Portland ranks fifth in nation for women entrepreneurs
Portland's startup industry is no stranger to national props.
Most recently, three Portland startups — Elemental Technologies, Act-On Software and Jama Software — were named to Forbes magazine's 2013 list of the Most Promising Companies.
The latest round of attention, however, is focused on a less-visible segment of the region's startup market: women.
The personal finance site NerdWallet has named Portland the No. 5 best city for women entrepreneurs. NerdWallet held up Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon for its contribution to the tech scene and mentioned the opportunities provided by Intel, mentioning Intel executive vice president Renee James by name.
While the site didn't mention it, it's worth noting that women were well represented during last year's OEN Angel Oregon competition. Five of the startup finalists were firms run by women and the overall winner was Chez Gourmet, founded by Marie Jensen Osmunson.
San Francisco was named the top city for women entrepreneurs. Seattle, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis and Portland rounded out the top five.
NerdWallet based its ranking on each contender's overall entrepreneurial spirit and economy, networking opportunities for women, and the education level of the general population.
More from our partner: Joe Montana-backed Aviation Gin takes flight
The Portland Business Journal is a KATU.com news partner.
It just amazes me how Portland thinks just because you  are black or women or hispanic that you should get a percent of the work for that reason alone.  I worked for a guy and he was black and the only reason he had the business is because he knew he was guaranteed so much work just because he was black.  Why is it minorities here think they are entitled to jobs just because they are a minority?  No...I'm not racist.  But I think that this is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of.
Are not strippers and prostitutes Entrepreneurs? The self employed contractors
Anyone with a bit of personal money invested in an idea and some type of a business plan can start a business. Whether or not it's still in business after six months or a year is another question. Â
It never ceases to amaze me how the Left keeps telling us that we should be color blind, gender neutral, we're all the same, blah, blah, blah. And yet they never miss an opportunity to bring up the differences. They keep making exceptions for this group and that one. Special laws for you, but not me. It all makes perfect sense. They need to keep you in a group so they can pander to you and throw money at you to get your vote. It's pure hypocritical genius.
@Scotty9 The feminists have been the largest proponents of  pushing "gender neutrality" onto everyone yet always play the female card in next-to-every issue. Young women are earning more than young men, gaining more jobs and graduating from college at a higher rate. I wonder what next bad/ false stats will be used in the 2016 election to paint the image women are so terribly oppressed and discriminated against while they are doing better than males thanks to the countless systems, funding and programs we've put in place exclusively for women. Is it any wonder why young males are falling behind? We don't seem to give a rat's -ss about them.Â
@Lisa @Scotty9 Spot on Lisa. The government is all about picking winners and losers.
@Scotty9 You should have noticed by now, that the Democrats change their minds about what they really want on a yearly basis. Right now it is  gay marriage, I believe. Before it was.....some other social issue that has no real impact on the majority of the planet.Â
@Kraut @Scotty9 Their end game is always the same: CONTROL
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@feral @Scotty9 Â
Now I get it; I almost forgot the second rule of the Left: If anyone disagrees with you, call them a bigot or a racist. This automatically nullifies anything point they may have.
@feral @Scotty9 How so?
@Scotty9 Ok already you are Special too
did that make you feel better???
But, was there any listing for those start-up entrepreneurs that failed within a year? Just wondering.
Hunting, start ups, geesh...this is what happens when all the guys turn into hipsters!!!
(men, men, men, men, men, meeen! (Monty Python reference))
Thats like saying there are more disabled people in Portland than anywhere else. It means diddly squat and proves nothing. Much like the "disabled"; many of these people are self described or defined. Don't gotta be - to be. What a waste of space - but hey look who sponsors it?
My wife is the primary owner of our business. The reason is that the government gives us money because it is considered a minority owned business. It was a smart move on our part since we get government contracts over other male owned businesses.
Thank you government for helping eliminate our competition and give us an edge.
@RalphCramden Why does it not surprise me you would proudly cheat the spirit of any law if it would serve to personally enrich you?
@bikegeek More government welfare right ralph
@yesiam @bikegeekÂ
I am learning how to get more and more of that government welfare. It's a nice bonus and keeps more money in my pocket.
My only regret is that I should have done this decades ago.
@bikegeek Just gotta know the rules...my sister bought her first house by qualifying as a minority. I'm sure I could take advantage of something if I tried.
@RalphCramden @bikegeek @deejm2112 Assuming you mean definition of my success.  What is you definition? I just assumed based on your post that you evidently need every advantage you can find to pad your lifestyle . So have you ever asked yourself what is enough for me and mine or are you just pleasing yourself by feeling clever as you assert in other posts. Well let me congratulate you.   You are clever. Now go and do something worthwhile.
@bikegeek @deejm2112Â
Thanks for the analysis of my business and business practices. I am curious where you got the numbers for that analysis. We are a private corporation and only the IRS and my CPA know what we make.
