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The initial cash investment, combined with mentoring and expert connections, has proven an effective strategy to help grow startups. In just over eight years OSC's Challenge companies have raised more than $100 million in additional funding.
For most companies, the Challenge investment gave them their first investor traction, establishing credibility needed to close further, larger rounds of funding.
Challenge Companies Succeed and Stay Local
A large majority (75%) of winning Challenge companies are still in business. A majority (63%) of them are still headquartered in Beaverton, and all but two (6%) are in the Portland metro area. Every selected company agrees to be headquartered in Beaverton for at least one year, and we actively work with them to stay and continue to grow in Beaverton.
Applications for the 2024 Beaverton Startup Challenge are now closed. The next application period will open in August 2024 for the 2025 Cohort of funded companies. More info to come in 2024!
The Beaverton Startup Challenge significantly outperforms much of the investment community when it comes to attracting diverse investors and startup company leadership.
$25,000 convertible note investment
Introductions to Legal, Accounting, HR, and marketing services.
OSC's top-rated mentoring services, entrepreneur workshops, and more!
The Beaverton Challenge is a program sponsored by the City of Beaverton and Westside Startup Fund, LLC where four to five startups will be selected to receive a $25,000 cash convertible-note investment along with incubation services from the Oregon Startup Center (OSC). Our first 43 Challenge companies (Average 5 per year from 2016 through 2024) have closed more than $100 million in additional funding.
We will begin promoting and accepting applications for 2025 Beaverton Startup Challenge in mid-August 2024. There is no fee to submit an application. Eight to ten semi finalists will be chosen by late October. These semifinalists will then give their investor pitch to our investor group. The finalists are announced by late November and the investments are made in early December.
We are seeking for-profit, early-stage growth businesses with the ambition and potential to scale in a national or international market. Applicants should have two to five team members with at least one team member working on the startup full time. Applicants may be self-funded, grant-funded, and/or have investor funding of up to $250,000.
$25,000 in cash and services are given to each winning company $4,800 of which is allocated for mentoring, advising, business contacts, connections, and other community partner introductions. $20,200 net cash is paid to each finalist.
The winning companies sign a 2-year convertible note at 8% annual interest which is payable to Westside Startup Fund 10.
A convertible note is a short-term debt instrument that converts to equity upon a predetermined conversion event such as a future fundraising round or liquidation event such as an acquisition or IPO.
You need to be beyond the “idea” stage to where you have at least done a significant amount of customer-need validation, and meet the criteria described in the answer to the previous question.
As the home to both Tektronix and Nike, Beaverton is one of the most successful entrepreneurial cities in the state. The City of Beaverton is open for business and offers several services to help small businesses. As your company grows on the west side, you’ll benefit from some of the lowest business taxes in the Tri-County area.
The Oregon Startup Center is located at the City of Beaverton Building - E-Suites.
12725 SW Millikan Way, Suite 300, Beaverton, OR 97005
Conference and training rooms are available by reservation to be used for team, investor, or vendor meetings. Wifi, white board, and a large screen are included.
Copyright © 2022 Oregon Startup Center
12725 SW Millikan Way, Suite 300
Beaverton, OR 97005
503.906.7900
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