2018 Growth Stage
Eric Rosenfeld
Moderator
Partner, Oregon Venture Fund
Eric Rosenfeld is a co-founder of the Oregon Venture Fund (formerly Oregon Angel Fund). OVF and its 180 members, 90% of whom have started or run a business, have invested $81 million in 57 startups across Oregon that have grown to collectively employ 2,900. A fourth-generation Oregonian, Eric believes strongly in the transformative impact business and technology leaders can have when collaborating to support a new generation of local growth companies.
Previously, Eric was a principal owner of Second Story Interactive Studios, director of corporate development for Mentor Graphics, a technology and industry analyst for SRI International, and a research fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He serves on the boards of SmartRG and Eleven Software and is past board chair of the Catlin Gabel School, the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation, and the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network.
Pam Horan
Panelist
Partner, Horan MediaTech Advisors
Pam is a Co-Founder in Horan MediaTech Advisors a consulting and investment firm specializing in identifying and leveraging the technology that is transforming the business of media, advertising and commerce.
Pam was President of the Online Publishers Association (OPA) — now known as Digital Content Next (DCN) — from 2006-2014. DCN is the trade association for the media companies that are the leading creators of quality original digital content.
Prior to joining the OPA as VP of Marketing and Membership in 2004, Pam was VP Marketing & Business Development with Zinio Systems, the digital magazine service. In addition to driving the marketing, promotion, PR and branding strategy, Pam drove key strategic partnerships including Apple. Pam has also held senior marketing & management roles at Women.com, IDG and Symantec Corporation.
Pam sits on the board of directors for sfBIG, the Shorty Awards Academy, The Board of Governors for ad:tech and the board of advisors for Digital Prism Advisors and GearBrain.
Eric Winquist
Panelist
Jama Software
Eric is the co-founder of Jama Software. A company born from witnessing first-hand the frustrations companies face building complicated products. Eric grew up in Eugene in a family of teachers. He attended Oregon State, then moved to the Bay area and completed a Masters in Psychology. Sidetracked by the world of software he returned to Portland. Eric founded Redside, a software consulting company that spurred the idea for Jama.
Jama was recognized four years running as one of Inc.’s fastest growing software companies and by Forbes as a model of innovation. In 2016, Eric replaced himself as CEO and opened Jama’s first international office in Holland. In 2018 Jama received a $200M investment from Insight Venture Partners.
Today, Eric spends his time traveling, mentoring and investing in early-stage Oregon startups.
2018 Early Stage
Julie Harrelson
Moderator
Founder, Cascade Angels
Julie Harrelson is an entrepreneur and investor in Oregon’s startup community. She has held multiple executive roles in design, technology, and venture funding and founded Cascade Angels Fund in Bend in 2013. Cascade Angels Fund has invested over $3 million in 20 companies that employ over 200 people generating over $44 million in revenue in the region.
Harrelson is invited to speak at industry conferences including the international Angel Capital Association Summit. Every month she emcees a popular Pubtalk sponsored by EDCO and attended by 200-300 entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders. Bend’s 2017 Woman of the Year and a 2014 Portland Business Journal Woman of Influence Award winner, her board service includes the Oregon State University Advantage Accelerator, the Economic Development of Central Oregon (EDCO) board, the Board of Advisory Directors of the Central & Eastern Oregon Region of U.S. Bank and the honorary council of the Center for Women’s Leadership at Portland State University.
Matt Compton
Panelist
Partner, Oregon Venture Fund
Matt has been an active startup investor and advisor in Oregon for the past decade. Previously, he held product, partnership, and marketing leadership roles at Yahoo! during their rapid growth period from 2002 to 2007. In 2008, he moved back to Oregon and began investing with the Oregon Angel Fund, leading the investment in Jama Software. He has been a venture-backed CEO and, most recently, was COO of Simple Financial where he led its growth to 350 employees. Matt has served on the boards of several early and growth stage companies including Jama Software and Simple Financial and is currently on the board of REI.
Matt received a dual BA in Economics and International Relations from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management.
Matt is a native Oregonian with a lifelong passion for the outdoors. Vacations with Amy, his wife, and two kids seem to always revolve around climbing, camping, or skiing.
Caroline Lewis
Panelist
Rogue Venture Partners
Caroline’s primary responsibilities for Rogue are deal sourcing and screening, due diligence, community engagement, and helping portfolio companies. Caroline also works with various accelerators locally and on behalf of the U.S. Embassy: Xxcelerate, InventOR, TiE Oregon, Portland State Business Accelerator, OSU Advantage Accelerator, Female Founders Alliance, TiE India Global AIRSWEE, and Five One Labs Iraq. Prior to Rogue, Caroline was a Senior Director of Strategy and Operations for Global Design, Product, and Merchandising at Nike. In her position, Caroline managed a $500MM portfolio of strategic programs across three international business units. Before joining Nike, she spent 8 years as a management consultant working with Fortune 100 companies on executing large scale strategic programs and operational efficiencies.
2018 Impact Track
Angela Jackson
Moderator
Co-Managing Director & Founder, Portland Seed Fund
Director, PSU Business Accelerator
Angela Jackson is co-founder and managing director of the Portland Seed Fund, a top-performing private/public seed fund with 3 funds/$23 Million under management. The Fund has invested in ~100 high growth, capital-efficient companies in sectors including technology, energy, health, and consumer product, primarily in the Northwest. Since 2011, the portfolio has realized 25 accretive exits while achieving stellar metrics for place-based investing/economic impact and backing diverse teams. Ms. Jackson also oversees the award-winning Portland State University Business Accelerator, with 20+ resident health/tech startups, propelling PSU to a top-10 spot on US News & World Report’s Most Innovative Colleges list.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Jackson was a founding investor in Oregon Angel Fund and advised/invested in companies in multiple sectors, leading to several of the largest liquidity events in the region. She was a president of the Portland chapter of Keiretsu Forum, a Principal at Emergent Fund, and served as Chair of Angel Oregon, a premier angel investment competition. She was named 2018 Tech Champion of the Year by Technology Association of Oregon, and a Woman of Influence in 2015 by Portland Business Journal, and was a delegate to the US State Department’s Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, India last year. She serves on the boards of Lumen Learning, the Oregon Film Board and the Angel Capital Association, and is a frequent judge/mentor for entrepreneur pitch competitions locally and globally. Ms. Jackson credits her serial entrepreneur family history with her comfort in the trenches of early-stage investment. She holds a B.A. in English and history from Boston University and an M.A. in environmental studies from the University of Oregon.
Matt Flannery
Panelist
Co-Founder & CEO, Kiva.org & Branch
Matt serves as the CEO for Branch. Prior to founding the company, he co-founded the ground-breaking microfinance non-profit Kiva.org, where he served as CEO for nearly a decade.
Dan Whitaker
Panelist
Entrepreneur / Investor
As a successful serial entrepreneur, Angel Investor, and Startup mentor, Dan knows all about what it takes to connect ideas, research, and passion to customers and markets. With more than 15 start-ups and growth companies in Oregon under his belt, he’s “been there and done that”, and is generous with his advice and support to other entrepreneurs. Dan is active in the Willamette Innovators Network and the Oregon Angel Fund; his goal is to connect inventors with entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs with mentoring and funding.