About us
Strengthening Bend’s innovation ecosystem by connecting the people and ideas that can shape its future as a true tech hub.
Are you exhausted from debating whether fat biking or snowshoeing is the better winter workout, sick of wondering whether Bar RBC or Ariana has the cozier Valentine's Day dinner, and looking for a reason to meet up with like-minded people?!
Let's make the most of this time by connecting at roundtable discussions, tech talks, happy hours and outdoor adventures. This group is open to anyone who wants to engage with Bend's tech community. From old friends to people new to town, all are welcome. Even better, bring a friend. There's no agenda other than getting to know each other.
Besides expanding your personal and professional horizons, we aim to help the local community. Every event benefits the greater good. A portion of the ticket sales go to a nonprofit of the community's choice, so share one when registering for an event.
Can't make the next event? No worries. We get together regularly. Join the group to get the latest announcements.
Need a break on ticket price? Whether you're between jobs, a student or have your own good reason, we've got you covered. Contact John McMahon at jpmcmahon@gmail.com to learn about our flex ticket program.
Ready to support something awesome? Between our advisory program, local job board and regular events that bring together Bend's impressive tech talent, you can get your company in front of the people shaping our innovation ecosystem. Contact John McMahon at jpmcmahon@gmail.com and let's chat about how sponsorship can work for you. I'd love to explore what makes sense for your company and our community.
See you out there!
Upcoming events
3
- $28.00
How to Engineer a Billion-Dollar Market
UPP Liquids, 550 SW Industrial Way, Bend, OR, USMost startups and new products lauched by mature companies fail not because of weak technology, but because they never engineer their market.
Bruce Cleveland has taken eight companies to $1B+ in revenue. As an investor and operator at Oracle, Siebel, Apple, and C3 AI, and as an early backer of Doximity, Marketo (acquired by Adobe for $4.8B), and Vlocity (acquired by Salesforce), his strategies have generated billions in realized returns.
In this talk, Bruce will unpack the discipline of Market Engineering: how to define your category, perfect your positioning, master storytelling, and build thought leadership that separates market leaders from everyone else.
You'll learn the Traction Gap Framework—a proven roadmap Bruce developed over decades of investing and operating—and leave with practical strategies to bridge the gap between breakthrough product and dominant market position.
Bruce is author of Traversing the Traction Gap and the forthcoming Market Engineering: Because Markets Don't Build Themselves (June 2026). He's a guest lecturer at Stanford, Columbia, and University of Chicago, and races in the Ferrari Challenge series—where he applies the same analytics, discipline, and sequencing that build winning companies.
Format: 45-60 minute talk + Q&A + networking before and after
Presentation slides will be shared with all attendeesTickets: $22 (early bird) | $28 (regular)
Early bird pricing ends Tuesday, February 17Presented by [insert your company name] — We're looking for sponsors, so please reach out to John McMahon at jpmcmahon@gmail.com.
Early bird pricing ends Feb 17. Don't miss this rare opportunity to learn from a builder who's engineered billions in market value.
34 attendees 
Distributed & Resilient Power Roundtable: The Bend Conversation
TBA, Bend, OR, USThe energy transition isn't coming - it's already here. And Central Oregon has more to do with that than most people realize.
Bend has quietly become home to a remarkable concentration of energy professionals - executives, operators, and advisors working across power generation and distribution, from solar, wind, and storage to fuel cells, hydrogen systems, natural gas infrastructure, microgrids, grid software, and utilities
Most are working remotely for companies elsewhere, largely invisible to each other. This roundtable changes that.
This is an invite-only gathering for 30 senior energy professionals to have the honest conversation the industry rarely makes space for - what's actually driving the shift to distributed and resilient power, what's working, what's failing, and what it means for the next decade. No panels. No pitches. Just candid dialogue with people who've been in the trenches across every corner of the energy sector. $20 all in.
What to Expect
- Facilitated discussion on distributed and resilient power - where it's heading and what's driving it
- Real talk from people building these systems, not theory from consultants
- Networking before and after with peers who get it
Why Attend
- Connect with senior energy professionals who've chosen Central Oregon without sacrificing impact
- Walk away with sharper thinking on the technical and business challenges you're actually facing
- Be part of the first conversation putting Bend on the energy map
Who Should Apply
Senior energy professionals working across:- Power generation, transmission, and distribution
- Solar, wind, storage, fuel cells, hydrogen, natural gas systems, and emerging energy technologies
- Microgrids, grid software, and energy data platforms
- Utilities, independent power producers, and energy policy
- Anyone at the Director level or above with deep sector experience
This is an invitation-only event with a simple application process. We're curating for seniority, diversity of perspective, and genuine expertise - not just impressive titles.
Ready to share what's really working (and what isn't)? Fill out the form at https://forms.gle/1zxKRmk5qmvCnEMi9.
Format: A 60-minute facilitated roundtable discussion starting at 530pm with networking before and after
Tickets: $20
Presented by [insert your company name] — Help us bring Central Oregon's energy community together. Sponsoring this event puts your company in front of the senior talent shaping the region's energy future. Reach out to John McMahon at jmcmahon@gmail.com.
Be part of the conversation that puts Bend on the energy map. Space is intentionally limited.
5 attendees
Past events
69
