Technology Association of Oregon

Grateful to Unit21 for their support of Technology Association of Oregon!! Abigail H. Trisha Kothari Ross Warnlof 👏 Be sure to mark your calender for the December 4th event: Demystifying SOC Audits! https://lnkd.in/gq7_AtsJ

Today, we pause with gratitude for the incredible community that makes regions technology ecosystem thrive. To our members, thank you for your innovation, your creativity, and your relentless commitment to building a stronger, smarter, more connected future for our region. Your work inspires us every day. To our partners, we’re deeply grateful for your collaboration, leadership, and support. Together, we’re driving meaningful impact—from developing talent pipelines, to shaping policy, to strengthening Oregon and Southwest Washington's position as a hub for world-class technology. This year, and every year, we are thankful for the opportunity to serve such a dynamic and forward-thinking community. We look forward to continuing our shared work to elevate technology across the region. Wishing you and your loved ones a warm, restful, and joyful Thanksgiving. – The Technology Association of Oregon

The Fintech Bridge Ep 57 ft Shannon Smith, Founder at Yak A show connecting innovators, builders, and leaders to share stories, insights, and ideas that drive the future of financial technology.

🚀 It’s here — our FINAL Fintech Bridge episode of 2025! 🚀 We’re closing out the year with Episode 57, and trust us… you do not want to miss this one. We’re featuring one of Oregon’s brightest rising stars: Shannon Smith, CISA, founder of Yak Tech, the platform that’s transforming the audit process from painful to powerful. 🙌 If you haven’t heard the buzz, Yak Tech was just named Accounting Today’s Top New Product of 2025 — and for good reason. Shannon and her team are rewriting what efficient, modern audits look like, and we are thrilled to bring her story (and insights!) to the TAO community. 🎥 Tune in for a conversation that blends innovation, real talk, and what’s next for audit tech. https://lnkd.in/dgnsbvEd Let’s send 2025 out with a bang. Join us for Episode 57 of the TAO FinTech Bridge — where we celebrate the builders shaping the future of financial technology right here in Oregon. Also, catch Shannon IRL the the final TAO Fintech community event on December 4th. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gq7_AtsJ Stay tuned for the episode drop! 🌟

On this Episode of Techlandia Jared Emard shares an inspiring journey — from childhood days spent on construction sites to now leading Oregon Institute of Technology Construction Management program. With deep family roots in contracting and construction, Jared underscores the power of blending practical, real-world experience with strong academic foundations. He highlights why investing in people — not just their skills — is essential to building a resilient, future-ready workforce. At Oregon Tech, that philosophy is core. The program’s hands-on, applied approach prepares students to meet real industry challenges head-on. By combining classroom learning with meaningful field experience, students graduate not only with knowledge, but with the curiosity, passion, and drive needed for lifelong success in the construction industry. Listen at techoregon.org or wherever you listen. #ConstructionManagement #OregonTech #Leadership #CareerDevelopment #WorkforceDevelopment #HandsOnLearning #ConstructionEducation #IndustryReady #InvestInPeople #STEMEducation

🎥 New Clip Drop! We’re excited to share a highlight from our recent TAO Fintech Community: Fraud & Financial Crime event featuring Craig Timm of ACAMS in conversation with our own Polly Aguilar Craig brought sharp insights, global perspective, and practical takeaways on today’s evolving fraud landscape—this is a must-watch for anyone in fintech, risk, compliance, or financial services. 👀🔥 Huge shoutout to Caffelli Studio for capturing the moment so beautifully. Your videography elevates us! 🎬🙌 📅 Next Up: Demystifying SOC Audits — December 4 If you build, sell, or support technology, this is the event you don’t want to miss. SOC audits are a critical business enabler, and understanding how they work (and how to read them) is essential for scaling. 👉 Register now and join us: https://lnkd.in/gq7_AtsJ Let’s keep building Oregon’s fintech ecosystem, one conversation at a time. 💡🌉 #TAO #FintechCommunity #Fraud #ACAMS #FintechBridge #SOC2 #OregonTech #CommunityBuilders

Exciting news for AI founders in the Northwest! Google, alongside Oregon’s leading innovation partners, has launched the Oregon AI Accelerator, a first-of-its-kind statewide program supporting early-stage, AI-first startups. The Accelerator will bring together 20 startups for a three-month hybrid program starting February 2026, offering: Mentorship from industry experts Validation and growth support Access to Oregon’s thriving innovation ecosystem Equity-free funding opportunities—up to $50,000 in grants. This initiative is backed by Google and supported by the Metro Region Innovation Hub Regional, Portland State University, Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon State University, the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, the Technology Association of Oregon, and TiE Oregon. As Katy Bowman (she/her) from Google puts it: "This program is much bigger than accelerating startups—it’s about helping Oregon small businesses compete and grow in the age of AI." Applications are now open for founders ready to fuel the next wave of AI innovation in Oregon. Apply Here: https://lnkd.in/gtc24HCR Read More about it here: https://lnkd.in/g4efBUZp #OregonAI #Startups #AI #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #EquityFreeFunding

🔍 Demystifying SOC 2 — Two Weeks Away! The TAO Fintech Community is excited to bring you our next event: Demystifying SOC 2 — a practical, jargon-free session designed to help fintechs and tech companies understand what SOC audits really are, why they matter, and how to prepare with confidence. With special guests Shannon Smith, CISA Jake Johnson, CPA Lisa Zauner and Dana Lawrence Huge shoutout to the incredible sponsors who make our community events possible: Perkins & Co Yak Tech Wespay Wespay Advisors Unit21 TEKsystems First Tech Federal Credit Union LegitScript Spork Bytes Marketing as a Service - MaaS Your support fuels education, connection, and innovation across Oregon’s fintech ecosystem. 🙌 We can’t wait to see you there! RSVP Here: https://cvent.me/vlBAM3

The Fintech Bridge Ep 56 ft Christian Maynard-Philipp, Hapi Securities A show connecting innovators, builders, and leaders to share stories, insights, and ideas that drive the future of financial technology.

The Fintech Bridge Ep 55 ft Dave Wieseneck, Ramp A show connecting innovators, builders, and leaders to share stories, insights, and ideas that drive the future of financial technology.