boost® Recs4 product line delivers the next generation technology for true cross-channel personalization, working seamlessly across web, e-mail, mobile and in-store. Designed for midsize online retailers, and optimized for their budget and sales profile, 4-Tell has helped existing clients increase sales by 25% and more.

Panelist: Matt Compton, CEO at ShopIgnitor ShopIgniter enables brands and retailers to promote and sell products using social media. Industry leaders use ShopIgniter’s purpose-built solution to create, manage, and measure highly engaging product posts and experiences that drive discovery, amplification and conversion via social and mobile channels. ShopIgniter delivers measurable ROI through customer acquisition, product engagement, and purchase intent across Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and others. Founded in 2009, ShopIgniter is proud to be headquartered in Portland, OR.

Panelist: André Wolper, Founder and CEO at embodee
Embodee is a Portland based technology company that's pioneering a way for personalized garment experiences -- digitally, anytime, everywhere. The first customers are Hurley International and Nike Corp. Embodee facilitated garment can be experienced via a phone or an iPad, where they can be digitally turned, "touched," and viewed from any angle. Early applications are for garment personalization as well as shopper specific, personalized try-on. This engages buyers deeply and allows apparel buyers to experience garments before they are delivered. Embodee’s platform is built for easy adoption by brands, retailers, and their interactive agencies and web shops.

OEN Member Registration: $15 Non-Member Registration: $30

To close funding from investors, you first must accomplish some key milestones. When it's time to pitch investors, you must convey the investment opportunity and what you've accomplished in a compelling way that motivates the investor to want to learn more.

In this OTBC/OEN workshop you'll learn what headway investors expect that you've already made, and what topics they want to learn about in a pitch. And you'll learn about effective pitch techniques, and effective pitch tactics. In the interactive portion of the workshop, you'll develop and delivery the front-end of an investor pitch - one of the hardest pieces: a description of the problem or unmet need, and a description of your solution both of which are concise, compelling and motivating.

Ever wonder what it takes to make Inc. 5000‘s list of the 10 fastest-growing private companies in America? Cliff Johnson, COO and co-founder of Vacasa, is here to tell you. Of course, there’s no “secret sauce,” but Cliff will share the challenges, successes, and lessons learned in the six years since co-founding this wildly popular vacation rental startup.

Join us at Castaway on June 5 to hear from 10-15 successful Oregon entrepreneurs about how they persist through hard times. Fuel your own entrepreneurial journey with personal stories of challenge and triumph from Oregon’s Doers and Big Thinkers.

Learn more and register: http://www.oen.org/blog/2015-summit/

Are you an Oregon entrepreneur looking to get connected? Come talk to an OEN staff member about how to get started leveraging our network, educational offerings, and funding options. Stop by WeWork any time between 9 and 11 a.m. on Monday, February 6 to say hi and chat with us – no appointment necessary.

Our PubTalk PitchFest is on! Featuring one-minute pitches from applicants to our OEN Angel Oregon Program, our PitchFest will introduce you to exciting new ideas from up-and-coming Oregon entrepreneurs.

The OEN PubTalk™ is our flagship monthly happy hour — a perfect starting point for new community members and a great place for established members to make new connections.

As always, the program will be preceded by time for networking and will include free appetizers and pizza. Registration begins at 5:15 p.m.

Register here: http://bit.ly/oenpitchfest-2017

Is one of your 2017 resolutions to create a plan for your business with clear goals and a tool for tracking your progress? This workshop is for entrepreneurs who have an established and growing business and are ready to take it to the next level.

In this one day immersion workshop you will:

• Establish a solid a foundation: define what you offer, who you serve, why you’re in business and how your business stands apart from others
• Create a tool you can use every day to filter opportunities and ideas
• Articulate a clear vision of where you want to go (both long term and short term)
• Create an actionable plan to get there

All materials, lunch, drinks & snacks included. This event is limited to 12 participants.

