EDCO names Bend Venture Conference growth, impact competition semifinalists

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Economic Development for Central Oregon announces the semi-finalists advancing in the Growth Stage and Impact Competitions for the 17^th  Annual Bend Venture Conference on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 15-16.

The below semi-finalists have one more round of cuts to go before they can present at this year’s conference. Companies in the Growth Stage have won investments ranging from $100,000 to $2,500,000, while the Impact winner could walk away with $100,000 or more.

Semi-finalists in the Early Stage competition will be announced early next week, and will be given the opportunity to present at the September Central Oregon PubTalk on Friday, Sept. 24 at McMenamins in downtown Bend.

In alphabetical order, the 10 Growth Stage semi-finalists are:

1. DocVocate (Portland, OR) – Automating medical claims denial management through an AI-powered platform, empowering provider billing teams.
2. Ksana Health, Inc (Eugene, OR) – A mobile platform that derives behavioral insights from patterns of smartphone use to influence behavioral outcomes (smoking cessation).
3. Locl.io (Portland, OR) – Providing expertise to help business of all sizes monetize Google Maps.
4. Pet Hub (Wenatchee, WA) – A central hub to manage your pet’s life, helping owners share data safely while also finding trusted services and information.
5. Plover (Portland, OR) - Disrupting the carwash industry with the world’s most efficient and precise robotic carwash system.
6. PypeServer (Seattle, WA) – Software that automates the cutting of industrial steel pipe for construction and industrial uses.
7. Rewire Neuroscience (Portland, OR) - Improving the speed, accuracy and precision of biomedicine, while quickly determining experimental or clinical significance.
8. RexPay (Phoenix, AZ) – A mobile app where patients can easily understand, manage and pay all their medical bills and track insurance information in one place.
9. The Accessory Junkie – (Portland, OR) A pioneering, new e-commerce model that connects customers with hard-to-find products from around the world.
10. TriAgenics, Inc – (Redmond, OR) – Developers of a one-minute dental procedure that prevents wisdom teeth from ever forming.

In alphabetical order, the eight Impact Competition semi-finalists are:

1. Biomotum (Portland, OR) – Creators of a robotic ankle-assist device that offers a cost effective, lightweight, portable, and efficient way to improve mobility in those with movement disorders.
2. Caregiven (Portland, OR) – Creators of a tool that ensures aging or ailing loved ones benefit from a higher quality of life, reduced costs and peace of mind.
3. Focal Technologies, Inc (Portland, OR) – A patented ray system using a refracting lens to concentrate the sun’s heat and UV waves into a receiver to break down any organic contaminant in water or soil.
4. Gadusol Laboratories (Corvallis, OR) – A company that uses synthetic biology technology to produce natural sunscreen antioxidants found in marine life for human use.
5. Inmedix, Inc (Seattle, WA) – Bringing two proprietary innovations to medicine: cloud-based clinical stress diagnostics and a new field called immune autonomics.
6. Lazarus 3D, Inc (Corvallis, OR) – Developed a 3D process to rapidly create life-like models of anatomy from MRI screenings for doctors and hospitals.
7. OnTo Technology (Bend, OR) – Offering battery recycling solutions to reduce cost and improve safety for the lithium ion battery industry.
8. Wheyward Spirit (Portland, OR) – Repurposing billions of pounds of whey that go to waste to create a more sippable and sustainable spirit.

Hosted by EDCO, this year’s BVC will once again feature three competition categories: Growth Stage, Impact and Early Stage, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders, both virtually and in-person in Bend.

Ticket Sales

Tickets to the 17^th Annual Bend Venture Conference are on sale now and are available here.