They help society overcome persistent challenges with new research, technologies and efficiencies. In Oregon, as elsewhere, we are faced with perhaps the most urgent time in our lives to seed the next wave of breakthrough technology to address climate change, health outcomes and the widening wealth gap. As the Federal government acts with urgency to deploy hundreds of millions of dollars to address these as issues of national and economic security, Oregon is poised to craft a once-in-a-generation economic inflection point to benefit our State for generations to come.
The Intrepid Oregon Fund helps deep-tech start-ups take root and grow in Oregon as they address big problems with innovative solutions, leading to large-scale enterprises and far-reaching economic impact in the years to come.
About IOF
The Intrepid Oregon Fund (IOF) is anchored by a $4 million initial investment by Business Oregon through its Commercialization Gap Fund program. IOF will invest in early-stage companies less than five years old, in sectors that are primarily technology and science-focused such as digital health, healthcare IT, bioscience, medical devices, climate-tech, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, and natural resources. IOF expects to invest in at least 15 Oregon companies, with substantial reserved investment capital to support follow-on investments in those companies that meet or exceed expectations.
Team
Steve Eichenlaub and Angela Jackson, Managing Directors of Portland Seed Fund IV, are the Managing Directors of IOF, joined by Shashi Jain as Venture Partner, bringing his deep science and technology start-up experience to help source, vet, mentor, and advise IOF portfolio companies.
Caravel Bio is building the first limitless protein evolution platform, creating proteins that exceed nature’s bounds to make powerful catalysts and therapeutics. We do this through innovations in microfluidics, cell-free protein synthesis, bacterial spore-display, and machine learning using our end-to-end platform for protein discovery and delivery. We’re using our platform to create long-lasting enzymes for industrial catalysis and enabling precision manufacturing of proteins with new chemistries using genetic code expansion.
We’ve built the world’s largest and fastest volumetric additive manufacturing system -- more than 50× faster than the next fastest commercial 3D printer, capable of printing with a wider range of materials, at roughly one-tenth the cost of other systems. MAV is tackling industrial waste and carbon emissions from overproduction by turning manufacturing into a rapid, local, and on-demand process.
Neurosom™ is a medical device company dedicated to reducing dementia risk and improving brain health by optimizing deep and REM sleep. Founded in 2021, the company developed the innovative, wearable Sleep WISP™ device, which measures EEG sleep cycles in the home and delivers personalized, painless electrical stimulation using AI-powered, FDA cleared software. By extending and enhancing deep and REM sleep – the sleep cycles that allow the body to clear the brain of the harmful plaques that cause neurodegenerative diseases – the Sleep WISP delivers true innovation to brain care and dementia prevention.
StrateSea helps organizations understand what’s happening beneath the ocean in real time. Our operator-first AI platform converts complex subsea sensor data into trusted, explainable results, offline and across any sensor. We’re closing the gap between sensing and sense-making for defense, offshore energy, and ocean science.
Ian Annase leads Zing Drone Solutions, developing real-time drone detection, Remote ID, and autonomous operations infrastructure for safer, smarter airspace. He turns complex regulations into practical tools for government and public safety operators.
