Vanport Studio

Excited to get together with the community next month. Thanks Rick Turoczy! https://lnkd.in/gd5JQUyp

For the second year in a row, our Managing Partners Austin Clements and Ajay Relan have been named in the Power100 Asset Managers in Venture Capital list by Power100 Presented By Blueprint Capital Advisors LLC. This list celebrates general partners who are delivering strong portfolio outcomes, expanding access for all founders, and actively shaping the future of venture capital. At Slauson & Co., we’ve always believed in driving economic inclusion by backing visionary founders whose lived experience is their competitive advantage. Being recognized again among the industry’s top leaders is proof that our approach is creating real impact. ?? Read more about it here: https://lnkd.in/g7rzqQjf

In this episode of the Pitch Black Podcast, @eleazaruiz Eleazar Ruiz shares a powerful reflection on the limitations of individual action in solving massive societal issues like racism and homelessness. He emphasizes the importance of not allowing the daunting scale of these problems to paralyze us into inaction, but rather to seize the opportunity to make a difference where we can. Listen to the Full Episode: https://lnkd.in/gQ2ktdxz

On Tuesday, PIE (Portland Incubator Experiment) hosted a "Where Are They Now" discussion, featuring remarkable women from the Portland area who are making a profound impact — fostering community, building meaningful businesses, and embracing their superpowers as women in the industry. We left feeling inspired and grateful to be surrounded by such vibrant energy and connection. Watch the video ?? https://lnkd.in/g6RYRANd A big thank you to the speakers for sharing their stories: Laurel Burton, Tessa Baston, ???? Sylvia Salazar, Hazel Valdez, Kat Miller, Winta Yohannes, Ada Nikolaidis, Jocelyn R., Katharine Reinhold, & Julia Niiro

Last week, I wanted to make sure that Pitch Black Food had it's chance to shine. And boy oh boy, did it ever. But I didn't want you to think that's all that Stephen Green and Jelani Memory were up to with Pitch Black these days. Far from it. You see, in addition to an entirely new event format, they launched a new identity system, a new website, and a new podcast with inaugural guest Ciara Pressler of Pregame HQ. And there's still more to come.

Still on cloud nine after last week's Pitch Black "Food" event. Six chefs, 150 guests and one amazing meal equalled a night to remember. This was a "beta" test of a new format for us. There was a lot more moving parts that on our usual events and with that some special call outs for helping us make things happen. Big thank you to Ecotrust for letting us use their space which really let our idea of the kitchen being connecting to the event come to life. As usual their team was a pleasure to work and helped us cover all our bases. Providing food and beverage meant permits and I have to say Multnomah County & Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission were a dream to work with. They were not only knowledgable but also went above and beyond to help make sure we had what we needed for the event. The night would not have been possible without our sponsors; OnPoint Community Credit Union, Ecotrust, Built Oregon, PIE (Portland Incubator Experiment), Meyer Memorial Trust, Prosper Portland, The Oregon Community Foundation, Autodesk, Vanport Studio, Heritage Bank NW & 1803 Fund. We see getting into more good trouble with you all in the future. We think we have something on our hands and look forward to collaborating with other partners in the future for more food focused events. Let us know if you have any ideas;) Kimiko Matsuda Rick Turoczy Mitch Daugherty D'Artagnan Caliman (he/him) Chabre Vickers Shea Flaherty Betin Jo Davis Miguel Higgins Moy Maribel De León Tamara Brown Kristen Connor Jelani Memory Ronda Rutledge Marcy Bradley Toya Fick Shauna Noah Karmen Olson Bertony Faustin

A number of folks are kicking off 2025 talking about what #Portland needs to "start" doing, Rick Turoczy Mitch Daugherty Cami Kaos Juan Barraza and myself think we need a few reminders of some of the great work people are already doing. Over the last decade our orgs Built Oregon PIE (Portland Incubator Experiment) Latino Founders & "Pitch Black" have gotten to work with hundreds of creatives, makers, chefs, builders and doers who have looked to take what they are passionate about and turn it into a business. So this year we are taking time see what those folks have been up to, where their ideas are at today and why being in our city is so important to them. We kicked things off last night at Instrument speaking with ten Black founders for #BHM; Ian Williams Jeremy Roberts Alicia Kirkland Herbert Beauclere Paula Hayes Paige Hendrix Buckner Lestarya Tuadi Molloy Damola ‘D’ O. Precious Hannah-King & Ola Elkanah. It was a special evening with real talk about the toll being a founder can take regardless of the awards you've won, laughs about their early days in business, how knowing when to close things down is still a win and we saw first hand the wisdom and boldness that comes from building in public. Take a moment to check out some of the interviews in the youtube video and come check out next month as we connect with female alumni about their journeys and what they are up to now. #PDX #BlackHistoryMonth https://lnkd.in/g6_u8TSe

Join me this Saturday (Feb. 1st) at Sunrise Books in Portland for a reading of LeVar Burton's A Kids Book About Imagination. Also as an extra plus, if you come out with your kiddo, they'll get a free book! Here are the details: Date: February 1st Time: 11am Who: Elementary Age Kids Where: Sunrise Books 4605 NE Fremont St UNIT 208, Portland, OR 97213 https://lnkd.in/e_f-rurt A Kids Co. DK #KidsBooks #KidsAreReady #Imagination

Loving seeing our Pitch Black alums who not only are killing it at business but also at community. ????????????

?? Proud to share our annual transparency report, which reflects our ongoing ED&I efforts and serves as a roadmap for the future. At Instrument, transparency is the foundation of how we operate, engage, and evolve. It means not only celebrating our progress but also being open about the areas we’re focusing on and how we plan to address them. ???? Read the report here:?https://lnkd.in/eUkEWb8X