Oregon Entrepreneurs Network has been named as the recipient for the 2008 Governors' Gold Awards in the category honoring: Organization, Community, City or County.

This catgory recognizes organizations, communities, cities or counties that have inspired greatness through outsanding accomplishment, and extraordinary sevice to Oregonians on a local, regional, or statewide level.

The decision was made by Governors Kulongoski, Kitzhaber, Roberts, and Atiyeh to honor OEN for the organization's extraordinary contributions to the "greatness" of Oregon. OEN is is good company. Past winners in this category were Cycle Oregon (2007), The Oregon Food Bank (2006), The Oregon Shakespere Festival (2005), The Pendleton Round-up (2004) and Oregon Business Council (2003).

OEN will receive this award at The Governors' Gold Awards event that is being presented On October 4, 2008. The event is presented in cooperation with Special Olympics Oregon, the beneficiary of this event.

Gorge Angel Conference
If you are a business wishing to present at the conference please click here to download the presentation applicationfor the appropriate form that you can print and mail to begin the process. You may call or email Bill Fashing for information on a possible business presentation at 541-387-6863 or info@gorgeangelconference.com.

Event Information
Keynote Presentation – Ten Things an Angel Investor Would Never Tell an Entrepreneur
Speaker – Eric J. Rosenfeld Managing partner of Capybara Ventures, a seed capital fund and investor network launched in 2004 focused on growing early-stage technology-based businesses in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

Event Details
Gorge Angel Conference
September 23, 2008
7:30 AM to 2:00 PM
Hood River Inn, 1108 East Marina Way, Hood River Oregon

Important Links

• Gorge Angel Conference Homepage
• Participant Registration Form
• Business Presenter Registration Form

Click here to register

Get Rev'D
We're busting loose with a special 15th anniversary OEN Tom Holce Awards for Entrepreneurship Dinner

Save the Date

Thursday September 18, 2008
Oregon Convention Center

Be there when we honor the best of Oregon's rule-breaking, adventure-addicted entrepreneurs with a 15th anniversary blow-out.

Lead the Pack

Be the leader of the pack and register to win an OEN custom Triumph Speed-master. Enter to win now at (http://www.oen.org/rebels_raffle.aspx) or pick up your raffle ticket at the event for your chance to take to the open road.

Prices from July 16, 2008 to the day of the event are $195/ticket and $1950/table.
No refunds after August 15, 2008.

The finalists for the 2008 Awards Dinner have been chosen! Visit the 2008 Awards Dinner Finalists page for further information.

Click here to register

OEN is raffling off a custom Triumph Speedmaster motorcycle as part of a fundraiser to support the organization’s programs and services. The custom Speedmaster sports 865 CCs worth of power to blaze new trails whether you’re tearing up the Gorge or zooming around town. The bike was customized by Chuck Lange at Pat Clark Motorsports Pat Clark Motorsports and is a signed work of art by world-renowned pin striper Bob Spina. See the photos below:

The OEN Customized 2008 Triumph Speedmaster
OEN customized 2008 Triumph Speedmaster from the rear view.
OEN customized 2008 Triumph Speedmaster: Front fender view.
OEN customized 2008 Triumph Speedmaster signed by legendary pin striper Bob Spina.
OEN customized 2008 Triumph Speedmaster on the showroom floor.   Think you might be in love? Call the OEN for details about how to purchase a ticket to win this sweet ride 503-222-2270.   Drawing to win bike will be held at the OEN Tom Holce Awards for Entrepreneurship at 7:30pm on September 18, 2008 at the Oregon Convention Center. Winners need not be present to win. There are 500 tickets available; price for each ticket is $100. Retail market value is $16,000.

Contacts:

Caroline Cummings Nathan Lillegard

Smart-ups Co-founder (CEO, OsoEco.com) Smart-ups Co-founder (CEO, Floragenex.com)

541-968-2982 541-868-4947

carolinec@osoeco.com nathan@floragenex.com

August 20, 2008 – EUGENE, OR - One early stage company that delivers the most compelling business opportunity on October 14 at the Oregon Electric Station will be awarded entrance into the November 12 SEED Oregon competition – which is put on by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) in Portland. The SEED OREGON finalist will earn a coveted presenting opportunity at OEN's Angel Oregon 2009, the premier angel investing event in the Northwest taking place in March 2009. All companies from within the Willamette Valley are invited to submit their business plans to the Smart-up competition before September 8.

