Ten Oregon startups named early stage semifinalists for Bend Venture Conference
Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Economic Development for Central Oregon announced Tuesday that 10 Oregon-based startups have been selected as Early Stage semifinalists for the 23rd annual Bend Venture Conference. The main conference will take place Oct. 15-16 in downtown Bend.
The Early Stage competition is limited to Oregon-based businesses. The semifinalists will deliver three-minute pitches on Sept. 24 at the Central Oregon PubTalk event at Worthy Brewing in Bend, where judges and attendees will vote on which companies advance to the main stage in October.
At the Sept. 24 event, audience members will select one company to receive a $5,000 cash award courtesy of Washington Trust Bank. During the October conference, one startup headquartered in Central Oregon will receive a cash award of at least $40,000.
Wendy Morgan, venture catalyst for Economic Development for Central Oregon, highlighted the quality of the applicant pool. “This year’s Early Stage companies reflect the creativity and ambition we’re seeing from founders across Oregon,” Morgan said. “They’re tackling meaningful problems, testing new ideas and building companies with real potential. I’m excited to give these founders a platform to share what they’re building and connect with the people who can help them take the next step.”
Seven of the 10 semifinalists are based in Bend. These companies include Closeoutdoor, an excess inventory management platform; EYEONIZE, an eye health product developer; Hungry Hound, a fresh dog food subscription service; Quilld, a brand strategy developer; Regen8, a corporate system developer; V4 Final, Inc., an artificial intelligence developer for law firms; and VeriBuy, a digital vehicle evaluation tool for dealerships.
The remaining semifinalists operate from other areas in Oregon. Core Defender AI, based in Hillsboro, develops artificial intelligence and robotics technologies. Ebb Health, Inc., based in Portland, develops a relief platform for neuropathic pain. Lateral Systems, located in Lake Oswego, builds automated monitoring systems for commercial indoor farms.
The Sept. 24 PubTalk event will run from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Worthy Brewing’s outdoor stage. Tickets are priced at $32 for Economic Development for Central Oregon members and $48 for non-members.
Finalists for the Growth Stage competition will be announced in early October. Early bird registration for the conference is available through Sept. 30.
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