StartupBend
Jobs By /

Kollective, LeadMethod & Benefit Elect Hiring Tech Jobs in Bend

Are you finding yourself less than engaged with your work lately? Spending way too much shopping for sandals online instead of being productive? Maybe — just maybe — it’s time for a new J-O-B.

It’s hard to work when you’re a giant bunny. 
via GIPHY

The good news is that we have some Bend companies hiring. Kollective, LeadMethod and Benefit Elect all have jobs posted on the StartupBend job board. What do they need? Thanks for asking. These companies are looking for:

Kollective
QA Engineer — Client/Server

LeadMethod
Technical Program Analyst
Account Development Rep

Benefit Elect
EDI Specialist

And more. In the meantime, enjoy the sun!

Events Local Tech Outdoor Gear Startups By /

Bend Startup Tribe Pilot Wins at OUTFOUND Pitch Competition

Remember when we reported that new Bend startup Tribe Pilot had been selected as one of three early stage companies to pitch at the OUTFOUND festival in Hood River last weekend? They won. Matt Smith, the company’s founder, snagged the popular vote for his early-stage startup, a social app that helps plan group adventures.

“People were really excited about the idea, and couldn’t believe that it didn’t exist,” Smith says. “The most common response we got was ‘I’m planning three trips and I need this right now.'”

Tribe Pilot was initially selected from more than 30 companies to compete in what OUTFOUND calls its venture stage, essentially concept-stage startups. Matt narrowly squeaked by his two presenting competitors to win a bottle of Oregon bourbon, and of course the glory of winning.

Events Funding By /

Questions About Fundraising? Local VC, Angel Funds and More Will Answer Them Tuesday

If you’re a startup looking for money, then you have plans Tuesday. What are they? Glad you asked. The Technology Association of Oregon is hosting a panel discussion on funding and fundraising featuring experts from right here in Bend.

From TAO:

We will start the evening with an overview of investment sources and funding criteria, before moving on to the panel discussion where you will hear from representatives from the Bend Venture Conference, Cascade Angels, Cascadia Group, and Seven Peaks Ventures.

Come join us at the Tech Talk Happy Hour – Funding on Tuesday, June 13th for a lively discussion led by subject matter experts. Our hand-picked panelists have experience across multiple sectors and are looking forward to sharing their historic, current and future insights on raising capital.

Events Outdoor Gear By /

Bend Startup Tribe Pilot to Pitch at Inaugural OUTFOUND Series in Hood River

Hood River will be hosting an adventure sports and outdoor innovation festival next week, and a host of Bend speakers, startups and business leaders are participating. The inaugural OUTFOUND Series, slated for June 9 through June 11, combines an outdoor business expo and startup competition with social and recreational activities. According to the news release:

The 3-day event includes Outfound Talks: 20-minute lightning presentations from inspiring leaders in the outdoor space; OutFounder: a pitch competition for outdoor driven startups; and The Expo: an adventure sports consumer show where innovative brands showcase and demo the latest products. All of these activities take place on a scenic, 30-acre waterfront outdoor playground filled with sports activities, workshops, outdoor films and music performances.

General News By /

Cascade Angels: 7 Lessons Learned at the First BendTECH Startup Resource Fair

By Julie Harrelson and Natalie Dent, Cascade Angels

Last week’s BendTECH Startup Resource Fair drew a crowd of nearly 200 enthusiastic entrepreneurs, not to mention more than two dozen well-prepared exhibitors. There was much conversation, lots of energy and — we hope — business ideas that may transform into Central Oregon’s next startups.

