David Kenney
President & Executive Director
Wait! More Good News...?
In
last month's newsletter, I excitedly shared great news about two of our companies securing funding -
Arcimoto ($20M) and
SweetSense ($750K) - as well as positive news about a $500K grant we received. Well, the good news just keeps pouring in!
Below, you'll see that
Onboard Dynamics in Bend has secured a strategic manufacturing agreement worth millions of dollars with a major automotive supplier, Linamar. For many cleantech companies, developing relationships with large corporations is a critical part of their pathway to success. This is exciting news, and we're very happy for CEO Rita Hansen and her team! All this good news is evidence of the positive impact that comes from sustained support and investments in Oregon's cleantech sector.
I'm also happy to report that, together with a bevy of partner organizations, we just completed a study of the economic opportunities in our region for developing the cross laminated timber (CLT) industry and published our
final report. This project was funded in part by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
And I think we'll have more good news to report soon!
Best wishes,
David Kenney,
President & Executive Director
Oregon BEST
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Onboard Dynamics Inks Multimillion-Dollar Deal
Mobile compressed natural gas fueling system prepares to go big
Onboard Dynamics has just inked a multimillion-dollar agreement with Canadian manufacturer Linamar to produce the startup's mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling unit (
pictured above) that was developed in Bend, Ore., with early assistance from Oregon BEST.
Linamar, a $6 billion global company, will provide the working capital that Onboard needs to speed product testing and set up a large-scale assembly process. The mobile unit, GoFlo, allows small fleets of CNG vehicles to refuel overnight without access to CNG fueling stations, which cost $1 million to construct and are not nearly as prevalent as gasoline stations.
Read the Bend Bulletin story.
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Keeping Bed Linens Out of Landfills
Clothing upcycling startup partners with California bedding company
Oregon BEST Company,
The Renewal Workshop, will be expanding to include bedding in the items it keeps from winding up among the 10 million tons of textiles that go to landfills annually. Located in Cascade Locks, Ore., The Renewal Workshop partners with clothing manufacturers to repair, clean, and upcycle returned or damaged clothing to keep it out of the waste stream. Now the company is partnering with
Coyuchi, a 26-year-old San Francisco bed and bath company focused on sustainability.
Read the Fast Company story. And this breaking news: The Renewal Workshop is
one of three finalists for the Best Environmental Stewardship Corporate Citizenship Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation!
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Women cleantech entrepreneurs pose with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown at BEST FEST 2015
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Opportunity for Women Cleantech Innovators
Events to help businesswomen overcome barriers to seeking funding
Statistics tell a dismal story about the prospects for female business owners seeking funding. To help address this, Oregon BEST is co-hosting (with the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO) STEAM*, StartupBend, and BendTECH) an event on Nov. 8 (
see Events, below)
, that gathers women in STEAM careers to share information about funding pathways, including the federal SBIR/STTR program, which provides $2.5 billion of non-dilutive R&D funding to early stage science-based startups.
Of the many companies that Oregon BEST has provided with SBIR/STTR proposal writing assistance over the past two years, 27 percent are women-owned. So we have demonstrated the ability to not only reach women but markedly increase their chances of success. Oregon BEST is the leading provider of support for Oregon startups seeking SBIR/STTR funding, and Oregon is one of only 20 U.S. states selected to operate such support systems. We hope you can join us.
Full story.
*TAO STEAM is an ongoing program that serves STEAM career women in Central Oregon.
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CLT Study Touts Jobs for Rural WA and OR
Oregon BEST led study on impacts of cross-laminated timber
We are pleased to have led a just-published, multi-partner study that describes the potential economic impacts – including thousands of new jobs – the emerging cross-laminated timber (CLT) market will have in Oregon and SW Washington. The
110-page study, a collaboration with eight regional stakeholders, was funded by $120,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and addresses questions about resource capacity, market demand, and real and perceived barriers to the use of CLT.
Read the Roseburg News-Review story.
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New Head at Green Building Lab
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ELLIOTT GALL, an assistant professor at Portland State University, is the new director of the
Green Building Research Lab, an Oregon BEST lab located on the PSU campus. Gall's current work involves collaborative investigation into the effects of ecoroofs on indoor air quality, and bringing an engineering perspective to the undergraduate cohort of interdisciplinary Green Building Scholars in PSU’s School of Architecture.
Full story.
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FUNDING, EVENTS, &
DEADLINES
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EVENTS...
The Aquaponics Association 2017 Conference, Putting Down Roots, is about growing more food with aquaponics - efficient systems that can be placed anywhere, grow year-round, create jobs, save resources, and make people healthier. Portland, OR
Join other thought leaders driving the implementation of novel energy storage systems for the grid, wave, and other power generation technologies. Discuss the challenges pairing storage with different types of sustainable energy. Corvallis, OR
Are you a woman small business owner with an innovative technology in need of funding for research AND development? Oregon BEST is a cosponsor of this event that explores resources and funding available to women innovators. Bend, OR
Join Arcimoto for the launch of its new production facility and celebration of the EV company's 10-year anniversary. Eugene, OR
The Seattle Angel Conference is an investor led event, connecting entrepreneurs and new angel investors. Seattle, WA
Stay updated on environmental protection and compliance, new technologies and services, sustainable business practices, and trending policy issues. Portland
, OR
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FUNDING | SUPPORT | VISIBILITY...
Oregon BEST helps cleantech startups and university researchers find a range of support, visibility, and
FUNDING
.
TiE’s annual marquee event attracts 200+ attendees each year, as entrepreneurs from around Oregon pitch for cash and prize packages in both concept and seed stage categories.
Apply by October 27.
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.
Apply to be one of 10 game-changing companies globally in the field of clean energy technology and innovation. Winners are unveiled at the Future of Energy Summit, offering invaluable press attention and networking opportunities.
Apply to accelerate your company's growth! Each year this forum hosts the most innovative, emerging clean energy start-up companies.
Apply for $5,000 from Business Oregon to help apply for federal SBIR or STTR grants.
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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!
START HERE...
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