An inaugural event drawing entrepreneurs and investors for casual networking has sold out, but organizers are already looking ahead to a bigger program next year.
Joshua Wylie, entrepreneur and cohort manager of Venture Partners Fund, is organizing the first VC Day in Portland on Thursday. The event is part of a bigger effort started by Cindy Ho, a junior partner at Denver-based venture firm Stout Street Capital.
“The day has a bunch of opportunities for founders and investors to connect,” said Wylie.
There are several panel discussions planned, but the crux of the event is bringing people together in the same room. Critically, the event does not feature pitches or intense Q&A.
“It’s basically building connections and community with entrepreneurs and VCs in a low-pressure setting. It’s not entrepreneurs sitting at a table or on a Zoom call pitching but just building relationships,” he said.
For this first event Wylie intentionally kept the attendance small. The event is sold out at 80 people and there is a wait list. He is already planning to hold the event again next year in a much larger iteration.
This year’s event will feature:
- A discussion from founders about scaling a business including Allie Magyar of Hubb and Callie Christensen of Slumberkins
- A discussion from emerging fund managers in the Pacific Northwest including Two Ravens VC and Dreamforward Ventures
- A discussion with women venture capitalists including Angela Jackson of Portland Seed Fund and Tanushree Podder of Trilogy Equity Partners
- A discussion about women and founder support including Caroline Lewis of Rogue Women’s Fund and Tricia Clemans from Global Technology Transfer Group
Wylie, who has mentored startups through programs like the Portland State University Cleantech Challenge and InventOR, started looking at organizing a more casual networking event after he kept running into Oregon investors at similar events in other places.
In particular, Wylie was inspired by Seattle venture fund Ascend and its Founders Bash.
“Last year, I spent time traveling outside Oregon building relationships with VCs in D.C., New York and Seattle,” he said. “I started thinking, I am seeing the VCs in Oregon outside of Oregon and we are building relationships (elsewhere). Let’s bring VCs from outside here and also connect them with VCs here and entrepreneurs.”
Julie Harrelson, managing director of Bend-based Cascade Seed Fund, is moderating one of the VC Day panels. Harrelson travels across the Pacific Northwest meeting with founders and attending events.
"(These events) are concentrated times for business builders and investors to connect around current and future trends and opportunities," she said.
Wylie noted that the event has investors from around the Pacific Northwest and California slated to attend.
Investors and seasoned founders frequently note that successful fundraising starts well before a round might be open. It can take years of talks and building relationships before an investment.
“We are trying to help founders and investors make connections but not based solely on pitching,” he said.