Our Cascade Angels booth drew a crowd, thanks to virtual reality demos from Zero Transform and samples from the Water Kefir People. We also learned some important lessons as we took time to tour the fair. Here are seven bits of wisdom we gained from exhibitors and attendees:

  1. There are a lot of people out there with good ideas. If you are just starting a new business and need some direction, contact COCC’s Small Business Resource Center. They can help you build a solid foundation and avoid costly mistakes.
  2. Wear many different hats, not many different job titles.
  3. You are what you tweet. When pitching your business to an investor, be able to explain what you do in as few words as possible.
  4. When it comes to hiring for your company, put an organizational chart together for what you need now, six months from now and three years from now.
  5. Creating a plan that describes the business vision, plus annual, quarterly, monthly and weekly goals that are revisited often can accelerate progress.
  6. Want to know what resources are available to you? Check out Business Resources of Central Oregon, a new directory of our region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
  7. Some of the most amazing people in the world live and work in Central Oregon.
General News By /

May PubTalk Showcases Startups Locals Compass, DubsLabs, Odysys and Oregon Angel Fund’s Scott Sandler

There’s lots to love about Thursday’s EDCO Pubtalk. First we are excited to see many friends of StartupBend presenting including Zilaida Salgueiro, founder of Locals Compass, Eric Dubs, founder of DubsLabs and inventor of Versafit headphones and Bedphones, and Kent Schnepp, founder of Odysys.

The keynote speaker is Scott Sandler, fund manager for the Oregon Angel Fund.

According to EDCO:

OAF aims to invest $100M in 100 local startups that create 10,000 jobs in Oregon. As OAF’s Fund Manager for the past five years, Keynote Scott Sandler has been an integral part in making that happen. He also knows a thing or two about what makes a successful investment. This keynote will guide startups and entrepreneurs through different strategies for funding and how to choose the most optimal path to securing investment.
Here’s a bit more about Locals Compass:
With their official launch just last month, travel marketplace Locals Compass has started to offer personalized itineraries for travelers in their first market: Bend, Oregon. The startup taps into local’s knowledge using personalized itineraries that meet traveler’s interests. Traveling with kids in tow? An avid outdoorsman? A foodie with dietary restrictions? They’re all covered.
If you’d like to give Locals Compass a try, they’re running a special for StartupBend readers this month. You still have a few days! Eric, from DubsLabs, always inspires us with his inventions and general life hacks (ask him about his no email quest). According to EDCO: DubsLabs created the world’s thinnest headphones, perfect for wearing to bed to drown out that snoring partner. Their next product will utilize the same technology, giving athletes that use headphones a much safer option.
Big Ideas Events By /

New Group Launches w/ Party & Mission for More Women in STEAM Careers

A group of pretty awesome women have started the Technology Association of Oregon STEAM (science, tech, engineering, arts and math) initiative and aim to kick it off right with a launch party on Thursday, June 1. The vision? TAO STEAM wants to form a network of Central Oregon professionals committed to creating a path for girls and women interested in STEAM careers — and a gender balanced future.

One of our favorite people, Maggie Hubbell, CEO of Agency Revolution and Chair of the Steering Committee says, “In the ideal world the term ‘women in STEAM’ wouldn’t exist. But, the reality is this issue does need special attention right now. We want to provide a supportive community that enriches the experience for women currently in STEAM careers and find ways to attract more women into these fields. Central Oregon has a lot of support around this issue and I believe if we work together we can really make a difference.”

Big Ideas Events Startups By /

Great Free Advice from These Experts at Next Week’s Startup Resource Fair

The BendTECH Startup Resource Fair is just around the corner — Wednesday, May 24 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. — and attendees will get the chance to learn from experts in a variety of fields. The 10-minute Free Advice segments begin at 5 p.m. and include:

  • Tips for Crafting a Winning Investor Pitch, from startup coach Pam Stevenson
  • What to Know Hiring Your First Employee, from BBSI’s Eric Strobel
  • You Can Get There From Here, Strategies for Entrepreneurial Success, by Cascade Angel’s Julie Harrelson
  • Government R&D Funding for Small Businesses, from Oregon Best’s Leon Wolf
  • Startup Financing Tips, from Gary O’Connell at Summit Bank