Looking Back, Looking Ahead...
As this year draws to a close, all of us at Oregon BEST (
pictured above as our Lego alter egos) want to wish you a smooth close to 2017 and a fine launch for 2018. This past year has seen our Oregon BEST Companies gaining traction in significant ways, from
securing millions in funding, like
Energy Storage Systems did this past week, to
winning national recognition, as
The Renewal Workshop did with a Corporate Citizenship Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, to
expanding manufacturing facilities, as outlined in last month’s newsletter. All of this is the result of hard, collaborative work aimed at improving our world through clean technologies. I want to thank you for your interest in Oregon BEST, and the role you play in improving our planet. Together, we’ll get there. Here’s to an excellent 2018!
Best wishes,
David Kenney,
President & Executive Director
Oregon BEST
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Saving Concrete and CO2 at Wind Energy Farms
Modular foundation design can cut concrete use by 50 percent
Oregon BEST Company
RUTE Foundations is advancing development of its modular foundation system (
see video, above), which, when used in lieu of traditional wind turbine foundations,
reduces by 50 percent the
8 billion pounds of concrete (and affiliated CO2 emissions) used annually to erect new wind turbines. The RUTE system can also be removed from the ground and reused at different locations, unlike current tower foundations that remain in the soil.
Watch the video.
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ESS Lands $13M to Automate, Expand Manufacturing
Wilsonville battery maker sees ongoing success in energy storage market
Energy Storage Systems (ESS), maker of long-duration flow batteries the size of shipping containers, received $13 million in a new Series B funding round, led by global chemical industry giant BASF. Oregon BEST and
Prosper Portland introduced ESS to BASF during the
Eco-Capital Connections event at BEST FEST back in 2015, so it's wonderful to see that introduction bearing fruit. ESS will use the new funds to expand and automate the manufacturing process for its iron flow battery, the Energy Warehouse, featuring a non-toxic, non-hazardous, recyclable iron-based electrolyte.
Full story.
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The Renewal Workshop Gains National Attention
Used clothing upcycler shines in national spotlight
The Renewal Workshop, an Oregon BEST Company located in Cascade Locks, Oregon, recently received two national honors for its work keeping used clothing and textiles out of landfills by repairing, reselling, and upcycling. CEO Nicole Bassett won $50,000 in cash and services from
Empowering a Billion Women (EBW), a national organization that plans to provide $1 billion to women-owned businesses by 2020. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation also gave The Renewal Workshop one of its eight
Corporate Citizenship Awards, putting the startup in impressive company alongside other awardees that included Intel, Cisco, UPS, John Deere, and Walt Disney Co. Read the
Forbes story.
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Wave Energy: The Next Big Thing?
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TED BREKKEN, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Oregon State University, weighs in on why generating clean power from ocean waves might be the next big thing in renewable energy. Although hundreds of different designs for wave power devices exist (including a submerged, sea floor device under development by Oregon BEST Company
M3 Wave), there is not yet a dominant technological paradigm when it comes to wave energy, and there might never be one,
Brekken says. Read the full
NBC News story.
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FUNDING, EVENTS, &
DEADLINES
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EVENTS...
The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Outsourcing Your Development – Including IP Strategy and Protection
TiE Oregon, in partnership with the Technology Association of Oregon, continues its “Evolve Your Startup” series that explores topics relevant to startups. Portland
Speakers, performers, and interactive experiences to celebrate entrepreneurship and innovation for positive social, environmental, and economic impact. Portland.
Mar. 9 |
Funding for Women Science Innovators
Save the date for this Oregon BEST event to be held on International Women's Day in Portland, OR, in conjunction with
Women in Science. Details TBA.
Celebrating the excellence and achievement in the region's technology industry by honoring outstanding individuals and companies for accomplishments, leadership, and commitment to the industry and community.
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FUNDING | SUPPORT | VISIBILITY...
Oregon BEST helps cleantech startups and university researchers find a range of support, visibility, and
FUNDING
.
Application Deadline: January 21, 2018
Two different $5,000 grants are available from Business Oregon to help Oregon businesses apply for federal SBIR or STTR grants.
Application Deadline
Entrepreneurs, researchers, and students with a novel technology are encouraged to apply to present cutting-edge technologies from across all energy sectors.
A group of investors contributes time, expertise, capital, and connections to help founders gain access to the right people and resources to grow their business their way.
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We're Here to Help!
Resources and expertise for Oregon innovators
Oregon BEST
supports great ideas from entrepreneurs, university researchers, and startups. We create global impact, one startup at a time by working with you to transform your ideas, research, and/or products into successful enterprises.
For
Oregon-based companies developing proprietary, technology-based products
, we offer assistance in securing
early-stage funding
, as well as access to
critical support channels
. Talk to us!
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