April 2024
Melissa Freeman
We are pleased to announce the Austin Family Foundation became an investor in Oregon Venture Fund this month. The Austin Family has a long history of innovation and entrepreneurship in Oregon since founding Austin Dental Equipment Company (A-dec) in 1964. A-dec is a global industry leader in manufacturing dental operatory equipment including dental chairs, dental lights and cabinets, handpieces, motors, and more. With more than 1,000 employees, A-dec is Yamhill County’s largest employer.
A-dec co-founders, Ken and Joan Austin, were known as creative problem solvers. He built the products, and she built the company. Together, they were committed to making something of which they both could be proud. They were also dedicated to community service and instilled that value within their company for their employees. For example, A-dec partners with Newberg’s Rotary Clubs to provide portable dental equipment for dentists and hygienists to take to communities who lack access to oral healthcare in our region and throughout the world.
The legacy that Ken and Joan built through their creative ideas and philanthropic giving is quite visible in Oregon to this day. In 1985, Joan teamed up with Dr. Patricia “Pat” Frishkoff to create a family business program at Oregon State University’s College of Business. They set out to educate the successive generations of owners of family businesses about entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, succession planning and much more. Programs with specific focus on Oregon’s industries included Fishing Families and Ties to the Land for woodland owners. Formally known as the Austin Family Business Program, it has grown to become the prominent Center for Family Enterprise.
Oregon Venture Fund has had a special connection with OSU’s Center for Family Enterprise as two long-time OVF investors, Christopher and Robin Klemm, served as directors of the Austin Entrepreneurship Program and Austin Family Business Program for several years, beginning in 2007 and 2008. As former East Coast venture capital consultants and faculty at the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, they were each independently selected at different times after extensive nationwide searches to join OSU faculty. In addition, OVF supports OSU’s Advantage Accelerator, among other entrepreneurial initiatives at the university.
The incredible network of individual, family and institutional investors in Oregon Venture Fund makes it possible to invest in local world-class startup and growth companies. The unique marriage of talent and capital we provide through our collaborative investing model makes us the largest and most active venture capital fund in Oregon and Southern Washington. We are honored to have the Austin Family Foundation join our family of investors who are dedicated to the economic vitality of this great region.
Oregon Venture Fund is on track to invest $100M over the next five years. Accredited investors may contact Melissa Freeman, Melissa@OregonVentureFund.com to learn how to participate. Follow OVF on LinkedIn to learn about the amazing entrepreneurs from this region that we are backing today.