Oregon Entrepreneurs Network

OEN News2024 Oregon Entrepreneurship Awards Winners Announced


Oregon Entrepreneurs Network announced the winners of the 2024 OEN Entrepreneurship Awards at an evening awards with the theme “Tradition Meets Innovation” on November 6, 2024. 

This year is the 30th anniversary of the OEN Entrepreneurship Awards which first took place in 1994, recognizing Gert Boyle with the first ever Entrepreneurial Achievement Award. With a ceremony reminiscent of the Oscars, this year’s event took place at The Sentinel and included a welcome reception and after party in addition to the awards ceremony emceed by Latino Founders Co-Founder and President, Gabriel Flores. Over 400 attendees gathered to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of this year’s nominees, finalists, and winners. 

 

EARLY STAGE AWARD

 

DEVELOPMENT STAGE AWARD

  • WINNER: Rock Paper Coin | A female-founded and led digital platform that offers a transformative approach to how event professionals manage contracts, payments, leads, and client interactions co-founded by Elizabeth Sheils and Nora Sheils.

 

GROWTH STAGE AWARD

  • WINNER:  Branwyn |  Producing the world’s first and only ethically sourced, naturally sustainable Performance Innerwear made by and for active women founded by Jeff Shafer.

 

TRAILBLAZER AWARD

  • WINNER:  A Kids Co | A pioneering media company that creates stories for kids on challenging, empowering, and important topics through books, podcasts, and video content founded by Jelani Memory.

 

ENTREPRENEURIAL ACHIEVEMENT

 

COMMUNITY CATALYST AWARD

  • Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) | Since 1981, EDCO has been on a mission to create a diversified local economy and a strong base of middle-class jobs in Central Oregon and runs one of the largest venture conferences in the state with the Bend Venture Conference for over 20 years, EDCO has consistently shown up for Central Oregon founders. 
  • Chris Magana | Strategic Advisor, IMS Capital Management | Chris Magana is a manager by day, supporting nonprofits and high wealth individuals through complex financial challenges as well as a very active angel investor and brings a decade of teaching experience at various local colleges and universities with over 1,000 students learning portfolio management, personal finance, foundational finance theories, and value investing. He is unparalleled as a volunteer with the motto “Never for community, always WITH community.” 
  • Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO) | MESO was founded in 2005  to support Black-owned small businesses in danger of being displaced from Black neighborhoods in North and Northeast Portland due to area gentrification and today provides more than 500 BIPOC, women, low-income and other historically disadvantaged entrepreneurs each year. 

“For the second year in a row, we received over 200 nominations for the entrepreneurship awards and every nominee and finalist should be exceptionally proud of that recognition,” said OEN Executive Director Cara Turano. “This year marks the 30th time that these awards have recognized the disruptors, dreamers, and innovators pushing boundaries in business across Oregon and Southwest Washington. It is an honor to celebrate this year’s finalists and winners who are joining the ranks of some of the most innovative companies this region has produced. Many congratulations!” 

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to helping local entrepreneurs start up and scale up. The organization hosts entrepreneur education and angel investment programs, including Angel Oregon Tech (AOTech), Oregon Angel Food (OregonAF) and Angel Oregon Bioscience (AOBio), in addition to the annual OEN Entrepreneurship Awards. Learn more at www.oen.org.

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