Hello! After a hiatus, the StartupBend blog is back. We have some changes to announce about the blog, and some hilarious gifs that we’ve waiting to use. We’ll do that shortly. But first: The unConference is coming!

BendTECH will host the tenth annual unConference – a fun startup pitchfest – Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event features a chance for early-stage startup founders to pitch their business ideas and win cash prizes. The audience cheers, offers support, asks questions and then ultimately votes on the winners. The event also features free raffle prizes donated by awesome places like Thump Coffee and more.

Per usual, the conference emphasizes the un — that is a low-tech pitch fest, with no power points, no lengthy presentations, and hopefully no stress. There are 16 pitch spots, and they are first-come, first-serve. Founders have been showing up early in years past to snag a spot, so keep that in mind.

This year’s sponsorships mean that unConference can once again offer cash prizes to the winners. This year, founders can compete for the following:

·      First place: $2,500

·      Second place: $1,000

·      Third place: $500

For our esteemed audience, the event offers free beer and kombucha, the now traditional cowbells, and a lot of fun.

via GIPHY

All of this is made possible by BendTECH’s generous, supportive sponsors:

Premier Sponsor
First Interstate Bank

Underwriting Sponsor
City of Bend

Supporting Sponsors

·      Business Oregon

·      Fatbeam

·      Price Fronk

·      District II East, LLC

·      ADL Software Foundation

·      St. Charles Health System

·      Humm Kombucha

·      1001 Tech Center

·      10Barrel Brewing

A few more details: The pitches are 3 minutes long. The audience gets the chance to listen and ask questions. Everyone there votes and the winners will be announced by 4:30 p.m. All manner of entrepreneurs, including students, are welcome—it’s not just tech. In fact, it’s usually way more than tech.

The unConference began 10 years ago as a fun way to kick-off the Bend Venture Conference week. It’s a celebration of how entrepreneurship begins—with ideas – and a great chance for entrepreneurs to get feedback, make connections and possibly win some cash to further their idea.

So take a break from your desk and join the un!

Details
BendTECH unConference
When: Tuesday, Oct. 15
Where: Thump @ 1001 Tech Center
1001 SW Emkay, Bend, OR
Pitch slots assigned at 2 p.m.
Pitches start at 2:30 p.m.
Winner announced at 4:30 p.m.
Event is free

More info @ Bendtech.com and startupbend.com 

Want to pitch? 
Any startup founder or aspiring founder can sign up to pitch. You get a microphone and three minutes and the rapt attention of a 100+ of the nicest audience members. Please don’t ask to show a deck. 
Sign-ups to pitch are first come, first serve.
You can sign up beginning at 2 p.m. Sometimes a line forms early. The spots do fill up, so plan accordingly.

Want to be in the audience?
This part is easy. RSVP for FREE on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bendtechs-unconference-oct-15-2019-tickets-72299272069 to get a ticket for a free beer or kombucha. Get a free cowbell. Ring it. Cheer. Show the people pitching some love. Maybe win a raffle prize. Maybe make a friend.