Portland Ten Launches Fall Startup Challenge September 27th

Online, September 18, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Portland, OR - Portland Ten, the region's leading educational incubator for current and future small business owners, freelancers and entrepreneurs, is accepting applications for its September 27th Fall Startup Challenge.

The Program

The program, now finishing its second year, is designed to give business owners the education, problem-solving ability and mentoring needed to create success through rigorous training. Applicants are evaluated and accepted on the basis of their willingness to work hard, accept guidance and hit agreed-upon milestones. A range of program offerings is designed to fit budget and time availability, with a scholarship fund available for eligible applicants. Free and affordable educational options are also available to the community at large.

"Small businesses are the backbone of Portland's economy," said Portland Mayor Sam Adams. "Portland Ten is a resource I'm proud to support because it gives future entrepreneurs and innovators the tools they need to succeed and compete globally. Connecting Portland Ten with City-led initiatives like Civic Apps and the Software Cluster initiatives benefits everyone, and helps us continue to build a vital, creative and dynamic economy."

"Our team of analysts and startup experts saw an incredibly vital entrepreneurial community in this region," said Carolynn Duncan, founder and Director. "While equipped with vision and enthusiasm, many entrepreneurs lacked the knowledge and skills to start a successful business - Portland Ten delivers that know-how."

Results

The Portland Ten programs have earned early success. Program alumni and ShopIgniter.com founder Alan Wizemann secured a $3 million round of funding for his social media/eCommerce startup, and has surpassed the $1MM in 18 months goal within 12 months of graduating.

Local journalist and Pulitzer-prize winner Steve Woodward's media-driven content startup, NozzlMedia, has earned national interest and media coverage.

Numerous other businesses, from tech startups, jewelry makers to care givers, have secured valuable, customized advice, earned new clients and created solid business plans. Portland Ten's mission has also earned partnerships with leading educational, civic and not-for-profit organizations, including:

• City of Portland and its innovative CivicApps program
• Portland Development Commission
• Mercy Corps Northwest
• Willamette University
• NedSpace
• Startup Weekend

"MercyCorps Northwest is excited to be working with Portland Ten to distribute the necessary skills and mindset to entrepreneurs within the Portland business community, both within the low-income and high-growth sectors," said John Haines, Executive Director of MercyCorps Northwest. "Portland Ten brings skill and scale strategies for our clients."

"The Portland Ten experience was rigorous, highly-customized and result-producing," said ShopIgniter.com founder and Portland Ten alumni Alan Wizemann. "The individual attention and expert advice were key to ShopIgniter securing market success and funding."

Program Tracks

Portland Ten's mission is to help the region's entrepreneurs create success for their business. To do this, the organization offers a range of educational options, from free coffee forums to a series of Milestones for the various tracks to commit to.

Competitive Programs

Portland Ten: Hit 24 milestones in 12 weeks, commit to $1MM in revenue within 18 months. 8 hours/week of advising/peer support, full access to 24 skill sessions, 3 Checkups. $3,000 enrollment, extended payment scholarships available. Eligible for Portland Startup Challenge incentives program.

Six Week Sprint: Hit 12 milestones in 6 weeks, no specific revenue commitment. 2 hours/week of advising/peer support, full access to 24 skill sessions, 2 Checkups. $1,250 enrollment, extended payment scholarships available. Eligible for Portland Startup Challenge incentives program.

Open Enrollment Program

Skill Development Workshops: Our 24 Skill Development workshops are held twice per week and are open to the community. Taught by our featured Sponsors in sales, venture fundraising, legal, accounting, product management, HR, finance, and more, workshops run Sept 27- Dec 17, 2010, and are $30 each, or an all-access pass to 24 workshops can be purchased for $360, a savings of 50%. The full schedule will be announced September 23 at www.portlandten.com/skills.

How to Apply

To apply for the Portland Startup Challenge, fill out the
online application at www.portlandten.com/apply, or contact Jennie Kalberer, jkalberer@portlandten.com.

About Portland Ten

Portland Ten is an educational incubator designed to create business success for the entrepreneurial community. Since its founding in 2009 by Director Carolynn Duncan, Portland Ten has seen successes including ShopIgniter's exceeding $1MM within 18 months and $3MM venture capital funding, a $35,000 grant from Portland Development Commission, 30 alumni successfully completing the Portland Ten and Sprint programs, working with 100+ startups in the Checkups, and Skill Development programs, and being featured in Entrepreneur.com, SiliconFlorist.com, Oregon Business Magazine, and
more.

Portland Ten can be followed on Twitter: @Portlandten, and its blog: http://www.portlandten.com/blog/.

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