Startups in sustainability, health care, payments and consumer goods were honored last week at the annual Entrepreneurship Awards hosted by Oregon Entrepreneurs Network.
Hundreds of entrepreneurs and community members turned out for the event at the Portland Art Museum.
“Every nominee and finalist was worthy of recognition and celebration for the resilience displayed during the past year,” said OEN Executive Director Cara Turano, in a written statement. “It is such a delight to bring the entrepreneurial community together again in person for such a celebratory evening.”
The honors were spread across several categories:
- The Early Stage winner was Bold Reuse (formerly Go Box), a reusable packaging platform for food service and enterprise companies co-founded by Jocelyn Quarrell and Heather Watkins.
- HelloCare, founded by Helen Anderson, captured Development Stage honors. The company provides in-home care for seniors who need help but want to age in place.
- PayRange, which offers ways to retrofit coin-operated machines to accept mobile payments, was the Growth Stage winner. Paresh Patel founded the company.
- The Exponential Award, which honors startups that have made significant contributions to the community, went to Community Energy Labs. The company, founded by Tanya Barham, created an Internet of Things and software platform for smart energy management in commercial buildings.
- The Entrepreneurial Achievement award winners were Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen, the founders of children’s media company Slumberkins.
During the event, audience members voted on The Power of Us Award, which honors people who support founders. The winner was Himalaya Rao-Potlapally, managing director of BFM. Finalists were: Laura Kubisiak, Westside Venture Catalyst; Hannah Kullberg, co-founder of Community Co-Pack; Jackie B. Peterson, strategic advisor at Oregon SBDC.
In addition to the awards nine early stage companies were recognized for receiving Emerge Initiative grants, which is a partnership between OEN and venture fund BFM for 2021 and 2022. The grant recipients received $5,000 in non-dilutive capital. The program is aimed at founders who are Black, Indigenous or people of color. It looks to help fill the funding gaps where a “friends and family” round of investment, for founders who come from wealth or have access to wealthy circles of friends, might happen.
The Emerge honorees were:
- Glü, a platform that helps manage chronic conditions
- Masa Fresh, a farmers market delivery platform
- 1HubFashion, an online retailer
- Leslie’s Lumpia, a packaged food company
- Khalsa Salsa, an Indian fusion salsa
- Kämä Hard coffee, a beverage maker and lifestyle brand
- High Peak Medical, a health care testing company
- Skaut Coffee Roasters
- HibisBloom, a beverage maker
