Portland State Business Accelerator Wins Top Honors for Tech Startups
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Thursday, April 30, 2015
Kirsten Nicolaisen, GoLocalPDX Content Manager
On Tuesday, Portland State University's
Business Accelerator program was given an “Incubator of the Year" award, focusing on technology startups by the
National Business Incubation Association (NBIA).
The award which was presented at NBIA’s International convention in Denver, honors exemplary incubation programs that go beyond the basic qualifications of offering on-site management, providing a full range of business development services and having a policy that provides for graduating companies.
PSU’s business accelerator was one of 12 finalists for the award, which includes $2,000 from the Dinah Adkins Fund.
Judges evaluated the range and relevance of business development services the incubator offered to clients, the results they generated and success stories of client companies.
“We are fortunate to have graduated some stellar companies over the years, such as Giftango and Jama software. It’s their success that helps build the reputation of the Accelerator and the other great entrepreneurship resources we have at PSU,” said PSU Accelerator Director, Angela Jackson.
The PSU Business Accelerator, founded in 2004, is the oldest and largest accelerator in Oregon. It is home to approximately 25 young companies, providing them with resources, connections, expertise and university support. Client companies are in three categories: bioscience, technology and clean tech. Since 2007, accelerator companies have raised $130 million in private funding, generated $65 million in revenue and secured more than $18 million in public grants.
The Accelerator, located just off campus on S.W. Corbett Ave., provides office and lab space, guidance on growing businesses, the help of PSU student interns and multiple networking opportunities. Companies also get coaching on how to raise money.
Related Slideshow: 30 Famous College Grads From Oregon
Who are some of the most famous people to graduate from Oregon schools? Here is a list of a few of the most interesting or surprising alumni you probably didn't know came from Oregon.
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Mike Richardson
Portland State University, Class of 1977
Founder of Dark Horse Comics, the third largest comic-book publisher in the U.S., and founder of Dark Horse Entertainment, which has produced over two dozen films and television projects.
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Signe Toly Anderson
Portland State University, 1960-1963
Lead female vocalist for the band Jefferson Airplane, jazz and folk singer, and member of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.
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Katie Harman
Portland State University, Class of 2002
Crowned Miss America the same year she graduated from PSU.
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Carolyn Davidson
Portland State University, Class of 1971
Creator of the Nike Swoosh.
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Jordan Senn
Portland State University, Class of 2007
Two time Academic All-American for the PSU football team, who signed on as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts, and also played for the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears.
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Barbara Ehrenreich
Reed College, Class of 1963
Award winning essayist, political activist and author of New York Times Best Seller, "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America."
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Earl Blumenauer
Lewis and Clark College, Class of 1970 and 1976
U.S. Representative for Oregon’s 3rd district since 1996 and a leading proponent of livable communities.
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Matt Wuerker
Lewis and Clark College, Class of 1979
Winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for editorial cartooning, as well as a finalist for the award in 2009 and 2010, and one of the founding staff members of Politico.
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Heidi Hitkamp
Lewis and Clark College, Class of 1980
Hitkamp was the first woman ever elected to represent North Dakota in either the U.S. Senate or House. She has been a Senator since 2013.
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Matt Biondi
Lewis and Clark College, Class of 2000
Winner of 11 Olympic medals in swimming and one of the most decorated American Olympians of all time.
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Greg Behrendt
University of Oregon, Class of 1991
After starting out to study business, Behrendt went on to become a script consultant for Sex and the City, as well as a standup comedian and author.
Photo Credit: Facebook: Greg Behrendt
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Neil Everett
University of Oregon, Class of 1984
ESPN Sports Center anchor
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James Ivory
University of Oregon, Class of 1951
Director of several films, including Academy Award winners A Room with a View and Howard’s End, and founder of Merchant Ivory Productions.
Photo via IMDB.com
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Renee James
University of Oregon, Class of 1986
President of Intel, after a promotion to the two-person executive team in 2013 and ranked 37th on Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.
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Linus Pauling
Oregon State University, Class of 1922
The only person ever to win two unshared Nobel Prizes, Pauling was the leader of his time in chemistry. One of his Nobel Prizes was for peace, after his efforts to end atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons.
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Mercedes Bates
AKA Betty Crocker
Oregon State University, Class of 1936
Head of Betty Crocker Kitchens at General Mills, and the first female corporate officer for the company, Bates also developed the Betty Crocker character, turning it into a national icon.
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Julie Bentz
Oregon State University, Class of 1986
The first female officer in the Oregon Army National Guard to reach the rank of general. Bentz is now a member of President Obama’s National Security Staff.
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George Bruns
Oregon State University, Class of 1936
Music Director for Walt Disney Productions for over 25 years, wrote the “Ballad of Davy Crockett,” and music for “Tony the Tiger” and “Pillsbury Doughboy” ad campaigns. Burns directed the music for “Sleeping Beauty,” “Robin Hood,” and the Mickey Mouse Club TV show.
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Vance DeBar 'Pinto' Colvig
Oregon State University, Class of 1911
Mostly known as the voice for Disney’s cartoon “Goofy” for over 20 years, Colvig also voiced "Sleepy" and "Grumpy" in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Colvig also wrote the song "Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf," performed all the sound effects for Jack Benny’s 1930s radio show, and was Capital Record’s first Bozo the Clown in the 1940s.
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Timothy Leatherman
Oregon State University, Class of 1970
Inventor of the Leatherman multi-tool.
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Dick Fosbury
Oregon State University, Class of 1972
Revolutionized the high-jumping sport by jumping over the bar backward--coined the “Fosbury Flop.” He won a gold medal in the event at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968.
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Alan Hart
OHSU, Class of 1917
Born as Alberta Lucille Hart, Hart became one of the first female-to-male transexuals in the United States, after graduating from the School of Medicine. He also was a pioneer for using radiology to detect tuberculosis.
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R. Bradley Sack
OHSU, Class of 1960
Internationally recognized for his work with oral rehydration therapy (ORT) which became the worldwide standard for treatment of dehydration and diarrhea.
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Oscar Frederick “Doc” Willing
OHSU
After receiving a degree in dentistry from OHSU, Willing went on to become one of the top American amateur golfers of the 20th Century, and is one of 15 indvudals undefeated in U.S. Foursomes and Singles Matches in the Walker cup.
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Harry Glickman
University of Oregon, Class of 1948
Founder and president emeritus of the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Norma Paulus
Willamette University, Class of 1962
Former Oregon Secretary of State, Paulus was the first woman to hold a statewide elected office in Oregon.
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Patrick Carman
Willamette University, Class of 1988
New York Times best-selling author for his children's fantasy series The Land of Elyon, Atherton, and Elliot's Park.
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Shelley Beattie
Southern Oregon University, 1988
Professional bodybuilder who won third place in Ms. International and Ms. Olympia, a member of the first all-female America’s Cup Team, and an actress on the TV show “American Gladiator.”
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