Last night I attended the Big Idea Bash hosted by the Oregon State Treasurer Ben Westlund.  According to the web site for the event

The Big Idea Bash is a social gathering created to connect entrepreneurs to the organizations that can help them flourish. This year the event will feature a speed pitching session, creating a unique opportunity to present new company ideas to a select group of Venture Capitalists who are funding emerging companies in Oregon.

The format of the event was simple: show up and mingle.  Then, if you were chosen by a VC give them your best shot in 5 minutes and then see what they had to say.  As I meandered through the crowd I met other Portland & Corvallis entrepreneurs representing software, green technologies, alternative fuels and even agricultural products.  The mix was as varied as the VC firms that attended.  Adventure Funds, Buerk Dale Victor, DFJ Frontier, Epic Ventures, Frazier, Oregon Angel Fund, OVP, Pivotal Investments, Voyager Capital, Walden Venture Capital & Yaletown Venture Partners.  Details on each of these companies can be found on Silicon Florist’s pre-event run down.

As the evening unfolded entrepreneurs shuffled back and forth between speed pitching sessions and socializing.  Some were very happy with contacts that they had made and some were frustrated learning how much they still have to learn.   I think that events like this are great to involve every day entrepreneurs with the investment community.  It helps to open the eyes of the entrepreneurs to the business world and it helps the investors to get a pulse on what is coming next.

Overall the event was definitely a good idea and executed as advertised.   The one part missing for me was the ability to hear others pitch and learn about the ideas coming to life in Portland.  So if the Treasurer’s office is looking for feedback, I have an idea for you (I always do!).  I suggest that you have each of the VCs nominate one or two entrepreneurs who have their stuff together.  Then, the last hour of the event, you allow this filtered group to give their pitches in rapid fire to the entire audience.  This way, all of the VCs will be able to hear the best of the best give their pitches.

I do want to thank the Treasurer’s office & Ben Westlund for hosting the event. I am greatful that I was able to have a 1:1 discussion with an excellent VC firm. I look forward to continuing the relationships and improving the contacts that I received last night for my project MioWorks.com.