Register here: http://bit.ly/oenplan

There’s a lot more to Artificial Intelligence than self-driving cars. At our April PubTalk, local AI experts will talk about what AI entrepreneurs are working on right here in Portland. They will discuss the opportunities and barriers when it comes to making Portland the next AI hub, including where AI is headed in the next 3-5 years and some of the possibilities they see in the industry based on current technology.

The OEN PubTalk™ is our flagship monthly happy hour — a perfect starting point for new community members and a great place for established members to make new connections.

Held the second Wednesday of every month, OEN PubTalks are what the name implies — an hour of networking followed by a talk on a specified theme. And yes, they take place at a pub.

Our PubTalks usually kick off with a short pitch from an OEN member, followed by audience Q&A. As always, the program will be preceded by time for networking and will include free appetizers and pizza. Registration begins at 5:15 p.m.

Learn more and register at: http://bit.ly/pubtalkai

OEN’s Angel Oregon Showcase is your opportunity to discover breakthrough ideas, explore new markets, and make valuable business connections.

Join over 300 investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to get a sneak peek at Oregon’s most exciting up-and-coming companies!

Held annually each April, the Showcase represents a culmination of our Spring Angel Oregon Investment Program for angel investors and entrepreneurs.

During the investment program, early-stage companies compete for an investment award and concept-stage companies compete for a valuable package of goods and services, all while receiving coaching from angel investors and serial entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, new angel investors have a chance to conduct due diligence and learn from experienced investors.

At our annual Showcase, you will:

• Hear pitches from up-and-coming companies across multiple sectors
• See the showcased products and services in action at our display area
• Vote on your favorite concept-stage company
• Hear from a panel of investors about what goes into selecting a company for investment
• Learn about the state of angel investing in Oregon, and the status of our past winners, in our popular “Where Are They Now?” segment
• Network with hundreds of investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs over lunch and at our closing reception

During the program, we will announce:

• The concept-stage category winners based on input from an audience vote
• The winners of $35,000 in cash awards for women and minority entrepreneurs
• The early-stage category winner of an investment award, historically between $200,000 and $300,000

Are you an Oregon entrepreneur trying to start or scale a business? Come chat with staff from OEN about how to leverage our network and resources.

Make an appointment during our May 17 office hours so you can introduce yourself and chat with us. When you arrive, check in at the front desk and the receptionist will tell you where to go.

Hope to see you there! If you can’t make it this time around or if all time slots are full, we hold office hours at WeWork on the first Wednesday of every month and at CENTRL East on the third Wednesday of every month.

Reserve your slot here: https://calendly.com/oenorg/15min

Millennials have a reputation for bashing brands in social media, expecting companies to do the impossible in order to win their business, and lacking the sense of brand loyalty that generations before them held. Are these perceptions true? We’ll bust some myths and look at the realities of this coveted demographic’s consumer behavior.

In this session, you’ll discover what makes millenials unique when it comes to choosing the brands and products they buy and talk about. You’ll see real-life examples and learn to craft a brand story that compels them to say, “Yes!”

By the end of this workshop you’ll:

• Develop a better understanding (and appreciation) for millennial consumers
• Know how to deeply define your most ideal customers
• Have a better idea of what tactics you might implement right away to stand out and earn some millennial love

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/oenmillenials

Are you an Oregon entrepreneur trying to start or scale a business? Come chat with staff from OEN about how to leverage our network and resources.

Make an appointment during our May 17 office hours so you can introduce yourself and chat with us. When you arrive, check in at the front desk and the receptionist will tell you where to go.

Hope to see you there! If you can’t make it this time around or if all time slots are full, we hold office hours at WeWork on the first Wednesday of every month and at CENTRL East on the third Wednesday of every month.

Reserve your slot here: https://calendly.com/oenorg/15min

Got an idea for a startup, but don’t know where to start? This workshop will provide an overview of local resources, along with a checklist of steps to take as you build out your plan.

