Make magic happen

The Bend Entrepreneur Lab (BEL) is a new initiative focused on providing direct support to early-stage tech entrepreneurs in Central Oregon from inception to the close of a successful seed round.

BEL acts as your co-founder by delivering a wide range of tailored services to each entrepreneur, enabling them to move at startup speed, avoid common pitfalls, and maximize market success. The BEL innovation model combines the best demonstrated practice of proven models with the unique capabilities and culture found in Bend.

Our vision is to put Bend on the map as a place where aspiring tech entrepreneurs, including talent from underrepresented communities, can start & grow their tech company for the benefit of all.

The Bend Way

Work-life balance

We are passionately committed to our work for the long haul, prioritizing sustainable, conscious, and risk-mitigated growth over endless hustle-culture. We value a balanced and fulfilling life in Bend and avoid burnout. Here, entrepreneurs can thrive without compromising their individual well-being.

Community

Don’t go it alone. We cultivate a supportive and nurturing environment, where we immerse ourselves with like-minded folks on a similar entrepreneurial journey. We are deeply interconnected with the greater Bend, OR community, and accountable to it’s values and people.

Inclusivity

We value diverse life experiences, backgrounds, and identities, with special attention to those not fitting traditional tech stereotypes. We’re open to all high-potential individuals, but prioritize recruiting women, people of color, and historically underrepresented groups in tech entrepreneurship.

What we offer founders

Experienced co-founding team

We aren’t just your mentors, we join your company and are on your team. We’re deeply invested in your success and in the trenches with you.

Extended talent network

From design experts to legal support, get access to a trusted, vetted network of talented local folks with the skills you need, supplemented by a direct access to the powerful business ecosystem found in both San Francisco and Seattle.

Community and structure

With the right team, strategy, resources, and a proven framework, you’ll dramatically increase your chance of success without burnout.

Funding

Get access to the resources you need to go-to-market, with support from founders experienced in securing venture capital funding.

Meet your new co-founders

Nicolas H. Pluche

Nicolas is a seasoned entrepreneurial leader with four technology businesses under his belt, and two executive roles in technology incubators. With a passion for building and scaling digital ventures, Nicolas excels in Design Thinking under the fundamentals of Effectuation for both startups and established organizations.

Carrie Douglass

Carrie is a entrepreneur, nonprofit CEO, small business owner, elected school board member, and mom. Born and raised in Bend, OR, she is passionate about elevating under-represented leaders in politics, education and entrepreneurship in her beloved community and beyond.

Scott Douglass

Scott is a CEO and Co-Founder at Cascade Relays, Co-Founder at The Haven Coworking, and proud girl dad. Raised in Bend, OR, Scott is the ultimate community connector and hype-man, with a knack for inspiring and bringing people together.

The best of both worlds

Bend is centrally located on the West Coast Corridor, between the major entrepreneurial hubs of San Francisco and Seattle. It’s an easy direct flight to either destination, or a few hours of beautiful driving through the Cascade Mountains to get over to Portland. Bend offers the “best of both worlds”– an incredible location known for its outdoor adventure lifestyle, only a quick flight away from major cities.

Bend is ideal for those who wish to build their companies deeply integrated with the local community and economy, leverage the abundance of talent and great people here, while still maintaining close enough ties to the network and opportunities in the big cities.

Innovation, with a view.

The Bend Entrepreneur Lab (BEL) is headquartered at The Haven Co-working, a vibrant community of local talent and professionals from a wide range of industries. BEL entrepreneurs in residence have access to an inspiring, beautiful workspace where they can collaborate with others on a similar journey.

The Haven offers a wide variety of resources to support our entrepreneurs, including flexible workspaces, meeting rooms, large conference spaces, sound-proof podcasting room, media equipment, and more. Centrally located on the cliffs above the Deschutes River, we have easy access to take a break for a river stroll or walking meeting.

BEL is also in collaboration with Oregon State University-Cascades, another hub of innovation and talent in the community.

We help talented founders launch and grow their startups, the Bend way.