Announcing the 2024 BVC Semifinalists
Hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and students will soon descend on Bend, Oregon for the largest angel investment conference in the Pacific Northwest. After hours of reviewing applications and meeting with companies, BVC investors and partners have identified the most well-positioned startups to compete in each of BVC’s three competition tracks: Early Stage, Growth Stage and New Economy.
BVC has served as a catalyst to mobilize capital for participating companies, with investments and awards to finalists totaling more than $14 million over the past 21 years. Tickets are on sale now and attendees who register before Monday, September 30 will receive ten percent off their order.
Early Stage Semifinalists
Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) announced the ten semifinalist companies advancing in the Early Stage competition for the 21st Annual Bend Venture Conference (BVC), which will take place at the Tower Theatre in Bend on Thursday, October 17-Friday, October 18, 2024.
In the next round of competition, the following Early Stage semifinalists will pitch against each other at the September 26 Central Oregon PubTalk: Road to BVC. This high-energy entrepreneurial event showcases the semifinalists as they deliver fast-paced, three-minute pitches to a live crowd. The audience, along with an expert panel of judges, will vote to decide which companies advance to present at BVC next month. In addition to influencing which companies advance to the BVC stage, the audience vote will determine which Early Stage company receives a $3,000 cash award, courtesy of Washington Trust Bank.
Speaking on behalf of EDCO, Venture Catalyst Brian Vierra said, “Congratulations to all of the semifinalists in this year’s Early Stage track for the Bend Venture Conference. We were thrilled to see such an extremely talented group of entrepreneurs apply, each showcasing innovative ideas and tremendous potential. Central Oregon PubTalk and the Bend Venture Conference serve to highlight new, emerging startups and provide opportunities for local investors and business leaders to engage with and witness the latest industry innovations firsthand.”
In alphabetical order, the BVC Early Stage semifinalists that will compete at the September 26 Central Oregon PubTalk are:
Dayo (Portland, Oregon) — A free and frictionless app that rewards users for curbing their social media use.
Ecobadlandsz, Inc. dba Ranger EV (Portland, Oregon) — A scalable software solution that allows vacation rental hosts to sell energy to guests with electric vehicles.
Fordje (Portland, Oregon) — An AI software platform to help construction developers and cities clarify city codes, allowing both markets to build faster the first time.
Howl at the Spoon (Beaverton, Oregon) — Portable, flavor-packed, single-serve artisan sauces for every meal.
HumanKind Homes (Portland, Oregon) — Develops, builds and sells healthy and sustainable homes priced to be affordable to those making 80-120% Area Median Income (AMI).
Kickplan, Inc. (Portland, Oregon) — A comprehensive SaaS solution that provides developer-friendly infrastructure for billing, pricing, feature access control, and metric instrumentation and an intuitive web console for management.
Mesh (Bend, Oregon) — An iOS fitness, health and wellness application that increases personal accountability, improves mental health and brings community together through activity.
Offer Haus (Eugene, Oregon) — A simplified online platform that allows buyers to purchase a home without a realtor.
Prophetic (Portland, Oregon) — A SaaS platform that finds and analyzes real estate development opportunities in seconds, not hours.
Rose City Robotics (Portland, Oregon) — Autonomous robotic disassembly that enables direct recycling of lithium-ion EV batteries.
Central Oregon PubTalk on September 26 will feature these Early Stage semifinalists pitching on the outdoor “Drink up Dream on” stage at Worthy Brewing in Bend.
PubTalk Agenda
4:30-5pm | Networking, drinks and appetizers
5-7:30pm | Early Stage company pitches, audience vote and winner announcement
PubTalk Cost and Registration
Register through Eventbrite here.
Ticket price is $32 for EDCO Members (become an EDCO member here); $48 for Non-Members. Attendance includes appetizers and a beverage (beer, wine or non-alcoholic options available).
Growth Stage Semifinalists
As Central Oregon’s flagship entrepreneurship event, BVC creates an opportunity to connect investors and industry leaders with startups looking to scale. Each year, a new BVC Growth Fund is raised to invest in the most promising growth stage companies that compete in the annual conference. Since applications closed on August 9, investors and partners have evaluated each company to identify the most well-positioned startups to compete in each of BVC’s three tracks.
“The investors in the Bend Venture Conference Fund are passionate about supporting the growth of the Central Oregon startup ecosystem and bring a wealth of professional experience to evaluating the merits of new innovations,” Vierra explained. “We’re excited to see the growth potential represented in this year’s semifinalist companies, and we look forward to the impact they will have.”
In alphabetical order, the semifinalists are:
Beginly Health (Portland, Oregon) — An AI curated job matching platform for healthcare professionals.
