THE OG OF OREGON’S STARTUP COMMUNITY

If you have ever built, supported, funded, or followed a startup in Oregon, chances are Rick Turoczy has influenced your path.

Join us for a rare Fireside Chat with Rick Turoczy, General Manager of PIE and one of the most trusted connectors in the Pacific Northwest startup ecosystem. Often called the “OG” of Oregon startups, Rick has spent more than two decades connecting founders, amplifying stories, and building the infrastructure that helps startups thrive.

As the founder of Silicon Florist , Rick has had a front-row seat to thousands of startup journeys and deep insight into what works, what fails, and what truly matters.

This is not a keynote. It’s a conversation.

Rick will share candid insights on building strong startup ecosystems, lessons from decades of supporting founders, the evolution of Oregon’s innovation economy, and what’s coming next.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Rick in person, ask questions, and connect with others committed to entrepreneurship in Oregon,

And before we sit down with Rick, you’ll hear from two entrepreneurs building right here in our region:

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🔥 Danielle Benoit | AsteriaRX

Founded in 2025, AsteriaRx is redefining the future of musculoskeletal healing through precision-targeted drug delivery. Their mission is to develop and advance novel, tissue-specific therapies that restore function, accelerate recovery, and transform outcomes for patients suffering from musculoskeletal injuries—starting with the complex and underserved challenges of tendon repair.