Five finalists for Bend Venture Conference
Ten Concept Stage companies pitched to an animated, standing-room-only PubTalk crowd at McMenamins Old St. Francis School last Thursday evening for the opportunity to be selected as a finalist at the October 19th Bend Venture Conference (BVC), an angel investment forum.
Monthly PubTalks and the BVC are managed and produced by Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO).
The PubTalk audience included investors, fellow entrepreneurs and their supporters, members of the Central Oregon professional and business community, educators, and inventors.
“Getting the community engaged in entrepreneurial activities is key to getting these companies off the ground,” said Jim Coonan, EDCO Venture Catalyst Manager and lead organizer for the Bend Venture Conference. “We’re fortunate in Central Oregon to have so many expert resources for entrepreneurs, many of which were in the PubTalk crowd.”
When asked about mentoring entrepreneurs, Coonan added that “At the end of the day, winning is just one part of the conference. We provide all BVC applicants usable feedback at every step of the process. EDCO is about creating an ongoing, viable cluster of better startups in Central Oregon.”
Following each entrepreneur’s rapid-fire, three-minute pitch and a tight Q&A session, the sold-out audience voted by anonymous ballot. The five entrepreneurs below were selected to compete in BVC’s BendBroadband Concept Award for a $10K grant which will be awarded at the October 19th event.
Similar to PubTalk, BVC attendees will also select the Concept Stage winner from the five finalists. A sixth “Wild Card” finalist will emerge October 18th from unConference activities. (In contrast to Launch Stage companies that have revenue traction and developed technology, Concept Stage companies are typically pre-revenue and are still working on technology and proof of concept.)
In alphabetical order, the five finalists selected are:
Agrowpedia(Sev Anderson) brings IT to the first frontier for small farmers and backyard garden enthusiasts.
E-Z Leave (Yaju Dharmarajah) is a web-based SaaS solution to automate the complex federal, state and military leave environment. Using a TurboTax-like interface, the solution reduces legal liability.
K.A.D. Innovations (Kasey Corwin and Aaron Sallee) The Kebaber is the next evolution of grilling products for tailgaters, backyard BBQ lovers and an upgrade on the grilling lifestyle.
Play Habit(Scot Bayless) Hardcore gamers are migrating en-masse toward lower costs and more personal devices. Play Habit is creating top tier games for this new wave of players.
ziPede (Dr. Rick Cuddihy) helps moms, dads and doctors take care of kids better by improving the office visit experience. Now parents can link with their doctor before and after a visit, accessing expert video content.
The Bend Venture Conference is known for its friendly, accessible atmosphere in a scenic setting. On October 19th, the Bend Venture Conference will feature five Launch Stage entrepreneurs and six Concept Stage hopefuls pitching their business ideas to a packed audience at the Tower Theatre in Bend, Oregon.
To attend the conference, register online.
About the Bend Venture Conference (www.bendvc.com)
Now in its ninth year, the Bend Venture Conference (BVC) is the premier regional event connecting concept and early stage companies with investment opportunities. The annual event attracts more than 300 of the Pacific Northwest’s top investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders and is held at the historic Tower Theatre in Bend, Oregon. The event encompasses two days of activities:
Thursday, October 18th: three learning seminars, the lively unConference sponsored by the Tech Alliance of Central Oregon, and a networking reception at Broken Top Club. Friday, October 19th: the full day conference with competition in two categories (Launch and Concept companies) and the Winners’ Reception.
About EDCO (www.edcoinfo.com)
Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to diversifying the Central Oregon economy by attracting new investment and jobs. EDCO focuses on recruiting new companies, helping grow Central Oregon’s entrepreneurs, and by helping traded-sector firms already in Central Oregon expand. EDCO has been helping to diversify Central Oregon’s economy since 1981.