This workshop, held jointly by OEN and OTBC, will provide you with:

• A checklist of where to get started
• A review of common mistakes entrepreneurs make and how to avoid them
• An overview of startup funding options (and realities)
• An overview of resources available to entrepreneurs
• Answers to some of the basic questions that always come up about protecting your idea, co-founders, etc.

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/startup411-oen

Much ado is made about angel investment and venture capital, but the truth of the matter is that the majority of businesses get their funding elsewhere. Before you start chasing down angel investors, take some time to understand the full funding landscape, from community public offerings to crowdfunding to small business loans.

At our June PubTalk, funders will pitch to YOU to provide an overview of who their target market is and how they stack up to their competition.

The OEN PubTalk™ is our flagship monthly happy hour — a perfect starting point for new community members and a great place for established members to make new connections. As always, the program will be preceded by time for networking and will include free appetizers and pizza.

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/pubtalk-june

Want to chat with an OEN staff member about how to get started leveraging our network? How to leverage other entrepreneurial resources in Portland and beyond? How to best take advantage of your membership? How to get more involved in OEN?

Make an appointment during our June 21 office hours so you can introduce yourself and chat with us. When you arrive, check in at the front desk and the receptionist will tell you where to go.

Reserve your slot here: http://bit.ly/centrl-june

Are you starting a new business but not sure how to get traction? This workshop is all about defining who exactly your customer is, and emotionally connecting the dots between what you offer and what they need or want. The result? Get more fans, followers, subscribers, and customers.

We’ll teach you a step-by-step, proven framework you will use again and again! (In your customer definition. As you develop your products or services. In your web, blog, and print copy. Basically, everywhere.)

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Define exactly who your target customer is (hint: it’s NOT “everyone”)
• Hone in on what your target customer needs and wants – so you can deliver it
• Attract, woo + win your target customers, so they want to work with you again and again
• Learn a step-by-step blueprint that will enable you to pinpoint who you should be selling to, and why they need you.
• Find the best free, simple, easy-to-use tools to get into the hearts and minds of your target customer
• Use a simple recipe to describe exactly what you sell, and for whom

Register at: http://bit.ly/oen-focus

Whether it’s the decision to quit your day job and go all in, to make a major pivot, or to take on a new partner, entrepreneurship involves many leaps of faith.

Join us at our 2017 Entrepreneurial Summit to hear stories from successful local entrepreneurs on the leaps of faith they have had to take, and whether success or disaster ensued. This year’s Summit will feature the founders of barre3, Ruby Receptionists, Society Nine, Panacea Valley Gardens, Harper’s Playground, and Sudara. The opening reception includes food, drinks, wine tasting, and networking opportunities.

Cost: Early-bird registration is $45 for OEN members and $75 for non-members.

Register at: http://bit.ly/oensummit2017

Are you an Oregon entrepreneur trying to start or scale a business? Come chat with a staff member from the nonprofit Oregon Entrepreneurs Network about how to get started leveraging our network and resources. Make an appointment here: http://bit.ly/office-hrs-july

Are you an Oregon entrepreneur trying to start or scale a business? Come chat with a staff member from the nonprofit Oregon Entrepreneurs Network about how to get started leveraging our network and resources. Make an appointment here: http://bit.ly/office-hrs-centrl

Got an idea for a startup, but don’t know where to start? We'll help you get unstuck! This workshop will provide an overview of local resources, along with a checklist of steps to take as you build out your plan.

This workshop, held jointly by OEN and OTBC, will provide you with:

• A checklist of where to get started
• A review of common mistakes entrepreneurs make and how to avoid them
• An overview of startup funding options (and realities)
• An overview of resources available to entrepreneurs
• Answers to some of the basic questions that always come up about protecting your idea, co-founders, etc.

