If you’re looking for a place to start your own business or incubate an idea, Bend is one of the hottest cities in the U.S. for startups. A vibrant hotbed for ventures of all kinds, Bend has all of the resources that entrepreneurs need – and here’s why.
An Immense Amount of Activity for Its Size
In 2017, Bend registered more new businesses than any other city in Oregon. In 2016, Forbes called Bend “The Best Small Place for Business and Careers.” There’s a lot of other awards and recognitions to note for Bend in the past decade, but the bottom line is that it’s a top spot for entrepreneurs who want to start their own ventures.
That has huge advantages. Not only is it easier to find partners in similar situations to your business that you can work with, but Bend is also filled with resources that can help out new and small businesses. That includes impressive Venture Conferences where millions of dollars are raised annually, excellent economic forecast events, and a ton of resources for local professionals to use as they build their own startups.
Want a good example? Just head over to StartupBend and check out the many conferences and events that are available for entrepreneurs. Or you could go right to an incubator like FoundersPad, the Bend Chamber of Business or Economic Development for Central Oregon to see what business resources they offer!
A Great Tech Industry
Bend is a particularly good place for tech startups. It’s more affordable than many tech industry locales while still being very attractive for people looking to move. There’s plenty of revenue potential, and as the tech industry in Central Oregon has grown there’s also lots of healthy competition and collaboration. Bend is currently the 16th largest metro in the country for high-tech startup density, and there are plenty of good reasons for it.
Outdoor Ventures Rejoice
Mountains, deserts, rivers, lakes, forests, hiking trails, competitive biking paths, climbing and bouldering – it’s hard to find a popular outdoor activity that Bend can’t support. That means a lot of the population tends to be outdoors and active, and it makes for a great place to incubate ideas for an outdoor business or product. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to test your products and high demand for innovative new outdoor offerings – including many outdoor companies to partner with as you grow sales.
Great for Breweries – and Related Industries
This may not come as a surprise, but Bend has the highest number of breweries per capita in the country. The culture, climate and excellent water quality all come together to make it the perfect place to open a new brewery…but there’s more to it than that. The deeply ingrained beer culture and events in Bend mean there’s also a ton of room for beer-adjacent businesses – that includes food that go great with beer, beer merchandise, bars and restaurants, and many other companies that can connect to the beer industry even if they don’t brew.
An Excellent Potential Workforce
Bend is filled with young professionals who are eager to take advantage of the economic landscape. While relocating personnel is always an option, it’s also a great idea to take a look at Bend’s skilled workforce and see if your company can find the talent it needs right here – and maybe even headhunt a little from other ventures in town.
