Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO), host of the annual Bend Venture Conference (BVC), has selected the 10 concept stage companies that will compete at the September 25 PubTalk. The 10 semi-finalists were selected after review by a panel of 6 experts. PubTalk is a critical event for the concept stage companies on the road to the Bend Venture Conference. After the 10 semi-finalists present, the audience vote decides the 5 finalists who will go on to vie for the $10K BendBroadband prize at the 2014 BVC.
“The 10 concept stage contenders are a diverse set, representing a variety of industries including outdoor recreation, bioscience, consumer products, high-tech, and agriculture,” said Nate LiaBraaten, BVC Concept Stage Coordinator. “With real, tangible products, prototypes, and solutions, this year’s vote is going to be tough. It will be important for the voting audience, in their evaluation, to really consider which 5 ideas can successfully launch and scale into a profitable company.”
In alphabetical order, the concept stage semi-finalists are:
1. Beliggle, a service exchange mobile app ideated at this year’s OSU-Cascades entrepreneurship class.
2. Bird Dog Bioventures is a veterinary/human biology start-up, researching and licensing underserved areas of animal health.
3. Cairn introduces outdoor enthusiasts to new brands and products through a monthly subscription while also collecting market data for the companies they work with.
4. Free Range Equipment manufactures light, durable, simple, functional backpacks for the performance focused athlete.
5. FriendlySniff.com is a “lifestyle aid” that organizes and simplifies the pet owner’s life, from adoptions, training, housing, shopping, and other local services.
6. KidRunner is reinventing running and exploring with kids hands and arms free, featuring performance, safety, and beauty.
7. Odysys, LLC simplifies direct hotel bookings by reducing guest acquisition costs, increasing revenue, and encouraging repeat guests with one simple platform.
8. Party Gorilla, Inc. is the ultimate guide to nightlife giving users the knowledge to always know where to go and giving bars the tools to get them there.
9. Ubimodo, LLC keeps people safe by notifying the authorities when things go wrong. They believe it’s worth a small fee for your loved ones to go from lost to found.
10. Volcano Veggies LLC grows organic vegetables and fish indoors with proprietary biotechnology solutions, providing cold-weather communities with fresh, nutritious local food year-round.
EDCO has doubled its capacity at McMenamins in downtown Bend for the September PubTalk. With networking starting at 5 pm and the program kicks off at 5:45 pm. The evening features 3-minute rapid fire pitches from the 10 concept stage companies, followed by tight Q&A from attendees. Those interested in attending should register soon, as it is expected to be a sold out event again this year.
About Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO)
Founded in 1981, EDCO is a non-profit corporation, supported by private and public members and stakeholders, whose mission is to create middle-class jobs in Central Oregon by recruiting new employers to move to the region, helping entrepreneurs start new, scalable businesses, and working with our businesses that are already here to grow their operations. This is the fifth year EDCO has managed BVC. Learn more about EDCO at www.edcoinfo.com and the Bend Venture Conference at www.bendvc.com.
About the Bend Venture Conference
The Bend Venture Conference is divided into two categories that consist of five launch stage and five concept stage companies vying for investment and cash prizes. The concept stage finalists compete for a $10,000 cash prize from BendBroadband while the launch stage finalist could collect what is currently a nearly $300,000 investment, with funds still coming in from our angel investors.
