Those of us who live and work in the Portland-Vancouver-Washington County metro area sometimes forget that it’s the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network.
Robin Cope and Caroline Cummings don’t. They are OEN’s regional coordinators for “the rest” of Oregon – Cope in the Columbia Gorge and Eastern Oregon, and Cummings in the Willamette Valley. Both women can attest to the high level of interest in angel investing – and entrepreneurial spirit – throughout the state.
Cope and Cummings meet regularly with entrepreneurs, investors, and people who would like to become investors in their regions. They’ve both helped launch local versions of PubTalk™, the popular meeting venue for entrepreneurs and angel investors. Cope and Cummings are also deeply involved in regional investment competitions modeled on Angel Oregon.
$100,00 for Stevenson company 4-Tell
The third annual Gorge Angel Conference was held in Hood River on April 27, with 4-Tell Inc. taking the prize: a $100,000 investment from GAIN3 LLC, the 26-investor group that formed up for this year’s event. The funding comes in handy for Stevenson, Wash. – based 4-Tell, which creates recommendation software for e-commerce sites.
The other two finalists – Hood River-based GreenShipping.com and TerraSpatial Technologies – are also likely to benefit from exposure to active angel investors.

“Since 2008, the first year of the Gorge Angel Conference, more than $750,000 has been invested in local companies,” Cope said.
Cope works with investors and entrepreneurs in Hood River, Pendleton, LaGrande, Baker City, Milton Freewater, Hermiston and Joseph. Though the drives are admittedly long, “it’s not stressful at all,” Cope said. “I feel like I’m breathing when I head in that direction.”
Investors in Umatilla and Baker counties have formed investment LLCs with Cope’s help. Investors in and around Joseph are holding PubTalks and may be forming up an LLC sometime soon, Cope said.
Identifying and reaching out to qualified investors is part of her work, as well as helping nascent angel groups organize. Cope also coaches entrepreneurs and small-business owners on presenting to investors.
OEN’s Portland staff and members are also working with Cope. In June, OEN Executive Director Linda Weston will travel to Pendleton and Baker City with Jim Noonan, a veteran angel investor and former president of Portland Angel Network. The two will participate in PubTalk, share information about OEN’s programs and services with Eastern Oregon investors and entrepreneurs, and Noonan will talk about how angels and entrepreneurs work together to grow companies.
The Eastern Oregon model of investment looks different from the Portland version, Cope said. Rather than the software, high-tech and apparel startups that are so prevalent in the Portland-Vancouver metro area, Eastern Oregon companies often concentrate on sustainable agriculture, technology for agriculture and high-value agricultural products such as distilled beverages and beers.
“We’ve adapted and adjusted the programs to meet the needs of local angels and local business owners,” says Cope.
While the region does have some companies primed for angel investment, it’s classic small businesses that dominate the Eastern Oregon economic landscape.
We get them out of their offices and into the forum, where they talk about their companies, their challenges and markets,” Cope said. “We help them formulate their pitch and ask for what they need, whether that’s gap funding, human resources assistance, marketing assistance or other expertise. They can often get what they need right there in their own communities, and their small business can grow into a more entrepreneurial venture.”
Gearing up for Willamette Angel Conference

Like Cope, Cummings works with investors and entrepreneurs throughout her Willamette Valley region, spanning Eugene, Corvallis, Medford, Bend, Ashland and Grants Pass. Cummings also works closely with University of Oregon and Oregon State University. Both schools are sponsors of the Willamette Angel Conference, which holds its second annual session in Eugene on May 13th.
This year’s conference boasts a $165,000 prize for the winning company, up from $125,000 the year before. The investment group includes 33 investors this year, investing the $5,000 apiece that’s standard for OEN’s Angel Oregon conference.
This year’s finalists were chosen from more than 30 companies based in Oregon and Southwest Washington:
• DeltaPoint Inc., located in Portland, is developing software detect, diagnose and monitor cancer.
• InFuez Inc., based in Portland, makes tiles and countertops out of recycled glass, concrete, stone and earth for houses and commercial buildings.
• Arcimoto LLC of Eugene is developing a small electric commuter car to be sold for $15,000.
• Good Clean Love Inc. of Eugene makes all-natural sexual lubricants, oils, scents, sexual aids and organic, fair-trade chocolates.
• ShopDragon LLC, located in Ashland, is developing web-based e-commerce software and services for small companies.
• VizMe Inc. of Eugene is developing a new, multimedia social sharing company that will include advertising and merchandising.
Cummings’ work includes a wide range of activities, including coordination with local chambers of commerce; facilitating entrepreneurial support group SmartUps; lining up speakers and sponsors for OEN programs; and meeting with both entrepreneurs and investors.
While she enjoys all her work, Cummings has a soft spot for entrepreneurs. She’s got plenty of personal experience to draw on in helping them prepare investor presentations: Cummings started up and led OsoEco, a startup that focused on socially responsible shopping until it shut down in March last year.
“I get to share my lessons learned,” said Cummings of her work with entrepreneurs. “I play the investor role with them, and tell them what red flags I see. I really put them through it before they go in front of an investor group.”
Growing startups means a growing economy
Both Cummings and Cope know that encouraging and facilitating more interaction between companies seeking capital and other support and individuals seeking good investments is a critical piece of Oregon’s economic development.
“It’s empowering to provide ideas for communities to help themselves,” said Cope. “It’s very organic; that’s what makes it exciting and creative.”