Learn more and register: Learn more: http://bit.ly/startup411-aug30

Are you an Oregon entrepreneur trying to start or scale a business? Come chat with a staff member from the nonprofit Oregon Entrepreneurs Network about how to get started leveraging our network and resources.

Make an appointment here: http://bit.ly/oen-sept

You’ve heard of big data. But if you’re like most of us, you’re not sure you totally get it. Join us for our September PubTalk, where panelists will share real-life examples of how businesses are using big data, what insights they are gaining that previous datasets couldn’t reveal, and what potential is still left untapped.

The OEN PubTalk™ is our flagship monthly happy hour — a perfect starting point for new community members and a great place for established members to make new connections.

Held the second Wednesday of every month, OEN PubTalks are what the name implies — an hour of networking followed by a talk on a specified theme. And yes, they take place at a pub. Registration begins at 5:15 p.m. and the program will begin at 6 p.m.

Our PubTalks usually kick off with a short pitch from an OEN member, followed by audience Q&A. We’ll be serving free appetizers and pizza; beer, wine, or other beverages are available for purchase.

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/pubtalk-bigdata

Join us for our Scale Up workshop series to learn how to: tailor your company’s growing operations to a specific business strategy, learn when and how to outsource work, align your product development and business goals, and develop a scalable sales & marketing strategy.

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/scaleseries

Our workshop series consists of three sessions on Sept. 28, Oct. 5, and Oct. 12 focused on operations, product development, and marketing. Each session runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and includes lunch.

Scaling a startup requires careful attention to the operational details within the company. Experts in finance, human resources, and real estate will equip you with concepts and tools to build and evaluate operations to support your vision. You will learn how to tailor your company’s operational competencies, processes, and assets to a specific business strategy.

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/scaling-operations

This session is part of a three-part workshop series, "How to Scale Your Startup," hosted by the nonprofit Oregon Entrepreneurs Network. Register for the entire series here: http://bit.ly/scaleseries

You’ve turned your idea into a product – now how do you grow your team and deliver that product to the broader market? In this workshop session, we will focus on the unique and practical considerations of scaling product development for the next level.

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/product-dev

This session is part of a three-part workshop series, "How to Scale Your Startup," hosted by the nonprofit Oregon Entrepreneurs Network. Register for the entire series here: http://bit.ly/scaleseries

Sick of the healthcare status quo? Join us to learn about what’s going on in bioscience and healthcare right here in Portland. Enjoy some pizza, buy a beer, and meet entrepreneurs who are at the front lines of healthcare innovation—from inventing life-saving medical products, to eliminating physician burnout, to improving patient care with customizable software.

The OEN PubTalk™ is our flagship monthly happy hour — a perfect starting point for new community members and a great place for established members to make new connections. As always, the program will be preceded by time for networking and will include free appetizers and pizza. Registration begins at 5:15 p.m. and the panel discussion will kick off around 6 p.m.

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/pubtalk-oct

Startups face unique challenges when it comes to identifying and developing their growth engines and putting sustainable processes in place. In this workshop session, learn how to create a sales force and develop a selling process and strategy.

Learn more and register: http://bit.ly/scaling-sales

This session is part of a three-part workshop series, "How to Scale Your Startup," hosted by the nonprofit Oregon Entrepreneurs Network. Register for the entire series here: http://bit.ly/scaleseries

It’s like the Oscars, but with less glam and more grit. Each fall, over 600 local business leaders converge at OEN’s Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards Dinner for Oregon’s largest and most prestigious business networking event.

Join us for our October 25 Awards Dinner to:

• Meet the movers and shakers in Oregon’s entrepreneurial community.
• Network with hundreds of business leaders during our opening reception.
• Help us select this year’s social enterprise Game Changer.
• Discover up-and-coming entrepreneurs from across the state and across all industries, including the finalists and winners of our Game Changer, Company, Entrepreneurial Achievement, and Wyatt Starnes Awards.
• Enjoy signature cocktails, local wine, samples from up-and-coming Oregon food & beverage entrepreneurs, and a plated dinner.

