Eastern Oregon Ventures is a non-profit organization. Our main goal is to help build out the entrepreneurial eco-system in Eastern Oregon. Together with individual entrepreneurs, angel investors, and partnering local organizations, we serve the community’s economic development by facilitating the growth and expansion of new business ventures.
EOV knows that new ventures need support. We strive to provide the necessary tools, financing, and resources to help entrepreneurs grow in the area. From an early-stage startup to full market expansion, EOV works with local partners to provide capital, training, networking, and other crucial resources to put your business on a pathway to success.
EOV advocates for new ventures to find a supportive path to prosperity in Eastern Oregon. We provide skills, knowledge, and networks with the presence of role models and the availability of advice to foster entrepreneurial growth. In collaboration with academic institutions and regional organizations, EOV offers tangible solutions that inspire individual entrepreneurs and early-stage startups to reach their full potential.
We foster a network of peers, mentors, and business leaders who can help and learn from one another. Through connections and communication, we expand business opportunities and create growth for new startups across all industries. We conduct regular social gatherings for entrepreneurs and investors, hold an expanded speaker series, offer participation in the regional venture competition, and more, giving EOV members access to a central repository of resources and knowledge.
EOV thoroughly researches and connects entrepreneurs with a growing list of resources available locally. Academic facilities, service providers, talent, angel investors, and experienced mentors give our members access to capital, infrastructure, equity, greater regional influence, and hands-on experience that leads to meaningful results.
Our organization works diligently to build a reliable network of local angel and institutional investors that will provide equity and growth to startups and companies. In collaboration with our partners, we fuel business development by encouraging economic opportunities and market expansion. By delivering financial assistance to entrepreneurs, we help them avoid obstacles while finding the most productive plan to advance their startup growth.
The growth of companies in the Eastern Oregon area relies on a robust entrepreneurial eco-system. We know that culture, knowledge, capital, talent, infrastructure, resources, networks, and service providers are the necessary components that drive our eco-system and stimulate economic development. We are dedicated to encouraging, educating, and expanding on these areas in order to create a sustainable system that continues to grow stronger in the future by attracting new businesses, creating employment opportunities, and stimulating the local economy.
Wilson Zehr has 20+ years’ experience in high technology and telecom – over a decade working with Internet-related (SaaS) products and services. He started his career as a Software Engineer; then expanded into full life-cycle product marketing, program management, strategic alliances, executive leadership, and teaching.
Professor Zehr serves on the faculty for Eastern Oregon University and teaches marketing, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business policy & strategy. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Zairmail (www.zairmail.com), Cendix (www.cendix.com), Yana Surf (www.yanasurf.com), and Eastern Oregon Ventures.
Over the course of his career, Wilson has created numerous new products/brands and successfully brought them to market. In addition, he has established and managed strategic alliances with many of the world’s largest technology and communications firms. Dr. Zehr is also a serial entrepreneur who has been part of, started, or advised more than a dozen technology startups.
