OBI Client Company Recent Wins
- Named to Pepperdine Graziadio Business School’s 2026 Most Fundable Companies List, selected from more than 2,100 startups nationwide.
- Pitched at the Bend Venture Conference (BVC) as an Early-Stage semifinalist.
- OBI graduate Caravel Bio, the world’s best protein engineering platform, was awarded a $150,000 investment from the Intrepid Oregon Fund.
Learn more about OBI’s 32 startups by visiting our website!
OBI at Bend Venture Conference: Moving Oregon Bioscience Forward
OBI was proud to take part in the 2026 Bend Venture Conference (BVC), bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators from across Oregon.
Oregon’s life sciences community had several exciting highlights. Ebb Health, an OBI client company based in Portland, was selected as an Early Stage finalist for its work developing a platform for durable relief from neuropathic pain. Caravel Bio, an OBI graduate client company, received a $150,000 investment from the Intrepid Oregon Fund for its protein engineering platform.
Other Oregon health innovation companies also stood out, including Osheru, a Bend-based medical technology company advancing eyelid rejuvenation, and Penderia Technologies, an Eugene-based medical device startup developing implantable sensors to monitor injury and healing progress and help inform orthopedic rehabilitation.
BVC continues to provide valuable opportunities for Oregon’s emerging companies to gain visibility, connect with investors, and build momentum. OBI is proud to celebrate these achievements and support the founders advancing life sciences and healthcare innovation across Oregon.
OBI Connects with Oregon’s Bioscience Community at BVC
OBI kicked off Bend Venture Conference week with its Accelerate Biotech Networking Lunch at Willamette Valley Vineyards in Bend, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and industry supporters from across Oregon.
The gathering created space for meaningful conversations and new connections across biotech, digital health, and health innovation, helping strengthen relationships within Oregon’s bioscience ecosystem ahead of the conference.
A special thank-you to Tonkon Torp LLP for sponsoring this year’s lunch and supporting opportunities for Oregon’s bioscience community to connect and collaborate.
Gatherings like this reflect OBI’s mission to grow Oregon’s bioscience industry by building community, fostering collaboration, and supporting the companies advancing health innovation.
Startup Spotlight Expo:
Spotlighting Innovation, Sparking Connections
On September 17, 2026, the Oregon Bioscience Incubator (OBI) hosted its annual Startup Spotlight Expo, bringing together close to 100 entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, researchers, service providers, and ecosystem partners from across Oregon’s bioscience community. The event reached capacity and sold out, demonstrating the growing demand for opportunities that connect Oregon’s emerging bioscience companies with the people, expertise, and capital needed to move innovation forward.
The 2026 Expo focused on “Biotech Funding in 2026: What Investors Are Saying Yes To,” addressing one of the most significant challenges facing early-stage bioscience companies: access to capital. An investor panel featuring representatives from Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, ONAMI, Portland Seed Fund, and Elevate Capital provided founders with direct insight into the current funding environment, investor expectations, and strategies for becoming more competitive for investment.
Just as important as the formal programming were the connections happening throughout the room. In the post-event survey, respondents reported making 38 new connections as a direct result of the Expo. These connections brought together founders, investors, service providers, advisors, and other members of Oregon’s life sciences ecosystem, creating opportunities for relationships and collaborations that can continue well beyond the event itself.
Attendee feedback reinforced the importance of this convening role. One participant identified networking as the most valuable part of the event and told OBI, “You’re doing a phenomenal job!” Another described the room as having “a great mix of founders, students, service providers, and investors,” adding that they made many new connections while learning more about investment in Oregon’s broader life sciences ecosystem. Another attendee highlighted both the panel and networking as the most valuable parts of the event and praised the “fantastic support” available to the community.
The Expo also provided Oregon bioscience startups with an opportunity to tell their stories directly. Company posters displayed throughout the venue showcased the breadth of innovation underway within OBI’s startup community. One attendee reported reading every company poster, noting how valuable it was to see “the breadth of bioscience startup activities happening locally.” This kind of visibility is particularly important for emerging bioscience companies, where the path from research to commercialization is long, capital-intensive, and dependent on specialized expertise, partnerships, and investment.
The event also included remarks from OHSU President Dr. Shereef Elnahal, reinforcing the importance of collaboration among research institutions, entrepreneurs, investors, industry, and economic development organizations in strengthening Oregon’s bioscience sector.
Startup Spotlight Expo reflects OBI’s broader role as a statewide connector and commercialization resource. OBI is not simply providing space for companies to grow. Through programs like Startup Spotlight Expo, it is creating the relationships and visibility that help Oregon innovations move from the laboratory toward commercialization. The 38 connections reported by survey respondents provide a tangible example of that work in action, with the potential for additional connections made by attendees who did not complete the survey.
The 2026 event sold out with close to 100 attendees, reaching the practical capacity of OBI’s current event space. Based on this demand, OBI is planning to expand the 2027 Startup Spotlight Expo to a larger venue with capacity for approximately 130 attendees and additional startup exhibitors. The growth of the event is a tangible indicator of both the strength of Oregon’s emerging bioscience ecosystem and the need for continued investment in the infrastructure, programs, and organizations that support it.
Startup Spotlight Expo is more than an annual gathering. It is part of the connective infrastructure Oregon needs to turn scientific innovation into companies, investment, jobs, and long-term economic impact.
Build the Company Your Science Deserves: BioBuild Applications Now Open
Applications are now open for OBI’s BioBuild cohort, an eight-week commercialization program designed to help early-stage bioscience companies move promising science toward the market.
Bioscience startups face unique challenges, from clinical development and regulatory pathways to intellectual property, reimbursement, and funding. BioBuild brings together experienced subject matter experts, including Chris Perkins, Eric Shuur, Elizabeth Gordon, Tali Tuchin, Carla Pagotto, Josh Ellison, and Yoanne Clovis, to share practical guidance on the decisions founders face as they build their companies.
Each participating company will also be paired with a dedicated BioMentor. This year’s mentors include Rebecca Crane, Shula Jaron, Nancy Lime, Jen Newman, and Christopher Wilson, who will provide additional perspective and guidance throughout the program. Together, expert-led sessions and dedicated mentorship will help founders strengthen their commercialization strategies and prepare to communicate their opportunities to partners, funders, and investors.
The cohort will include 8–10 companies and launch in January 2027. Applications close November 20, 2026, or when 10 qualifying companies have been selected.
Build the company your science deserves.
Explore BioBuild and apply today.
Step Into the OBI Network: BioMembership Is Here
Want to be part of OBI but do not need lab or office space? BioMembership was created with you in mind. It is designed for startups, service providers, and ecosystem partners who want to stay closely connected to OBI’s community, programs, and momentum without becoming a resident company.
BioMembers gain access to OBI-hosted events, member pricing for select educational programs, opportunities to reserve conference space, and increased visibility within our growing bioscience network. It is a flexible way to stay engaged, build meaningful relationships, and remain plugged into the energy and opportunity happening here every day.
If you are looking for connection, collaboration, and a seat at the table, BioMembership makes it simple to be part of OBI.
Learn More about BioMembership
Upcoming Events at OBI
Accelerate Biotech Happy Hour
Thursday, November 5 | 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Reserve Your Free Ticket Now
Upcoming Community Events
2026 Oregon Entrepreneurship Awards
November 12 | 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets on Sale Now!
Emerging Talent
The Oregon bioscience community continues to grow, and talented professionals are looking for their next opportunity to contribute. The resumes featured below represent individuals with a range of experience and skills who are currently open to new roles. If your team is hiring or looking to connect with experienced talent, we’d be happy to help make an introduction.