Learn more & register: http://awards.oen.org/2017

Got an idea for a startup, but don’t know where to start? This workshop will provide an overview of local resources, along with a checklist of steps to take as you build out your plan.

This workshop, held jointly by OEN and OTBC, will provide you with:

• A checklist of where to get started
• A review of common mistakes entrepreneurs make and how to avoid them
• An overview of startup funding options (and realities)
• An overview of resources available to entrepreneurs
• Answers to some of the basic questions that always come up about protecting your idea, co-founders, etc.

Learn more and register here: http://bit.ly/startup411-nov

Did you know that in the Portland metro area alone, there are over 50 organizations dedicated to helping entrepreneurs? But which ones can help YOU?

Our Startup Resource Tradeshow 2017 is the perfect starting point for new entrepreneurs trying to navigate our startup ecosystem. It includes representatives from local organizations, accelerators, incubators, and government programs that provide support, mentorship, and potential funding for entrepreneurs.

Learn more and register here: http://bit.ly/oen-tradeshow

Everyone knows about Kickstarter, but it’s only one of many ways to crowdfund your startup. At our January PubTalk, we’ll explore a range of crowdfunding opportunities, including regulation crowdfunding, community public offerings, Regulation A+, crowd lending, and more.

Entrepreneurs who have taken advantage of crowdfunding options will share their experiences so that you can decide whether crowdfunding is right for you.

Learn more and register: http://www.oen.org/pubtalk

Entrepreneurs are often told to “network” their way to investors, mentors, and business partners. But this can be scary if you’re not comfortable, don’t know where to start, or what to say. We’re here to help—our Speed Networking PubTalk is back by popular demand! Join us to practice building your social capital game.

Register now: http://bit.ly/oen-networking

Whether talking to someone in line at the supermarket or pitching to a VC, you need to be able to communicate your great idea. But the best message in the world won’t stick if you deliver it poorly, and a great delivery cannot overcome a confusing message. Join us to learn how to craft a clear, concise, compelling pitch that will pique investor interest.

You’ll walk away with an understanding of:

• The problem you’re solving and your value proposition
• What questions you need to answer before crafting your pitch
• The elements, structure, and visuals that comprise a successful pitch
• How to condense a full pitch into a one-minute elevator pitch

Registration for this workshop includes one pass to our March 14 PitchFest and three free months of LivePlan business plan software (combined value of $85). Following the workshop, participants will have an opportunity to complete a one-page overview of their business using LivePlan and submit it for the opportunity to compete in PitchFest.

Register here: http://bit.ly/oen-seminar-pitchperfect

Got a great idea, but don't know where to start? Our Startup 411 workshop will provide you with: a checklist of where to get started, a review of common mistakes entrepreneurs make, an overview of startup funding options, and answers to common questions, including protecting your idea, finding co-founders, and more!

Register here: http://bit.ly/startup411-mar

Our PubTalk PitchFest is on! Featuring 25 one-minute pitches, our PitchFest will introduce you to exciting new ideas from up-and-coming entrepreneurs. One lucky winner, determined by an audience vote, will walk away with $1,000 in cash and a two-night stay at a Vacasa property.

Interested in pitching? Sign up for our Pitch Perfect Seminar on Thursday, March 1. We will select 25 seminar participants to proceed to our PitchFest.

Register here: http://bit.ly/pitchfest-2018

Entrepreneurs are often told to “network” their way to investors, mentors, and business partners. But this can be scary if you’re not comfortable, don’t know where to start, or what to say. We’re here to help—our Speed Networking PubTalk is back by popular demand! Join us to practice building your social capital game.

