The Regional Accelerator and Innovation Network (RAIN) recently selected four companies for its inaugural coastal pre-accelerator, and the public is invited to participate right alongside them at a corresponding speaker series.
The first event features David Youngentob, Coastal Venture Catalyst for RAIN, who will discuss the art of the one-sentence pitch, as well as customer interview techniques, Wednesday, March 22, from 5 to 6 p.m. at Oregon Coast Community College, Room 140 (400 SE College Way). To RSVP, visit bit.ly/LinCoSpeaker1.
“Entrepreneurs need to make it as easy as possible for a potential customer or investor to understand the benefits of what they offer. The goal of a one-sentence pitch is to leave that person wanting to know more about your business,” said Youngentob.
Youngentob was hired by RAIN in November to assist startups between Florence and Lincoln City. Previously he was the Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Fertilab, an accelerator and incubator in Eugene. Throughout his career, Youngentob has helped over 75 companies hone their business pitches — from one sentence to full slide-deck presentations. These companies have raised more than $8 million.
“I’m really looking forward to this opportunity to share my thoughts and experiences with a group of aspiring entrepreneurs,” said Youngentob. “I’ve benefitted so much from the support of the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem, and I’m grateful to be in a position to give back to that community.”
Every other week during the 12-week pre-accelerator program, RAIN will host a veteran entrepreneur to discuss a particular startup topic. These presentations are for small business owners, entrepreneurs, managers, students and anyone interested in learning more about how launch and grow a business in Florence. The remaining events in the series tentatively include:
April 5: Angela Jackson, Managing Director for Portland Seed Fund — Competition and differentiation*
April 19: Brad Attig, Business Development and Digital Strategist consultant — Markets, marketing and sales**
May 3: Josh Fegles, Academic and Government Channel Sales Director at Palo Alto Software — Financials, scaling and business models**
May 24: Ty Manegold, Founder of Roam Fitness — Team building, leadership and company culture*
June 7: Mark Lieberman and Karl Mundorff, RAIN Corvallis/OSU Advantage Accelerator — Pitching*
“The regional entrepreneurial community is very supportive of one another. It’s exciting to see so many successful entrepreneurs who want to participate in our program and share what they’ve learned in their careers,” said Youngentob.
Each speaker event will be from 5 to 6 p.m. at Oregon Coast Community College (* = Room 140, ** = Room 245). The Lincoln County pre-accelerator program concludes on June 21 with an open-to-the-public Demo Day exhibition and graduation. RSVP at bit.ly/LinCoDemoDay.
RAIN’s Lincoln County programs are sponsored by the cities of Newport, Toledo and Lincoln City; Lincoln County, Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County, the Small Business Development Center at Oregon Coast Community College, and the Ford Family Foundation.
About Oregon RAIN
The Regional Accelerator & Innovation Network (RAIN) is an Oregon consortium of government, higher education, and the business community. RAIN was founded by the State of Oregon’s Regional Solutions network and funded by the 77th Oregon State Legislative Assembly to advance the formation of high-growth innovative startup companies located in Lane, Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties.
In coordination with many cities and communities throughout the region, RAIN is partnered with two accelerators to create a collaborative environment to assist entrepreneurs in establishing viable companies that generate jobs, wealth and opportunities for the region. RAIN Corvallis is served by the Oregon State University Advantage Accelerator. The RAIN Eugene Accelerator is a partnership between the University of Oregon and the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information about RAIN, visit www.oregonrain.org.
