BEND, Ore. -- Economic Development for Central Oregon announced Monday the 10 semifinalist companies advancing in the Early Stage track for the 23rd annual Bend Venture Conference, taking place in downtown Bend on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 15-16.

The 10 Early Stage semifinalists will take the stage at the Thursday, Sept. 24 Central Oregon PubTalk: Road to BVC, held at Worthy Brewing’s outdoor Drink Up, Dream On stage in Bend.

Each company will deliver a three-minute pitch to a live audience and panel of judges, with both playing a role in determining which companies advance to the main stage at the Bend Venture Conference in October. The audience will also select one Early Stage company to receive a $5,000 cash award, courtesy of Washington Trust Bank.

The Bend Venture Conference is the Pacific Northwest’s largest angel investment conference and a hub for entrepreneurship in the region.

Following the close of applications, investors and partners carefully reviewed each submission to select the top startups advancing in the Early, Growth Industry and Growth Tech stages. The finalists for the Growth Stage will be announced in early October. Finalists and all will present at the BVC on October 15-16 in front of hundreds of attendees and investors.

The 2026 Early Stage competition is open exclusively to Oregon-based companies, putting the state’s innovators in the spotlight and strengthening BVC’s commitment to supporting homegrown entrepreneurship.

One standout startup headquartered in Central Oregon will receive a cash award of at least $40,000 at BVC, providing meaningful capital to help fuel its next stage of growth.

Wendy Morgan, EDCO’s Venture Catalyst, said, “This year’s Early Stage companies reflect the creativity and ambition we’re seeing from founders across Oregon. They’re tackling meaningful problems, testing new ideas and building companies with real potential. I’m excited to give these founders a platform to share what they’re building and connect with the people who can help them take the next step.”

In alphabetical order, the BVC Early Stage semifinalists are:

1. Closeoutdoor (Bend,OR) - Revolutionizing the way that brands deal with excess inventory.

2. Core Defender AI (Hillsboro, OR) - Empowering the Future with AIR (AI & Robotics).

3. Ebb Health, Inc. (Portland, OR) - Developing a platform for durable relief of neuropathic pain.

4. EYEONIZE (Bend, OR) - Energize Your Eyes!

5. Hungry Hound (Bend, OR) - A fresh, human-grade dog food subscription that wins the $41B market on trust, using community-led acquisition to scale from Oregon to national.

6. Lateral Systems (Lake Oswego, OR) - Automated monitoring platform for commercial indoor farms watches out for what can go wrong 24/7 to reduce waste and improve farm efficiencies.

7. Quilld (Bend, OR) - A strategy engine that builds undeniably distinct brands, giving founders the clarity to guide every AI tool and business decision.

8. Regen8 (Bend, OR) - Redesigns how companies work, then builds the systems that help them remember, coordinate, decide, and improve.

9. V4 Final, Inc. (Bend, OR) - AI for law firm clients that don't want to give up their lawyer's judgment.

10. VeriBuy (Bend, OR) - Turns a dealer's phone walk-around into a defensible trade-in offer: an objective condition grade, a fair price and a report the seller can see.

PubTalk Agenda 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm - Networking, drinks and appetizers 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm – Early Stage company pitches, audience vote and winners announcements

PubTalk Cost and Registration Register through Eventbrite here.
Ticket price is $32 for EDCO Members; $48 for Non-Members.

Attendance includes food and a beverage (beer, wine or non-alcoholic options available).

Bend Venture Conference cannot guarantee that investments will be made in any specific amount because the final amounts to be awarded are dependent on investment commitments received from third-party investors and the ability of the winning companies and the investors to agree on the terms and conditions of the investment.

Early bird pricing for the 2026 Bend Venture Conference is available through September 30 at bendvc.com.

Accredited investors can learn more about how to be involved at bendvcfund.com.

About Bend Venture Conference (BVC)
The annual BVC, hosted by EDCO, is one of the largest angel conferences in the country. Over the past 23 years, BVC has served to evolve and grow the startup ecosystem throughout Central Oregon and beyond. Since its inception, more than $14 million has been invested in 67 companies as a result of the conference. This year’s conference will gather entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and students at the Tower Theatre in Bend, Oregon on October 15-16, 2026. bendvc.com

About Economic Development for Central Oregon

Founded in 1981, EDCO is a non-profit organization supported by private and public members and stakeholders. Its mission is to strengthen communities by creating opportunities that generate new revenue and family-wage jobs. Guided by its vision to be the catalyst for economic prosperity for all, EDCO works to recruit new employers to Central Oregon, support entrepreneurs in starting new, scalable businesses, and help existing companies grow and expand. www.edcoinfo.com