(Photo / Courtesy BendTECH)
BendTECH will host its tenth annual unConference — a fun startup pitchfest — on Tuesday, October 15, from 2 to 4:30pm. The event features a chance for startup founders to pitch their business ideas and win cash prizes. The audience cheers, offers support, asks questions and then ultimately votes on the winners. The event also features free raffle prizes donated by establishments such as Thump Coffee and more.
Per usual, the conference emphasizes the un — that is, it’s a low-tech pitch fest, with no power points, no lengthy presentations and hopefully no stress. There are 16 pitch spots, and they are first-come, first-serve. Founders have been showing up early in years past to snag a spot, so keep that in mind.
This year’s sponsorships mean that unConference can once again offer cash prizes to the winners. This year, founders can compete for the following:
- First place: $2,500
- Second place: $1,000
- Third place: $500
For our esteemed audience, the event offers free beer and kombucha, the traditional cowbells and a lot of fun. All of this is made possible by BendTECH’s sponsors:
Premier Sponsor
First Interstate Bank
Underwriting Sponsor
City of Bend
Supporting Sponsors
- Business Oregon
- Fatbeam
- Price Fronk
- District II East, LLC
- ADL Software Foundation
- St. Charles Health System
- Humm Kombucha
- 1001 Tech Center
- 10Barrel Brewing
Here are a few more details: The pitches are three minutes long; the audience gets the chance to listen and ask questions; everyone present votes and the winners are announced by 4:30pm. All manner of entrepreneurs, including students, are welcome — the program is not just about tech. The unConference began ten years ago as a fun way to kick-off the Bend Venture Conference week. It’s a celebration of how entrepreneurship begins — with ideas — and a great chance for entrepreneurs to get feedback, make connections and possibly win some cash to further their ideas.
Details
BendTECH unConference
When: Tuesday, October 15
Where: Thump @ 1001 Tech Center
1001 SW Emkay Drive, Bend
Pitch slots assigned at 2pm
Pitches start at 2:30pm
Winner announced at 4:30pm
Event is free
Want to pitch?
Any startup founder or aspiring founder can sign up to pitch. You get a microphone and three minutes and the rapt attention of a 100+ nice audience members. Please don’t ask to show a deck. Sign-ups to pitch are first-come, first-served. You can sign up beginning at 2pm. Sometimes, a line forms early. The spots do fill up, so plan accordingly.
Want to be in the audience?
This part is easy. RSVP for free on Eventbrite at eventbrite.com/e/bendtechs-unconference-oct-15-2019-tickets-72299272069 to get a ticket for a free beer or kombucha. Get a free cowbell. Ring it. Cheer. Show the people pitching some love. Maybe win a raffle prize. Maybe make a friend.
