U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Rep. Janelle Bynum and State Treasurer Tobias Read are meeting with founders as part of a national program to connect federal and state lawmakers with entrepreneur communities.
The event, which is quickly filling, is slated for Aug. 16 hosted at UpStart Collective in the Central Eastside.
The event is organized by Josh Carter, one of the founders of UpStart Collective and an active member in the Portland startup ecosystem. Carter is also program manager of the Emerge Accelerator a federal program within the National Security Innovation Network.
“This is part of a national initiative run by (the nonprofit) Engine to connect innovators with elected officials so there is a deliberate and open dialogue,” said Carter. “So elected officials can understand how they can advocate for innovators.”
This is the first time the event has come to Portland. Carter was first exposed to the event, called Congressional Startup Day, during his work running the Blue Ventures program in Seattle for Washington Maritime Blue. Last year, Maritime Blue hosted Washington Rep. Derek Kilmer.
“It was well-attended and the conversations that came out of it were amazing,” said Carter of the Washington event. “I have no clue what will come out of (the Portland event). We are putting people in the room and asking questions and (then) figuring out the next steps.”
Wyden, D-Ore., who hosts town hall meetings with constituents across the state, is treating the event like one of those town halls, said Carter.
All three elected officials will make opening remarks and the bulk of the time will be for community members to ask questions.
Fostering connections between elected officials and startup founders is important, Carter said. It helps the officials better understand what these companies are facing and offers the potentials for those officials to help enact change through regulation changes or budget allocations, he added.
“There is tremendous opportunity now, especially as more agencies get funding through the CHIPS Act or Build Back Better. Agencies have money to deploy,” he said.
Carter is hoping this becomes an annual event and that it can move around the state with different cities hosting each year.
