Portland Archive

Thanks to Allen for offering up a stage for local ambassadors to share their favorite things about their startup-friendly towns. And thanks to Andrew Hyde for kicking off the series with Why I Love Boulder and for St. Louis, Auckland, and LA piling on, as well. Now, it’s my turn with Portland, Oregon.

Honestly, when it comes right down to it, I can’t say enough nice things about Portland, Oregon. I love this town. And I’d be willing to bet that if you’re interested in living somewhere with a contagious entrepreneurial spirit and a great tech scene, you may just fall in love with Portland, too.

If I had to sum up the Portland tech scene in one word, it would be this: community. Cooperative, collegial, and welcoming, Portland thrives with a bevy of events and gatherings, a collection of user groups and coworking, and an interwoven group of folks who seem to understand that we’re all in this together.

Granted, some classify Portland as a “lifestyle” startup town. One that lacks the competitive killer instinct of other larger metropolitan areas on the West Coast. We’d likely agree. That’s not where Portland excels. Instead, Portland thrives on creativity and bringing ideas to fruition—whether they’re fundable, fungible, or otherwise. Folks here express themselves creatively with technology and help others do the same. We’re a think tank, an R&D shop, and an idea incubator.

Enough pontificating. What’s actually happening in Portland?
Continue reading “Why You’ll Love Portland, Oregon” »