(Photos courtesy of Bend Venture Conference)
Most founders can point to a handful of moments that changed the course of their company. A key introduction. A conversation that challenged an assumption. The opportunity to put their idea in front of the right audience at exactly the right time. For more than 20 years, the Bend Venture Conference has created those moments.
Applications are now open for the 2026 Bend Venture Conference (BVC), the Pacific Northwest’s longest-running angel investment conference. Since its inception, BVC has facilitated more than $14 million in investment while helping founders connect with investors, advisors and champions who saw potential in what they were building.
This year, companies can apply to one of three tracks: Early Stage, Growth Tech and Growth Industries. Whether you’re refining an early concept, scaling a technology company or growing a product-based business, BVC offers a platform to share your story and gain exposure to investors from across the region.
New for 2026, BVC is introducing the Funder-Founder Reception, creating space for semi-finalist and finalist founders and investors to step away from the formal pitch setting and have a conversation in a more personal environment.
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to put your company in front of the people who can help you grow, this is it. Apply today and take the next step toward the moment that could change everything.
See here for a complete list of applicant requirements and benefits.
This year’s competition features three tracks:
Early Stage:
Open to Oregon-based companies that are pre-revenue or in the early stages of commercialization and growth. Eligible companies must be pre-revenue or have raised less than $500,000 in external capital, including non-dilutive grants, and be currently raising less than $1 million in investment capital. This track is designed with founder quality, product potential, unique solutions, and ecosystem fit in mind.
Apply Today
Growth Tech:
Open to technology-driven companies whose core differentiation is technology, including software, AI, data, or platform-based innovation. Eligible companies must have generated at least $500,000 in product revenue during the past 12 months and be actively raising between $250,000 and $2.5 million or more in investment capital. Companies should demonstrate a scalable business model and be positioned for growth with additional investment.
Apply Today
Growth Industries:
Open to companies whose competitive advantage is rooted in products, science, engineering, or brand. This includes sectors such as outdoor and lifestyle products, food and agriculture, consumer packaged goods, biotech and life sciences, climate-focused hardware, and related industries. Eligible companies must have generated at least $500,000 in product revenue during the past 12 months or demonstrate other meaningful traction metrics and be actively raising between $250,000 and $2.5 million or more in investment capital.
Apply Today
If you’re building a company with the potential to scale and make an impact, we encourage you to apply.
Applications are open through August 13, 2026.
The Bend Venture Conference cannot guarantee that investments will be awarded in any specific amount. The final amounts to be distributed depend on the investment commitments received from third-party investors, as well as the ability of the winning companies and investors to agree on the terms and conditions of the investment.