Register now: http://bit.ly/oen-networking

Do you have a growing Cannabis business? Are you curious about the Cannabis industry? Our January PubTalk will cover a high-level review of business issues all entrepreneurs should be aware of, including sales & marketing, fundraising, finance and accounting, and more, all through the lens of the cannabis industry. Register today and get tips on growing your cannabis business.

OEN’s new Coaching Program is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to share their goals, challenges, insights, and advice in an intimate and confidential setting. Limited to 15 participants, this Program is supported by a certified Coach and a network of mentors with expertise in various topics. Participants will meet monthly for a period of six months, though we expect the connections you make will endure long after the program ends.

Coaching and leadership development can often be inaccessible for entrepreneurs at this stage, which is why OEN is partnering with Geffen Mesher, one of Portland’s local accounting firms, and Industrious, Portland’s newest co-working space, to pilot this coaching experience. Participants will be assigned a small group of partners within their cohort to connect with between sessions to tackle pressing and emerging issues. All participants will be able to contact everyone in the cohort and all the mentors on an ongoing basis.

Entrepreneurship is hard, but it’s much harder if you try to go it alone. You need the support of other founders and startup executives who can “feel your pain” and help you solve real-life problems in real time. You also need experienced mentors who can help guide you on your path.

Eligibility: Founders and/or leaders of companies currently experiencing significant growth who want to learn how to scale up their business from an experienced coach, a peer cohort, and a network of mentors/experts in various fields. This is the perfect “next step” after our Startup Series.

Program: This six-month pilot program will kick off with a half-day session with subsequent sessions running for three hours. Participants will be also be matched up with a small Pod cohort to discuss emerging issues, homework, and other matters as they arise in between monthly meetings.

Given that many startups face similar challenges, we have curated a group of mentors, each with expertise on topics relevant to leaders of companies at this stage, including legal, accounting, sales, marketing, leadership, finance/fundraising, and more. These mentors have agreed to provide advice and support to the participants for the duration of the program. They will attend the first and last session and may appear as guest speakers when appropriate.

Prior to the first session, participants will be invited to take the Clifton Strengthsfinder Assessment to identify their Top 5 Strengths so that over the course of the Program, participants can expand their effectiveness, learn to leverage others’ strengths, and extend the collective strengths of their team.

The format of the monthly meeting will have one mentor present for the first 1-1.5 hours with a facilitated group discussion to follow. The discussion will be customized to the specific needs of the participants.

Topics: Topics will focus on issues the group identifies, but we expect to include:

Developing a Sales Pipeline Marketing Accounting/Finance/Fundraising Legal: IP, entity issues, HR, raising capital Teaming Leadership Presence and Culture Outcomes: Participants should expect the following outcomes:

Accelerate the growth of their companies Build a winning culture Collaborate with and build lasting relationships with trusted peers Connect with expert resources Become a better leader Dates Jan 18 Feb 8 March 8 April 12 May 10 June 14

Financing is tough and confusing. There are multiple options available for startups and small businesses: angel investors, seed funds, loans. How do you figure out which one is right for you? Come to the Westside PubTalk and hear from experienced investors on the options and expectations for your business.

Are you a scaling business in the cannabis industry? Are you looking to connect with experts in the sector who can help you get to the next level? Do you want to connect with a peer group of other cannabis founders? If so, our 10-week Cannabis Business Basics series is for you!

Our 10-week Cannabis Business Basics series covers the nuts and bolts of building and scaling a strong business, through the lens of the cannabis industry. Topics will include sales & marketing strategies, fundraising, finance and accounting, HR, legal & compliance, and much more. All instructors are experts in the cannabis industry and have a track record of helping companies succeed.

This series has also been designed to educate participants on the diversity and equity challenges facing the cannabis industry, and provide strategies for building a more diverse industry. Each course topic will take into account the unique hurdles business owners of color face, and include tools for overcoming those challenges.

