Startup Conversations in the Couve - May 2025

Michael Pan will b e our speaker in May!!!

Michael is the founder of Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, a plant-based snack company based in Portland, Oregon. The company was inspired by a traditional Malaysian vegetarian jerky recipe from Pan’s family. After discovering this unique snack during a trip to Malaysia in 2006, Pan began developing the recipe in his home kitchen, eventually launching the product in 2018.

His journey has taken him from working with companies like Motorola and Continental, and a startup success at Fancred to full time making one of the more successful food brands in Portland - Pan’s Mushroom Jerky.

Pan's has grown rapidly, securing a deal with Mark Cuban on ABC’s "Shark Tank" in 2020 . As of 2024, Pan’s Mushroom Jerky is sold in over 3,500 retail locations across the United States, including Whole Foods and Kroger, and has expanded its manufacturing capabilities to meet increasing demand.

About the Startup Conversations Event
Each month, we host a local founder who will give a short presentation about their company. They will focus on how it all got started, where they are today, and their plans for the future, including the challenges they face to make their goals happen.

Following the presentation our host, Dave Barcos will dig into the founder's background, the company's story, and other observations. After the interview, we will have an audience Q&A session to help attendees ask direct questions of the presenter.
It has proven to be a great format to catalyze the local founders and the startups in the region. You won't want to miss it.

For more details on other North Bank events check our event calendar at https://www.northbankinnovations.org/events

About North Bank Innovations
North Bank Innovations is an organization based in Southwest Washington, committed to building a thriving ecosystem that helps early-stage startups.

Please note, that we encourage genuine networking, not hunting for sales or leads. If you are genuinely starting or working with a startup, this is the right crowd for you. Thanks for helping us keep it real.