OEN NewsOEN Announces Finalists for the 21st Annual Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards

Portland, Ore., Sept 4,  2014— The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) is pleased to announce 12 finalists—from a record number of 67 nominees—for the 2014 OEN Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards.

The OEN Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards honors the skill, and the courage, it takes for entrepreneurs to create a business out of an idea. They are intended to not only celebrate entrepreneurs, but to highlight their importance to the region’s economy.

After a series of interviews and reviews by expert judging panels, OEN will announce one winner from each category—Launch Stage, Development Stage, Growth Stage, and Entrepreneurial Achievement—on October 15, 2014 during the 21st annual awards ceremony at the Oregon Convention Center.

“The diversity and quality of the nominations we received is a testament to the growing vibrancy of Oregon’s entrepreneurial community,” says Linda Weston, President and Executive Director of OEN. “To be named a finalist is an achievement in and of itself.”

OEN Launch Stage Company of the Year Finalists

• GlobeSherpa—a Portland, Oregon-based Software Company specializing in mobile application development for transit, parking, and events.

• Inpria—developing metal oxide photoresists to enable the $280B semiconductor industry to continue to reduce transistor sizes.

• Nouvola—offers a scalable performance testing suite to help companies deploy their applications to the cloud scale successfully.

 

OEN Development Stage Company of the Year Finalists

• barre3—an innovative fitness system and global network of studios inspired by the disciplines of yoga, Pilates and ballet barre work.

• Chirpify—activates media for instant conversion. Their #Actiontag Platform allows consumers to respond, opt-in and buy with a social post—anywhere they encounter a brand’s message—including TV, print, in-venue and online.

• Salt & Straw—a small-batch, all-natural ice cream company based in Portland, OR whose ice cream showcases Oregon ingredients in a monthly rotating seasonal menu of ice cream scoops and pints.

 

OEN Growth Stage Company of the Year Finalists

• Elemental Technologies—the leading supplier of software-defined video solutions for multiscreen content delivery.

• Puppet Labs—the creator of Puppet Enterprise and Puppet Open Source, IT automation software that enables organizations to deliver the operational agility and efficiency of cloud computing at enterprise-class service levels.

• ZoomCare—an Oregon-based on-demand neighborhood health system that serves over 250,000 people in 23 clinics in the Portland and Seattle areas 365 days a year.

 

OEN Entrepreneurial Achievement Award

• Luke Kanies—Founder & CEO of Puppet Labs
• Jill Nelson—Founder & CEO of Ruby Receptionists
• Jason Bolt—Founder & CEO of Society43 and Revant

Tickets to OEN’s 2014 Entrepreneurship Awards Dinner are on sale at https://oen.org/awards . More than 600 of Oregon and SW Washington’s most influential business people, including representatives from the nominated companies, are expected to attend.

“OEN’s Tom Holce Entrepreneur Awards celebrates our region’s risk takers and history makers,” says Chris Elsenbach, Managing Principal and Owner of Cresa Portland, and Chair of this year’s OEN Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards. “They deserve recognition for their perserverance, fearlessness, and hard work.”

 

OEN Media Contact:      

Kerala Taylor
Oregon Entrepreneurs Network
503-222-2270
keralat@oen.org

 

About Oregon Entrepreneurs Network

A nonprofit, membership-driven organization with a 23-year track record, OEN connects entrepreneurs to a network of peers and mentors, startup funding opportunities, and hands-on training. OEN’s mission is to drive innovation, facilitate job creation, and put Oregon on the map as a center for entrepreneurial excellence.