Events

Join OBI and colleagues for the final Accelerate Happy Hour of the year from 5 to 7:30pm! Connect with fellow biotech and digital health professionals, build community, and share ideas to accelerate the growth of these sectors in Portland. We’ll gather at OBI’s event space on January 9th.

Accelerate Happy Hours bring together passionate professionals in biotech, medical devices, and digital health across academia and industry. This is your chance to network and build relationships with others working in these fields. The event is sponsored by Davis Wright Tremaine.

Interested in introducing your startup or idea? We offer 2-minute speaking slots at each event. To reserve a spot, email us at aklein@otradi.org.

OBI is located at:

4640 S Macadam Ave, Suite 230
Portland, OR 97239

There is no cost to attend but registration is required. Register here!

Hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration, this three-day free virtual event (February 11 through the 13th) seeks to to connect entrepreneurs across the nation working on advanced technologies and the organizations that support them to America’s Seed Fund, the country’s largest source of early-stage funding.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, also known as America’s Seed Fund, provide $4 billion each year in funding to early-stage startups and small businesses as innovators take their technology from R&D through to commercialization.

Participants will:

• Learn the basics about America’s Seed Fund
• Gain an understanding of the evaluation processes
• Engage with federal agency representatives
• Leave with specific ideas on how to start your America’s Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR) journey

Register today and stay up-to-date as more inmformation becomes available on America’s Seed Fund Week 2025, taking place February 11-13, 2025.

About the Small Business Administration
Created in 1953, the U.S. SBA continues to help small business owners and entrepreneurs pursue the American dream. SBA is the only cabinet-level federal agency fully dedicated to small business and provides counseling, capital, and contracting expertise as the nation’s go-to resource and voice for small businesses.

Location

Miller Nash, Portland

Join with other members of the Portland startup community from 5 to 7pm on February 12 at the 1140 SW Washington St, Ste 700 offices of Miller Nash.

Founders and entrepreneurs share core qualities like motivation, passion, curiosity, and a willingness to take risks — qualities that drive them to create and lead new businesses. However, each entrepreneurial journey is unique, with its own set of challenges and turning points.

For our first panel PubTalk of 2025, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network is thrilled to feature three winners from the OEN Entrepreneurship Awards: Cori Omundson, CEO, Rising Wines Collective, Jeff Shafer, COE, Branwyn and Nora Shields, Co-founder, Rock paper Coin. These accomplished entrepreneurs will share their personal origin stories, the people and resources that have been pivotal to their success, the strategies that have worked for them, and their future plans for growth.

Whether you’re just starting out, looking for inspiration, or hoping to connect with others who understand the entrepreneurial grind, this interactive conversation is for you. Join us to hear firsthand what it’s really like to build and scale a business in our community, and find solidarity with fellow entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey.

The cost to participate is $15 for OEN members and $25 for non-members. Register here and now!

Location

Sentinel Hotel, Portland

Oregon's annual Innovation Showcase, presented by Business Oregon, focuses on deep tech, innovation-driven, scalable companies that may take over five years to develop, setting it apart from software or consumer products. Don’t miss the chance to network with investors and explore successful companies, emerging deep tech startups, and the state’s supportive ecosystem.

Enjoy the Showcase's opening reception on the evening of the 19th, with the Keynote Speech at 7pm, followed by the conference program on May 20.

Check back here for the agenda and speakers as that information becomes available, or check out the event website directly.

Early registration is open now. Register here!

Organizers hope that the Showcase will be a lively nexus to develop and strengthen relationships with deep tech investors, including those from out of state, by highlighting Oregon as a premier hub for innovation and startups. The event will feature successful Oregon-grown companies, emerging startups seeking funding, and the supportive state ecosystem that de-risks investments.