Three companies will be selected by the Smart-ups committee to pitch their business plan in less than twelve minutes. There will also be an opportunity for up to five companies to deliver one-minute pitches. The winner of the one-minute pitch will receive one month free rent at the Eugene IncuLator (a new start-up incubator/business accelerator located in the 8^th & Olive Building), and fifty percent off business consulting services offered by the Small Business Development Center in Eugene. Both winners are chosen the night of the event by the audience.

Companies seeking capital between $100,000 to $2 million are invited to apply before September 8 by visiting the Smart-ups Web site at www.smartups.org.Anyone wanting to be a part of the audience and cast their vote can register on the Eugene Chamber of Commerce’s Web site at www.eugenechamber.com. Early registration is $10 ($15 at the door) and includes one beverage and hors d'oeuvres.

The title sponsor of the event is Endeavor Law Group, and the supporting sponsors are Palo Alto Software and the newly formed IncuLator located in the 8^th & Olive building.

About Smart-ups

Smart-ups (www.smartups.org) is a new entrepreneurial support group in Oregon's Willamette Valley (founded in Eugene and currently partners with the Corvallis Entrepreneurs Forum). Smart-ups is a local chapter of the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network(OEN) based in Portland, OR. The goal is to improve the climate for Oregon-based emerging, and growth-oriented companies.

Smart-ups hosts "Pub-Talk" events throughout the year that focus on bringing start-ups together with community leaders, business leaders and people in the venture and angel community in the surrounding area. Smart-up events currently take place in Eugene and Corvallis.

Everyday, by some estimates, people deliver roughly 30 million PowerPoint presentations. And 95 percent of them suck.

Then people blame PowerPoint, as if the car caused the accident. It’s a shame, really, because PowerPoint can be a great visual aid for a presentation. But it’s not the presentation itself. You are.

This webinar, presented by Dave Yewman, focuses on five tips that can help prevent a PowerPoint presentation train wreck. We all know the first few seconds of a speech are critical - but how do you maximize your ability to grab the audience? How do you prepare for that? How do you develop slides that help you, not hurt you? Avoiding, "Death by PowerPoint" (sometimes called “Show up and throw up”) is a key skill for executives. Gain some tips and ask your burning questions in this Webinar.

Speaker: Dave Yewman

Dave Yewman is a strategic communications expert with more than 15 years experience. A former newspaper reporter and columnist, Dave has conducted media and presentation training sessions for 1000s of executives at numerous companies, including Adidas, Archos, aQuantive, Brooks Running, CA, CNet, Coinstar, Craigslist, Digg, DivXNetworks, eHarmony, Golfsmith, Ingram Micro, Isilon, K-Swiss, Microsoft, Musicmatch, M-Systems, Avenue A Razorfish, Reebok, Secure Computing and Vignette. Dave also co-founded http://www.elevatorspeech.com which uses videotape to help entire companies get to the point.

Dave has spoken at numerous events on how to use clear, concise, compelling language as a strategic weapon when dealing with customers, partners, reporters, employees, sales prospects, shareholders and consumers. His book "On Getting to the Point" is currently available at[Amazon.com|http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Point-Dave-Yewman/dp/0615170587/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8 &s=books&qid=1199766003&sr=8-1].

Date: Sep 5, 2008

Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Location: Online

Cost: $20 for members, $30 for nonmembers

Click here to register

Drop by the OEN SwapMeet, a networking program specifically for people looking to connect with entrepreneurs, early-stage companies, and the people who help them both grow. As the Oregon economy continues to develop, there will be more and more opportunity to work with, work for, or start new companies in growing industries. SwapMeet is a great way to get connected to the people making it all happen. There's no entrance fee, and no pressure. Just networking, connecting, and a no-host happy hour!

When: August 28
Time: 5:00 pm
Where: Someday Lounge - 125 NW 5th Ave, Portland
Cost: None! There is no fee to attend this event.

Please note the new date of this webinar!

If you're on a quest for capital and need to know more about the funding options available, this webinar is for you. Brent Bullock of Perkins Coie LLP, will lead this webinar focused on all of the basics of convertible note financing. You will learn what it is and how it actually works. You will also learn how it compares to basic equity financing which will help identify what options are best for your business.

The program will cover the key terms of convertible note financing and provide an overview of what is involved in the process. The program will use the Angel Oregon Convertible Note Financing Term Sheet from this year's OEN's Angel Oregon competition as the baseline for the discussion.

