Eight finalists announced for the 2026 Bend Venture Conference
Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- Economic Development for Central Oregon announced eight finalist companies on Monday for the 2026 Bend Venture Conference. The businesses will present on the main stage Oct. 15–16 at the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend, Ore.
Now in its 23rd year, the conference serves as the flagship event of High Desert Innovation Week, scheduled for Oct. 13–16 in Bend. Finalists in the Growth Industries and Growth Tech categories compete for funding that historically ranges from $100,000 to $2.5 million from the BVC LLC and partner venture capital funds. Since the event's inception, participating investors have awarded more than $14 million to participating startups.
The Growth Stage competition highlights businesses that have demonstrated market traction and established operational concepts. Jon Stark, the chief executive officer of EDCO, stated that the selected companies have moved past the initial proof-of-concept phase. “What stands out about this year's Growth Stage finalists is the progress they've already made and the scale of the opportunity in front of them,” Stark said. “These are founders who have moved beyond proving the concept and are now focused on building durable, growing companies. We're excited to give them a platform to connect with the capital and expertise to support that growth.”
The Growth Industries category features companies whose primary differentiation lies in physical products, brand, science or engineering. The four finalists in this group include Aquagga, a Tacoma, Wash., company that destroys per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in industrial waste streams and groundwater and Looptworks, a Gresham, Ore., textile-to-textile recycling platform using certified recycled fiber. Joining them are Osheru, Inc., a Bend-based business that develops medical devices for surgical use and Penderia Technologies, a Eugene, Ore., startup that developed implantable orthopedic sensors based on University of Oregon research.
The Growth Tech category focuses on businesses with core innovations in software, artificial intelligence and digital platforms. The four tech finalists are Caravel Bio, a Portland, Ore., protein engineering platform; CleanHaus, a Portland-based company that manages scheduling, cleaners and contractors for short-term rental properties; Permeta, a Lake Oswego, Ore., business using artificial intelligence for energy sector permitting operations; and Zing Drone Solutions, a Pendleton, Ore., firm specializing in drone threat detection and remote identification compliance.
The Bend Venture Conference will take place Oct. 15–16 at the Tower Theatre in Bend. Tickets for the event are available online through the conference website.
