Oregon Entrepreneurs Network handed out its annual awards to a sold-out crowd at The Armory Thursday evening.
The program recognizes the founders of companies across three stages of business as well as honors for Trailblazers, Entrepreneurial Achievement and Community Catalysts. The Community Catalysts awards is new this year and designed to highlight people and organizations that support the region’s founders.
“There were over 200 nominations for this year’s entrepreneurship awards and every nominee and finalist should be exceptionally proud of that recognition,” said OEN Executive Director Cara Turano in a written statement. “Tonight’s winners represent the brightest, boldest and best entrepreneurs from around Oregon and SW Washington. Congratulations to you all and we look forward to seeing your continued success.”
Twelve startups were finalists for awards. Here’s who won:
- The Early Stage Award went to CardCraft and founder Damola Omotosho. The company offers personalized cards mailed for any occasion.
- The Development Stage Award went to Sqwad and co-founders Nick Lawson and Lee Jorgensen. The company helps sports teams and sponsors run digital, in-game engagements.
- The Growth Stage Award went to Chapul Farms and founder Patrick Crowley. The company builds and operates modular insect farms to turn organic waste into animal feed and fertilizer in a closed-loop system.
- The Trailblazer Award went to Hopscotch and co-founders Nicole Jensen and Hunter Inman. The company is an experiential art gallery.
- The Entrepreneurial Achievement Award went to Jake Weatherly, co-founder and CEO of SheerID. The company helps client brands manage consumer discounts based on a consumer’s identity.
- The Community Catalysts winners were announced last month: Pregame founder Ciara Pressler, Willamette Equity Advisors founder Mike White and founders of Horan MediaTech Advisors Peter and Pam Horan.
Also honored at the event were the three startups who were named Emerge Initiative winners at the three Angel Oregon events held this year. This program is done in partnership with The BFM Fund and includes a non-dilutive grant to an early-stage company led by founders of color.
The program is meant to help bridge the gap of “friends and family” funding that can be a challenge for founders whose communities don’t have the same wealth as white households. For instance, Black household wealth in America is roughly one-tenth white household wealth.
This year’s Emerge Initiative honorees were:
- The Angel Oregon Bio winner was Saravit Wellness and founder Dr. Siatta Dunbar. The company is a nutrition, wellness and health coaching startup.
- The Angel Oregon Tech winner was Fridie Outdoors and co-founders Lestarya Molloy and Scott Molloy. The startup is building an app to help more people access the outdoors by sharing camping knowledge offline.
- The Oregon Angel Food winner was Nut-Tritious Foods and founder Veronica Palazzo. The company makes roasted nut butters blended with sunflower, flax, quinoa, hemp and chia seed.
