Announcing Our Semifinalists & Keynote Speakers
The semifinalists for both the Growth and Early Stage tracks are now set for the 2025 Bend Venture Conference (BVC). Eight Growth Stage companies have been selected to move forward, with finalists to be announced in early October after a final round of review. These companies represent some of the most promising ventures in the region and beyond, bringing innovative ideas and high-growth potential to the BVC stage.
On the Early Stage side, ten semifinalists are preparing to compete at the upcoming PubTalk, where they will pitch their companies to a live audience and panel of judges. Early Stage finalists will earn the chance to present at BVC where they will compete for a $25,000 cash award.
We are excited to announce our 2025 Bend Venture Conference keynote speakers: Peter Buckland, Partner, Managing Director and COO at Khosla Ventures, and Carl Riccadonna, State of Oregon Chief Economist and Head of the Office of Economic Analysis.
Grab your tickets now to take advantage of early-bird pricing!
Keynote Speaker:
Peter Buckland
Partner, Managing Director and COO of Khosla Ventures
Peter is a partner, managing director and COO at Khosla Ventures (KV), with more than 20 years of experience in Silicon Valley advising founders, entrepreneurs and technology companies. Peter works closely with the investment team and spearheads the firm’s fundraising efforts. He also manages the firm’s operations, including talent, finance, IR, and legal.
Prior to joining KV, he was a partner at WilmerHale LLP, a leading international law firm, where he led the firm’s emerging growth technology practice and built its West Coast corporate practice. During that time he guided the firm’s technology clients through hundreds of financings (public and private), sales, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions.
Keynote Speaker:
Carl Riccadonna
State of Oregon Chief Economist, Head of the Office of Economic Analysis
Carl is the State of Oregon chief economist and head of the office of economic analysis. He has served in various Chief Economist capacities on a global scale for over two decades, including at Deutsche Bank, Bloomberg LP and BNP Paribas. Carl received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Princeton University, where he studied Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, Finance and Economics.
The teams Carl has led have been highly ranked among economic forecasters in a broad array of categories including monetary policy, labor market dynamics and inflation. Carl takes pride in distilling complex economic analysis into an engaging message for non-economists.
Bend Venture Conference
October 16-17, 2025 | Tower Theatre, Bend
Early-Bird Tickets Now Available