Date: Aug 19, 2008
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Location: Online

Cost: $20 for members, $30 for nonmembers

Click here to register

Market research...sounds thrilling, doesn't it? It is probably one of the most time consuming parts of creating a business plan,and also one of the most important. In this series of articles, we will define market research and talk about the various methods used to conduct the studies.Today, we will talk more broadly about market research and start to define it.

A quick definition of Market Research from About.com:

"Small business owners use market research to determine the feasibility of a new business, test interest in new products or services, improve aspects of their businesses, such as customer service or distribution channels, and develop competitive strategies."

Simply put, if you do not study the likelihood that your product is needed or wanted, your business is at high risk of failure. This information can be used to develop or modify new products, establish pricing, identify customers and create targeted marketing campaigns. It is the portion of the business planning process that helps you identify if there is actually a customer willing to buy your product or service. And sometimes, you find that you cannot provide what the consumer wants at a reasonable cost to you, and so you decide not to pursue that opportunity.

Market Research is also used in established businesses to adjust product specifications. When a new internet application is release in Beta, the creators are looking for people who have an interest to sign up and use their product for a period of time, while giving feedback about the usability. This is a great way to ensure you will have a customer base for sales, as the early adopters of the product feel very connected to its development and can become very loyal customers.

For me, market research reminds me of school...remember when you had to do the lit review for your research papers? You spent time looking up various sources, seeing what was already published, seeing what research hadn't been completed yet, looking for a niche that hadn't been filled by what others were doing...this is the place where you establish your baseline, an essential element to any good plan, and particularly helpful for measurement purposes.

Take a minute to think about your market...have you researched what's available? Have you asked for feedback about your offering to determine if you need to tweak the design a bit to make it more functional? Don't skip this important step of your planning process because you are anxious to get going on "the fun stuff". It is a foundational building block that is an integral part of being successful.

Jean Ann Van Krevelen is the Development Director of OEN, as well as an entrepreneur. See more information on her blog, the Edgy Entrepreneur.

Bend Venture Conference (BVC)is now accepting applications for seed and early stage companies to present at the event October 16 and 17, 2008 in Bend at the Tower Theatre. Applications are due September 12th, 2008, see below for how to apply.

The BVC Investor LLC, established in 2006, will provide funds of at least $100,000 which will be awarded to the early stage company voted best positioned for explosive growth and returns. All presenting companies, whether or not from Central Oregon, will be eligible to compete for the award. The winning company will be announced at the conference's closing reception.

Benefits of Presenting at BVC

• Expert coaching. Our selection committee offers you valuable coaching on your business presentation. They help you hone in on your messaging to ensure that you are providing the information investors need.


• Valuable feedback. Our panel includes the region's premier seed and early stage investors. During your presentation, they will ask you tough questions about your business plan, business model, and value proposition. This is an exceptional training opportunity for future investor presentations.
• Experienced investors. Our audience is filled with angel investors and experienced institutional investors. As in past years, our presenting companies use this networking opportunity as a launching pad for completing successful fundraising rounds.


• Expert business advisors. Our audience also includes an array of entrepreneurs, experienced business professionals and retired executives who are eager to provide advisory services and coach start-up companies. Each year, many of these people attend the conference to identify companies who they might be able to assist.


• Wild Card opportunity. Even companies not selected as a finalist may have the opportunity to present. Up to 10 non-finalist companies will be asked to deliver one-minute pitches to the audience, who in turn vote for the most compelling presentation. The winner will join the four finalists in pitching to our expert panel.

"The Bend Venture Conference was a great opportunity for Elemental Technologies to hone its business model in front of experienced entrepreneurs, professional venture capitalists, and supportive angel fund investors. It was also inspiring to get to know the founders of other local startups and see the many tremendous ideas that are blossoming in the Northwest!"

Samuel S. Blackman, Chairman and CEO
Elemental Technologies
BVC 2007 Presenting Company Winner

How to Apply

• Complete the Application Form.
• Complete the Executive Summary.
• Complete the Company Overview.
• Submit application fee of $195 (includes one admission to the conference as well as a company profile in the conference packet distributed to all attendees).

Important Dates

• September 12 - Application deadline.
• September 26 - Finalists notified and follow-up interviews scheduled.
• September 29 - October 6 - Companies work with investor group on diligence and presentations.
• October 16 - Presenting companies arrive in Bend and rehearse presentations.

Visit www.bendvc.com for more BVC 2008 information.