Lewis & Clark College Invests Locally to Benefit Students
Lewis and Clark College Invests Locally to Benefit Students
Origin Story
In Oregon, we’re famous for shopping local and eating local. With the Oregon Venture Fund, we can now invest local. How did OVF start and how did the fund develop its unique structure and focus?
Aligning investments with charitable purpose: Place-based fund selects OVF
Oregon attracts and retains individuals and families who develop a deep passion for this place. The beauty of our rivers, waterfalls, ocean, forests, high desert, and fertile valleys inspires us to care for the land, care for the people, and find ways to live sustainably to protect this great place. Oregon is fortunate to have a growing group of philanthropists and family foundations that refer to themselves as place-based investors. They intentionally focus and restrict the geography of their investing and charitable giving to support the communities and ecology in the greater Oregon region.
The Funded – An Annual Gathering of VC-funded CEOs
Each year the Oregon Venture Fund invites venture-backed CEOs in our region – and their primary VC investors – to an afternoon of connecting, learning, and professional development. We call this event The Funded and it provides an inspiring venue for CEOs to develop their craft, connect, and learn from their peers. This September, we convened 35 CEOs from diverse industries, company stages, and backgrounds at the beautiful Stoller Family Vineyard in the Willamette Valley.
Why We Invested: Gutsy
We're excited to be part of Gutsy’s $51M financing, one of the cybersecurity industry’s largest ever seed rounds. Thanks to the advocacy of Gutsy’s CRO and OVF venture partner Brian Lake, OVF was the only Pacific NW fund invited to participate in Gutsy’s hotly sought-after seed round.
Why We Invested: Source
Oregon Venture Fund (OVF) couldn’t be more excited to be part of Source’s recent $8M Series A investment round. Source has quickly become the leading marketplace for architects and interior designers to source interior finishes, furnishings, and fixtures for commercial buildings and hotels. The platform serves as the single source of truth for design selections, decision tracking, and procurement throughout the entire lifecycle of a new building project, from initial design through completion.
Compliant Startups
In recent years, Portland has quietly become a thriving hub for compliance-related software startups, gaining momentum in a broad market that includes a diverse range of sectors. While compliance solutions may not be the sexiest of industries, they require a unique skill set that encompasses a deep understanding of regulations and specialized processes, knowledge of internal business operations, and a systems mindset to develop comprehensive yet user-friendly products.