EDCO Announces Five Early Stage Finalists for the 2025 Bend Venture Conference
EDCO ANNOUNCES FIVE EARLY STAGE FINALISTS FOR THE 2025 BEND VENTURE CONFERENCE
Toast Wear, Inc. Wins PubTalk Audience Favorite Award, Taking Home $3,000
Bend, Ore. – September 29, 2025 – Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) is pleased to announce the five Early Stage finalists who will compete at the 2025 Bend Venture Conference (BVC), taking place October 16–17 at the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend.
Last Thursday, hundreds of attendees packed the outdoor patio at Worthy Brewing for Central Oregon PubTalk, where 10 Early Stage semifinalists pitched their companies in a fast-paced, three-minute format. The audience and a panel of expert judges selected the five finalists who will advance to the Early Stage competition at BVC.
In addition to advancing to the BVC main stage, Toast Wear Inc., the audience favorite at PubTalk, walked away with a $3,000 award courtesy of Washington Trust Bank. Central Oregon Early Stage finalists at BVC will also be eligible for a $25,000 award to be announced during the conference thanks to generous local community members, among whom are Taylor Brooks, Rod Ray, Horan MediaTech Advisors, and Scott and Annie Allan.
In alphabetical order, the Early Stage finalists that will compete at the BVC are:
360 Sierra (Bend, OR) - All-in-one platform for vehicle-rental operations—powered by an AI master operator.
Neurosom (Eugene, OR) - Neurosom is advancing a clinically validated, personalized neuromodulation therapy to reduce dementia risk by enhancing deep and REM sleep.
SokoLife (Eugene, OR) - SokoLife is revolutionizing cardiac care with innovative, non-toxic patches for congenital heart defect repair, reducing reinterventions and healthcare costs.
Toast Wear Inc. (Bend, OR) - Cold is universal. Your gear is personal. Toast solves both with a personal thermostat for your jacket, making existing apparel your go-to for warmth.
Yak Incorporated (Portland, OR) - Yak is the all-in-one, automation and AI-powered platform that automates audits for accounting firms, cutting admin work in half and ending auditor burnout.
Reflecting on the event, Jon Stark, CEO of EDCO, said, "Seeing these Early Stage founders pitch at PubTalk really underscores the strength and creativity of Oregon’s startup ecosystem. From bold ideas to cutting-edge technology, these entrepreneurs are proof that our state is shaping the future of innovation in the region and beyond."
Now in its 22nd year, the Bend Venture Conference is the Pacific Northwest’s largest angel investment conference and a hub for entrepreneurship in the region. Since its inception, BVC investors have awarded more than $14 million to startups. The event is the cornerstone of the High Desert Innovation Week, happening Oct 13-17 in Bend, a multi-day program that brings together local entrepreneurs, innovators and investors to showcase the region’s startup resources and celebrate its collaborative culture.
Early bird pricing for the 2025 Bend Venture Conference is available through September 30 at bendvc.com.