Nine Companies to Present at Bend Venture Conference
October 4, 2004
The nine startups that will pitch their businesses to a panel of venture capitalists at the Bend Venture Conference Oct. 15 have been announced.
The presenting companies are:
- Alpine Internet Solutions Inc., which develops application software to improve communication with Internet customers, prospects, business partners and employees;
- Apex Construction Systems Inc., which markets and will soon begin manufacturing Lego-like blocks made from a mix of cement, polystyrene foam granules and polymers that are used to construct the exterior walls of homes and light commercial buildings;
- Caffé Botanica LLC, which infuses health supplements into coffee beans during the roasting process;
- Compli, which develops, markets and services a Web-based compliance management system;
Margent Development LLC, a developer of digital security-related products; - MediSiss, a third-party medical device reprocessor of single-use medical devices;
- Metolius Biomedical/Pleural Space Innovations, a company devoted to the thoracoscopy segment of the thoracic surgery and pulmonary medicine markets;
PV Powered, which makes photovoltaic inverters for the renewable energy marketplace; and - Rage Talent Management LLC, an extreme sports athlete management company.
Co-hosted by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Forum and Economic Development for Central Oregon, the Bend Venture Conference will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15, at the Tower Theater in downtown Bend.
Similar to OEF's Venture Oregon conference held in Portland each fall, the day-long conference will include keynote speakers Bob Wood, president of Nike Golf, and Oregon state Treasurer Randall Edwards. Wood will discuss Nike Golf's explosive growth from a fledgling splinter group into a $500 million company, and his goal to establish Nike Golf as the first branded business unit to be run separately within Nike.
Edwards will introduce the state's new $100 million venture fund. The fund, managed by Credit Suisse First Boston, will place 80 percent of its money with other investment firms, as well as invest directly in promising young Oregon companies that fit specific criteria.