My satisfaction of success is different from yours. At one time my definition was to make money and retire with a good savings. That has changed. Now my satisfaction comes from costing government as much money as I can. Being retired I can devote a lot of time to making that happen. So far, according to my accountant, I have been pretty successful in that endeavor. She is recommending much of what I have been doing to the rest of her clients.
@RalphCramden @deejm2112 @bikegeek No Ralph not everyone else is getting on board. Not everyone wants to move their business to China, transfer the ownership to their wife as a shell game and use every tax loop hole they can find. Some of us are satisfied with our success with out that. Maybe that is why you do these things, you're just not very successful.
@deejm2112Â @bikegeekÂ
And the savings could be significant and well worth the effort. Government loves to hand out money. Everyone else is grabbing all they can so get on board.
@deejm2112 @bikegeek Good for her.Â
@jpk Minority means anyone that is not a white male.
@jpk Family has latino, enough to qualify for minority status.
Women are now a minority? I thought there were more of them than men?
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@feral @bikegeek Absolutely. Where is your moral compass. I am a educated white male and have my own successful business. Also I am happy when people whom are less advantaged as me can do the same. It is that kind of tide that lifts all boats. I do not want to be a rich man in a poor country. What happened to Ralph? What need is he trying to feed? More money can always be squeezed from the vine if you cut corners and cheat but that does not serve our country. That is how you end up with lead in toys and horse meat in burgers.
@bikegeekÂ
No cheating. Just playing the game like everyone else. I just know the rules.
@bikegeek
I have no power to fix anything.
@RalphCramden @bikegeek So instead of trying to fix it you put more holes in the boat.
@bikegeekÂ
Too funny. You are trying to point out flaws in my philosophy? What a waste of time.
In my new homeland? Where the hell did that come from? I am talking about getting as many benefits as I can from the government and you are talking a new homeland.
This country will not last another generation. It will be bankrupt and life as you know it will go away.
@RalphCramden @bikegeek She reminds me of you.Â
I noticed you had no comment to the treatment of your workforce in your new homeland.Â
I am not trying to reach you. I am happier to provide a positive example to the young men and women who work for me. In fact I bet I am here just trying to make myself feel clever by pointing out the flaws in your philosophy.
@bikegeek
It's clear you don't understand sarcasm.
I am not feeling unloved. I have lots of friends and family and spend a lot of time with them.
My goal remains the same. To get as much money from the government as I can. So far I have been doing a pretty good job of it.
Call it what you want. I will not change a thing. Government has screwed the American tax payer and wasted tax money for decades. They can't be trusted with money and I intend to make sure that they get as little from me as I can. Plus I will use every government handout that I am eligible for till the day I die.
Swipe yo EBT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LWlkXRZ3CA&feature=fvwrel
@RalphCramden
@bikegeek
So you feel like "no one looks out for you". Feeling unloved? That is often the cause of avarice and greed. Your talents could be better used to serve your community and your country. It will make you feel better in the end. And yes it does make me angry to see people just game the system. A world of a billion people who live on almost nothing and starving children stir my conscience. You have once again proudly proclaimed that you are getting every advantage you can seemingly just to feel smart and that just seems shallow.
John Locke and Adam Smith both stressed the importance of morality in business practices and I am afraid the path that our current business community is on will eventually lead to large scale disruption.  The same kind you so often warn of.
 I care very deeply for those whose labor I profit from. Do you? China is not known for safe or fair working conditions. I am fully aware I was lucky to be born a white American male at this time in world. I could have just as easily been born a girl in the Sudan and suffered degradations beyond my understanding. So could have you. We are all fortunate to be Americans.
By the way your assertion that morality has nothing to do with it is just an amoral excuse.
@bikegeek
No one else is looking out after me so I guess I am all that I have.
Unless you consider my wife of 39+ years, my kids, my grandkids, my neighbors, my friends, my co-workers....
All that I do is geared towards getting as much money back from the government as I can so that I can pass that on to my kids and grandkids.
Morality has nothing to do with it. It is the game set up by the government and offers programs to give unfair advantage to some over others. I intend to play by the rules to balance, or better yet, give me an advantage over others.
The best part or this is that you don't like it. That tells me I am on the right track.
@RalphCramden @bikegeek The problem with you Ralph is. You are the only person you really care about. I don't care if corporations have been gaming the system it is morally bankrupt no matter whom is doing it and is the real reason this world is in trouble.
That kind of thinking just leads to a race to the bottom.
@bikegeek
How am I cheating?
I am learning the rules of the game and taking advantage of them. Everything I do is legal.
Corporations have been doing this for decades. I am really late to the party and regret that I didn't do this years ago.
In the past I was the principal owner. I couldn't compete with minority businesses on a level playing field because they got preferential status. Now I can compete because my wife is the principal owner. I just leveled the playing field.
@RalphCramden @bikegeek that is why I said the spirit of the law. Are you so greedy or so needy that you must cheat?