Fourteen startups across three categories are vying for investment next week at the 2023 Bend Venture Conference.
The annual event returns to downtown Bend Oct. 19-20 and brings together founders, investors and other startup supporters for networking and talks. This year features keynotes from Joth Ricci, CEO of Grants Pass-based Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) and Vancouver-based founder Allie Magyar, who sold her events company Hubb in 2018. Magyar is also chair of the Technology Association of Oregon.
The event has three categories of competition for startups: Early Stage, Growth Stage and Impact. In past years the Growth Stage winner has received $250,000 or more. Early Stage winners receive at least $25,000 from Portland Seed Fund. Impact companies have received between $50,000 and $100,000 in investment.
Here’s the Growth Stage finanlists:
- Avoli, a Portland-based athletic brand aimed at athletes in women’s and girls' volleyball.
- Gnara, a Gunnison, Colorado-based women’s outdoor apparel brand that features a patented zipper design to help make bathroom breaks on the trail easier.
- IDentical Inc., a Mountain View, California-based dental implant company.
- Po Campo, a New York City-based maker of bike bags, baskets and accessories.
- ToolBelt Inc., a Vancouver-based mobile app that connects contractors with skilled tradespeople.
Here’s the Early Stage finalists:
- Finnegan the Dragon, a Hillsboro-based startup that created a preschool learning and mobile game that targets language development.
- FiOR Innovations, a Bend-based software company building software to manage construction project images.
- Polaris, a Bend-based site reliability tool that uses AI to detect outages and incidents in real-time for web applications.
- Revino, a Newberg-based startup that is developing a system to reuse glass wine bottles.
- Symphony Markets, a Bend-based online exchange that allows music IP owners to list shares of their music and offer investors a new asset class.
Here’s the finalists for Impact:
- Birch Biosciences, a Portland-based biotech that engineers enzymes to break down plastics in a novel approach to recycling.
- ESG Brands, a Portland-based startup commercializing technology that converts agriculture waste into textile fibers.
- Harvest Thermal, a Kensington, California-based startup has created a home system for electric heating, cooling and hot water.
- OpConnect, a Portland-based EV charging provider with systems for fleet operators and multi-family properties.
Magyar’s appearance at the event is also notable because she received more than $2 million in investment during the 2016 BVC. In addition to investments garnered through the official BVC investment vehicles the event also frequently features announcements of other side deals from investors.
“BVC ignited new opportunities for me as an entrepreneur and it is a privilege to be returning to the BVC stage after seven years,” said Magyar in a written statement. “This community provided me with resources, mentorship and unwavering support in my journey as an entrepreneur. My success is a testament to what is possible when a community believes in your vision and I’m excited to meet this year’s finalists and hope my story helps inspire others to dream big.”
