Oregon startup receives million to fund natural gas refueling tech development, supported by Portland Seed Fund
Onboard Dynamics — an innovator in compressed natural gas refueling — has received $3 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, Portland Seed Fund, NW Natural and other utilities and private investors. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels and is used to power natural […]
Rogue launches new venture fund with Oregon State
Portland investment firm Rogue Venture Partners is launching a new startup fund with Oregon State University. Rogue has already raised $4 million for the current fund and hopes to raise between $10 million and $20 million by the end of that, according to Tom Sperry, the firm’s managing director. He said Oregon State has committed […]
A new Oregon-based seed fund to help startups is in the works
The Oregon Regional Accelerator and Innovation Network (RAIN) is partnering with Portland entrepreneur and investor Nitin Rai on a new regional seed fund in an effort to close the funding gap for startups around the state. Rai will oversee what will be a regional early-stage fund. While the fund will likely be larger, between $2 […]
Oregon BEST Funds New Polymer Aimed at Ag’s Water Woes
As the California drought drags on and moves north in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon BEST is helping fund research for a Portland startup that has developed a biodegradable superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for agricultural applications that can soak up 300 times its weight in water, then release the moisture back into the soil near plant roots […]
Oregon State University business accelerator graduates five more startups with access to seed grants
A Corvallis business accelerator has graduated its third group of business startups and is taking applications for the next class. The Advantage Accelerator at Oregon State University is part of the Regional Acceleration and Innovation Network, or RAIN. RAIN, which also includes a business accelerator in Eugene, is intended to help promising companies get off […]
OHSU, University Venture Development Fund grantees hope to regenerate nerves, create better dental composites and treat breast cancer
Oregon Health & Science University’s BioScience Innovation Program awarded three technology development grants to scientists with promising early-stage research projects. The program leverages funds through the University Venture Development Fund, a state tax-credit program established in 2003 to further commercialization of university research. The funds support promising technologies and helps move them to the “proof […]
University of Oregon spinoff companies receive state innovation grants
Two companies spun out of research conducted at the University of Oregon are among five Oregon startups that will share $300,000 in state innovation grants for small businesses. The companies — SupraSensor Technologies and NemaMetrix — will receive a combined total of more than $110,000 from Business Oregon, the state’s economic development office, to help […]
Meet the 10 startup grads from the Portland Seed Fund
A new crop of startups from across Oregon graduated today from the Portland Seed Fund. The companies just completed a 3-month bootcamp as part of the fund, which has now graduated six classes and 56 companies in its four years of existence. Many of the startups raised separate investment rounds while in the program, including […]
Business Oregon launches innovation grant program
Business Oregon has launched a one-time grant program for state businesses to support research and innovation. The economic development agency will make available a total of $400,000 in grant money to help businesses apply for federal research grants and match any major grants awarded. “The federal government makes available $2.5 billion each year for small […]
Alum sets up student venture fund at University of Oregon
Musician and entrepreneur Paul Anthony Troiano wants to make it rain for student entrepreneurs at the University of Oregon. Troiano — the founder of Rumblefish, a music technology company that handles music licensing for video makers around the globe — has committed more than $300,000 to start the Paul Anthony Troiano RAINMaker Fund. It will […]