EDCO announces six companies that won funding and recognition at 21st annual Bend Venture Conference
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Economic Development for Central Oregon hosted the 21st annual Bend Venture Conference for the past two days in locations throughout Bend. During the conference, 14 finalists presented their ideas and business models to an audience of hundreds in hopes of gaining investment from participating investors.
Of those finalists, six companies received recognition or funding, with a total of $500,000 committed across four companies. Additional investment deals are still being finalized.
Jon Stark, CEO of EDCO, said, "It has been incredible to witness the cross-industry collaboration and entrepreneurial energy that has fueled High Desert Innovation Week. Attendees came from around the state and the country to participate in BVC and events hosted by EDCO, Central Oregon Innovation Network, Cultivate Bend, and Bend Outdoor Worx. It is truly inspiring to witness first-hand the economic power of Central Oregon’s entrepreneurial community.”
For over two decades, BVC has stood as Central Oregon’s flagship entrepreneurship event. The program creates an opportunity to connect prominent investors and industry leaders with startup founders looking to scale.
With separate categories for growth, early and new economy companies, BVC aims to garner as much exposure for participating startups as possible and serves as a catalyst for additional funding for the portfolio of companies that participate.
The exposure and connections made at BVC are laying the foundation for the future of Central Oregon’s economy while connecting investors and promising startups from across the country to foster long-term relationships.
Brian Vierra, EDCO’s Venture Catalyst, added, “EDCO and the BVC ecosystem of partners are committed to nurturing these relationships, offering resources and support to foster the continued growth of participating companies. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors, angel investors and participating funds, whose unwavering support makes this program possible.”
Early Stage:
The Early Stage Track features companies that are in the proof-of-concept or early-revenue stages and that are testing their products in the market. In addition to an audience vote for best pitch, these companies are evaluated by judges based on revenue potential, proof of market, scalability, and the founder’s experience and grit.
- Prophetic (Portland, OR) received the Judges' Award. Prophetic is a SaaS platform that finds and analyzes real estate development opportunities in seconds, not hours.
- Rose City Robotics (Portland, OR) received the Audience Favorite Award. Rose City Robotics is an autonomous robotic disassembly of EV batteries to enable second-life applications and maximize safety, value extraction and critical metals recovery at scale.
New Economy:
The New Economy Track, managed by The BFM Fund in partnership with Venture Partners, provides a platform for startups that are creating impactful technologies with significant economic and social returns. This track emphasizes inclusive innovation, supporting entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities.
The New Economy finalists that walked away with investment awards this year are:
- Home Lending Pal (Orlando, FL) was awarded $125,000 by The BFM Fund. Home Lending Pal is an analytics platform that identifies serious buyers within a bank’s database, leveraging a multilingual AI-agent to guide loan officers on effective outreach and messaging.
- Hardcore Peanut Butter Co. (Minneapolis, MN) was awarded $75,000 by The BFM Fund. Hardcore Peanut Butter Co. uses superfood ingredients, mixed into allergen-free peanut butter, to give all consumers a better-for-you, safe product.
Growth Stage:
The Growth Stage track at BVC highlights companies that have demonstrated significant traction and are poised for rapid expansion. Each year, a new BVC LLC Fund is raised to invest in the top companies competing in this track.
“We’ve seen an impressive level of talent from the finalists this year,” said Jenn Lynch, BVC LLC Fund Manager. “We’re excited to welcome the winners to the BVC portfolio and support them in their next stages of growth.”
The Growth Stage finalists that walked away with investment awards this year are:
- ProMedix Inc. (Portland, OR) was awarded $200,000 by the BVC LLC Fund. ProMedix Inc. is a noninvasive medical device that accelerates diagnosis of circulatory dysfunction and sepsis.
- Health Elements AI (Bend, OR) was awarded $100,000 by the BVC LLC Fund. Health Elements AI is a technology platform that leverages AI to streamline health data abstraction.
All investments are awarded following considerable due diligence of each of the presenting finalists. Investments and follow-on deals are still being finalized.
About Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO)
EDCO is a non-profit corporation supported by private and public members and stakeholders, whose mission is to create middle-class jobs in Central Oregon by recruiting new employers to move to the region; helping entrepreneurs start new, scalable businesses; and working with businesses that are already here to grow their operations. edcoinfo.com
About Bend Venture Conference (BVC)
The annual BVC, hosted by EDCO, is one of the largest angel conferences in the country. For over two decades, BVC has served to evolve and grow the startup ecosystem throughout Central Oregon and across the Pacific Northwest. Since its inception, more than $14.5 million has been invested in 63 companies as a result of the conference. Next year’s conference will gather entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and students at the Tower Theatre in Bend, Oregon on October 16-17, 2025. bendvc.com