Canopii Inc. (Silverton, Oregon) — A technology company building robotic greenhouse farms to make local food production more viable.
Green Canopy NODE (Seattle, Washington) — A company that addresses the complex challenges of affordable housing through configurable, prefabricated kits for residential housing.
Health Elements AI (Bend, Oregon) — A technology platform that leverages AI to streamline health data abstraction.
ProMedix Inc. (Portland, Oregon) — A revolutionary, noninvasive wearable sensor for accelerating sepsis detection at the patient bedside.
Square Baby (Bend, Oregon) — Dietician-designed, Organic baby and toddler meals customized to age, stage and dietary needs including allergen introduction, vegan and animal proteins.
Stiira (Portland, Oregon) — A specialized SaaS solution designed to help organizations effectively manage the complexities of government-regulated leaves of absence.
Trace Biosciences (Portland, Oregon) — A biotech startup creating agents for surgery that highlight nerves in real time to eliminate surgical nerve damage.
The Bend Venture Conference is the longest standing and largest angel investment conference in the Pacific Northwest. BVC has served as a catalyst to mobilize capital for participating companies and since its inception, investments and awards to participating startups have totaled over $14 million.
Bend Venture Conference cannot guarantee that investments will be made in any specific amount because the final amounts to be awarded are dependent on investment commitments received from third-party investors and the ability of the winning companies and the investors to agree on the terms and conditions of the investment.
New Economy Semifinalists
This year’s conference continues BVC’s legacy as the largest and longest standing angel investment event in the Pacific Northwest, driving innovation and entrepreneurship in Central Oregon and beyond. Throughout the two-day event, startup companies from around the country will take the Tower Theatre stage to pitch their businesses to BVC’s community of investors. Through a new partnership with The BFM Fund, the New Economy Track provides a platform for startups who provide significant economic and social returns aligned with the principles of the Solidarity Economy.
Himalaya Rao, managing director of The BFM Fund, said, “We are delighted for the partnership with BVC. This opportunity creates a new track of entrepreneurs and helps bring outside talent and funding resources into Oregon. We firmly believe that cross-regional and multi-state collaborations will help elevate Oregon’s next ten-year innovation plan, particularly in the area of social enterprise investing. The semifinalists represent a diverse set of companies who all work in alignment with the Solidarity Economy framework, paving the way for the future of venture capital– where both investor returns, and inclusive innovation are inextricably linked.”
The New Economy Track is dedicated to supporting startups that are creating impactful technologies with a specific focus on accelerating inclusive innovation that encourages participation for marginalized or socially and economically disadvantaged (SEDI) communities.
In alphabetical order, the semifinalists are:
Asha AI (Seattle, Washington) — Asha AI is a clinical trial management tool that empowers pharmaceutical companies to achieve better outcomes, decrease trial cost and timelines and increases access to actionable data through a conversational AI that is accessible to anyone-including the elderly and disabled.
Eco-Shelter Inc. (Tacoma, Washington) — Eco-Shelter delivers an affordable roofing and building product made from bamboo that can profitably shelter millions with nearly no carbon emissions.
Fortuna Cools (Dover, Delaware) — Fortuna Cools partners with coconut oil factories to process their waste and turn it into insulation for recreational coolers and business packaging.
Hardcore Peanut Butter Spread (Minneapolis, Minnesota) — Hardcore Peanut Butter Spread uses superfood ingredients, mixed into allergen-free peanut butter, to give all consumers a better-for-you, safe product.
Home Lending Pal (Orlando, Florida) — Home Lending Pal uses trusted digital financial and credit sources to simulate the home purchasing process to help educate first-time home buyers on their mortgage approval odds.
Hamilton Perkins Collection (Los Angeles, California) — Hamilton Perkins Collection creates award-winning products from recycled materials and develops regenerative materials for the circular economy.
Samay (Mountain View, California) — Samay is commercializing a wearable system, Sylvee, that non-invasively monitors lung function in patients with chronic respiratory disease in clinical and home environments.
Wildfire Watchdog (Bend, Oregon) — Wildfire Watchdog offers automated wildfire protection with real-time alerts, remote monitoring and automated responses.
Over the upcoming weeks, semifinalist companies will participate in a series of due diligence meetings to determine the list of finalists. Companies in the New Economy Track have an opportunity at investment of $100,000, thanks to BVC’s partnership with The BFM Fund. Attendees who register before Monday, September 30, will receive ten percent off their order.
Bend Venture Conference cannot guarantee that investments will be made in any specific amount because the final amounts to be awarded are dependent on investment commitments received from third-party investors and the ability of the winning companies and the investors to agree on the terms and conditions of the investment.
