By Ben Nahir, PhD, MBA, Elevate Capital Partner
Another amazing year at the Bend Venture Conference (BVC). The caliber of companies was the strongest in years, and the energy and support for the Oregon startup community were infectious.
BVC is easily one of my favorite Pacific Northwest annual events. It brings together great people, strengthens connections and creates new opportunities to support Oregon entrepreneurs.
From an incredible dinner at Brasada Ranch hosted by Cliff DeGroot, Caitlin Vargas, Cara Turano and Ben Parish, to networking at Broken Top Club and the Technology Association of Oregon reception at Tetherow, the opportunities to build real relationships were endless.
Beyond the main stage, our regional ecosystem had a packed week. I had the privilege of attending the OSU Advantage Accelerator Board Meeting and caught up with a fantastic group at the Oregon Bioscience Incubator and OTRADI lunch. The momentum building across our universities, bioscience incubators, and early-stage infrastructure is incredibly exciting to watch.
A big thank you to Jon Stark, Wendy Morgan and the rest of the Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) team for hosting a world-class event and introducing new formats to connect founders and investors directly.
Celebrating Three Standout Portfolio Companies
Elevate Capital was incredibly proud to be well-represented on the BVC stage, watching three of our portfolio companies take home big checks:
CleanHaus: Secured a follow-on $50,000 investment from Elevate Capital. Special thanks to Peter and Pam Horan for co-investing $15,000 in CleanHaus alongside us. That was a spur-of-the-moment decision! CleanHaus is an AI-powered property assistant for Airbnb bookings, cancellations, cleaner scheduling, payments and more.
Osheru: Took home a major investment of $125,000 to advance their incredible growth with Ziplyft. Ziplyft is a first-of-its-kind, sutureless, in-office eyelid lift designed to deliver the same beautiful outcomes with far less burden on patients and providers.
Permeta: Our newest portfolio company received a $250,000 investment from Elevate Capital and a $170,000 investment from BVC investors. Permeta offers AI-driven tools to simplify and speed up energy permit applications.
Empowering Kids: PNW Assistive Technology’s Inspiring Impact
PNW Assistive Technology delivered an emotional presentation and quickly raised $6,000 in donations at BVC. This Eugene, Oregon, organization increases mobility and independence for children with complex medical conditions.
Their adapted vehicles, the Wayfinders, are built from affordable ride-on toy cars and include supportive seating, harnesses, adaptive switches and custom controls. “We are about giving children the chance to be kids,” shares PNW Assistive Technology.
>> Learn more about PNW Assistive Technology
Building on Success
The Bend Venture Conference once again proved that Oregon’s startup ecosystem is thriving. From groundbreaking companies securing vital funding to inspiring organizations like PNW Assistive Technology making a difference in children’s lives, this year’s event showcased the power of community, collaboration and innovation.
