May 10, 2013 Portland Business Journal

Angels twice as generous at latest Willamette Angel Conference

By Erik Siemers / Portland Business Journal 

The angels flocked to Oregon State University Thursday, where investors doubled the amount of capital invested in Oregon companies at the fifth annual Willamette Angel Conference.

Combined, four companies shared more than $460,000 produced by angel investors, up from the previous record investment of $200,000.

Portland start-up Sonivate Medical was named winner of the launch-stage competition. The company, which makes a FDA-approved medical imaging technology for the ultrasound market, took home $255,000.

Another $210,000 was split among three other finalists:

• Amorphyx, a Corvallis display technology company
• Design Medix of Springfield, a developer of drugs for overcoming drug resistance in multiple diseases.
• Green Zebra Grocery, a Portland-based operator of healthy convenience stores, which was also selected by the conference’s audience for the People’s Choice Award.

Also, Eugene-based Hallspot, a website and app that connects college students, took home a separate prize of $6,300 in cash and services as the winner of the event’s concept stage competition.

More than 200 people attended the event held at the CH2M HILL Alumni Center on the OSU campus. The conference moves back to Eugene next year as part of an annual rotation between the two communities.