Rural Innovator Workshop: Hood River

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) and the Mid-Columbia Innovation Hub are hosting a new Rural Innovator Workshop on Monday, May 18th starting at 9:00 am in Hood River designed to help founders learn how to turn a single product or service idea into a market-ready business. This hands-on, half-day program focuses on helping entrepreneurs understand how their current product or service could be replicated for selling to more customers and build a clear roadmap to move their innovation forward.

Participants will leave with a practical advancement plan that includes a financial model, legal and intellectual property considerations, and a clear go-to-market strategy for securing their first customers. The workshop is founder-friendly, practical, and grounded in real-world validation and ideal for rural entrepreneurs in agriculture, manufacturing, food, beverage and other consumer packaged goods, clean tech, bioscience-adjacent sectors, and beyond.

If you’re an entrepreneur with a product idea, prototype, or early pilot and you’re ready to take the next step forward and learn about commercialization, we encourage you to join us. Space is limited to ensure hands-on support and meaningful peer engagement. We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to spend some with us working ON YOUR business to gain clarity, confidence, and momentum.

AGENDA

• 9:00 AM: Welcome, networking, and light breakfast
• 9:30 AM: What does “Technical Readiness Level” mean and how do you advance a level?
• 10:30 AM: Break
• 10:45 AM: Financial modeling and legal considerations 
• 11:45 AM: Go to market strategies 
• 12:15 PM: Break to grab lunch! 
• 12:25 PM: Finalize your integration plan and road map
• 12:50 PM:Final Thoughts
• 1:00 PM: Adjournment 
   

EVENT INFORMATION

Date: Monday, May 18th
Time: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Lightwell Hotel & Spa, 201 Cascade Ave., Hood River, OR 97031

RURAL INNOVATION WORKSHOP REGISTRATION QUESTIONS

As the beneficiary of an SSBCI grant Oregon Entrepreneurs Network is required to provide demographic information on businesses participating in our founder-focused programs.  Registrants are encouraged to answer all of the questions in the registration form. This information is being collected to help ensure that communities’ small business technical assistance and access to credit needs are being fulfilled, and will not be used for any other purposes.