Sessions:

Welcome & Goal Setting; Intro to equity and inclusion Your Business Structure Checklist and Intro to real estate considerations Marketing Strategy Building a Sales Strategy Developing a Healthy Financial Structure Business Operations and Lean Principles Compliance and Licensing Funding Your Company Hiring and Firing a Team Wrap Up Session In addition to a top-notch curriculum that provides critical business skills applicable to any business, each participant in OEN’s Cannabis Business Basics will have access to a network of mentors covering each of the session topics above. Our mentors have agreed to provide guidance during the full 10 weeks of this program. Have a burning question about licensing? No need to wait until week 7, just email one of our mentors. A full mentor list will be provided on the first day of class and will be updated regularly.

This course was developed by OEN’s Cannabis Leadership team in partnership with Nu Leaf, and is the first major program specifically tailored for businesses in the cannabis sector. OEN’s goal is to help a diverse group of entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry connect to the resources they need so they can significantly increase their odds of success. OEN’s driving mission is that a thriving networking of entrepreneurs makes Oregon stronger, and we look forward to playing our part to strengthen the business community surrounding cannabis.

Getting funding for your startup is tough—and it’s even harder for food and beverage companies and consumer products companies. Join us on February 13 for an overview of funding options and hear from entrepreneurs like you who have been through this journey.

Quick, what’s the difference between an incubator and an accelerator? How can each one help you? And how are they different from a co-working space? Our panel of experts will break it all down for you. They’ll discuss how to pick the right program based on your start-up stage, how to “win” the application, and more.

You’ll learn

• Key differences between an incubator, an accelerator, and a co-working space
• What support you should expect from each
• How to capitalize on what they offer to build your business

This November 18th, join OEN and the Oregon entrepreneurial community as we honor the exceptional startups that inspire and propel us into the future. Enjoy an evening of celebration with your colleagues and clients either via a virtual table or IRL at an Official Watch Party. This is a great opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate the special people and teams who make up Oregon’s innovation economy.

Awards will be given in Early, Development, and Growth stages, plus three special categories: 30th Anniversary, FUTUREPROOF, and Entrepreneurial Achievement.

Founders and entrepreneurs possess a lot of the same characteristics like motivation, passion, curiosity and risk-taking that inspire them to start and run a new business. Yet, the pathways to entrepreneurship are wildly different and each faces a diverse set of challenges along the way.

For our first PubTalk of 2024, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network is excited to bring to the stage three winners from the OEN Entrepreneurship Awards to share their own origin stories, the resources, and people who have helped them along the way, what has worked for them, and where they plan on going next.

We welcome entrepreneurs at all stages to join us for this interactive conversation – whether to commiserate and show solidarity with your peers or to find out what it’s like launching and growing a business in our community.

Cost: $15 for OEN members; $25 for non-members

Receive feedback on your pitch before stepping foot in front of investors, buyers, or customers.

Pitch, Please is a member-only monthly event hosted by OEN offering founders and entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their 5-minute pitch virtually or in person at select events throughout the state.

Following the pitch, regional thought leaders will ask questions and provide feedback to help strengthen pitches for when it’s time for the real thing.

Cost: Free for OEN members

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) is excited to be partnering with GRAYBOX and Upstart Collective for our February Entrepreneur Mixer in SE Portland from 8:00 – 9:30 am on Thursday, February 1st.

During this event, you’ll have the opportunity to meet ambitious founders and entrepreneurs with a broad range of expertise and skills who are open to building new relationships and strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem. Enjoy coffee, tea and a light breakfast, networking, and the chance to learn from regional thought leaders.

Attendees will find out more about, and tour, Upstart Collective, a new experiment and collaboration years in the making. Through the continued efforts of startup leaders in Portland (and a generous contribution from partner company, GRAYBOX), UpStart Collective is now a highly subsidized creative space open to founders, funders, tinkerers, creators, doers, and idealists.

Pricing

OEN Member: Free Non-Member: $10

Light breakfast and coffee will be provided for attendees.