OEN’s Wyatt Starnes Award honors our region’s most promising young entrepreneur. OEN is asking colleges and universities across Oregon to nominate one person who best fits our criteria to compete in our Battle of the Schools.
The award honors the legacy of William Wyatt Starnes, founder and CEO of SignaCert and cofounder of Tripwire. Wyatt was a fierce advocate for the Oregon tech community. John Stewart, CTO of Cisco stated, “Wyatt was the rare and valuable combination of visionary, intellect, and larger-than-life entrepreneur. [He] made a huge impact on our industry during his life, and in his memory continues that legacy.”
OEN is seeking young entrepreneurs who will carry on Wyatt’s legacy. To be considered, they must embody Wyatt’s distinguishing qualities — demonstrating enthusiasm, willingness to work hard toward a goal, fearlessness when it comes to taking big risks, and commitment to changing the world for the better. The winner will receive recognition at our annual OEN Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards Dinner in addition to a $3,000 cash prize.
The entrepreneur you select must be between the ages of 18 and 29 and must be affiliated with your institution, whether as a current student, former student, or a participant in an incubator or other entrepreneurship-focused program.
OEN’s Wyatt Starnes Award is part of our annual OEN Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards program, which honors the skill and courage that it takes for entrepreneurs to create a business out of an idea.
Nominees are subjected to a rigorous judging process led by the Starnes family. After an initial review of the nomination materials, the judges will select semifinalists, who will participate in a round of interviews.
Finalists are determined in late September, and the winner will be announced at our annual OEN Tom Holce Entrepreneurship Awards Dinner on October 24.
