It’s that time of year again. The time when startups from Multnomah County cross the might Columbia to join forces with startup from Clark County to pitch in the TiE Oregon Columbia River Pitch competition. But which startups made the cut…?
- DigiFab.ai is an AI consulting and education company founded by Dr. Isil Berkun, a former Intel staff AI engineer and recognized expert in artificial intelligence. This company specializes in empowering manufacturing and industrial businesses to adopt and integrate AI-driven solutions for smarter, more efficient operations.
- Mickelberry Gardens specializes in natural wellness products inspired by the gifts of honeybees. Co-founded in 2011 by Madelyn Morris, the company crafts a range of herbal honey tonics, raw honey, beeswax-based skincare, oxymels, and bee pollen products, all made with whole food ingredients and a focus on self-care and holistic health. Their mission is to make affordable, healing herbal products accessible to individuals and families, while also promoting pollinator conservation and sustainable practices.
- Ranger EV is a climate-tech startup focused on making electric vehicle (EV) charging accessible, easy, and profitable for hosts of vacation rentals, small businesses, and homeowners. Founded by Brian Clark, he and his team have developed a platform that allows property owners—such as Airbnb hosts, hotels, and RV parks—to turn any existing outlet or EV charger into a bookable, fee-based charging station for EV travelers, without requiring new hardware installations.
- Skyfarer Academy is a modern aviation training platform that connects aspiring pilots with certified flight instructors (CFIs) and flight schools for both live online and in-person instruction. The platform, co-founded by Nick Tsang, is designed to make pilot training more accessible, and tailored to individual needs, serving students at all stages—from private pilot license (PPL) seekers to those pursuing advanced ratings like instrument, commercial, multi-engine, and even unmanned aerial systems.
- Toast (a.k.a Toastwear) is an innovative outdoor apparel and technology company. Founded and led by a small team of engineers—including Technical Director Gerald Recktenwald, a retired Portland State University professor—Toast focuses on developing wearable devices designed to dynamically increase comfort in cold weather. Their products leverage engineering expertise to create solutions that help outdoor enthusiasts stay warm, combining advanced heating technology with practical, user-friendly design.
- Yak Technologies, founded by Shannon Smith, is a modern audit and compliance platform designed to streamline and automate the audit process for firms and organizations. Yak focuses on making compliance for audits smarter, faster, and more efficient by reducing manual tasks and simplifying complex workflows. Key features include centralized, secure document management, one-click report generation, audit framework control management, seamless client collaboration, and a collaborative test paper editor for comprehensive documentation.
The event takes place Tuesday, June 12, 2025, at City of Vancouver Water Resources Education Center. Tickets are $15 with a discount for TiE members.
For more information or to grab a ticket, visit Columbia River Pitch 2025.
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