Industry Support
Prosper Portland’s Business Advancement Team works with businesses in five priority industries where Portland is nationally competitive: Athletic and Outdoor, Green Cities, Food & Beverage Manufacturing, Metals and Machinery, and Technology and Media.
All of these industries are chosen because they supply living wage or high wage jobs and contribute significantly to the city’s economy. By having a national or international customer base, these traded sector companies bring dollars into Portland’s economy that help support other local serving businesses and suppliers.
Each industry has a dedicated liaison that works with companies that range in size from early -stage startups to global companies. Liaisons understand the industry they work with, help companies navigate challenges unique to that industry and serve as a free resource navigator to help companies get established and grow jobs in Portland.
Resources/Assistance Provided
1-on-1 Business Assistance
Building Partnerships & Maintaining Relationships with Companies and Talent
Industry-specific Programming and Events
Business Expansion Assistance
General Industry Knowledge/Data
Real Estate Searches
International and Domestic Trade Assistance
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Connections to Financial Resources and Permitting
Sponsorships/Partnerships
Workforce, Innovation and Startup Support
Athletic & Outdoor – Sue Bal
Includes a wide array of consumer goods businesses, including apparel, footwear, bikes, gear, outdoor products, knives, handmade goods and accessories.
Companies include: Nike, Adidas, Columbia, Keen, Danner, Revant, Portland Gear, HOKA, Leatherman, Orox, Got Bag
Green Cities – Katherine Juengel
A broad category of companies producing innovative products, services, and technologies that address the climate crisis and solve environmental challenges.
Environmental Services - a category that includes architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, environmental consulting, and surveying and mapping services
Energy and Mobility - technologies include electric chargers, managed charging software, batteries, grid technology, renewable energy, renewable fuels
Green Building Innovation – Mass timber, other low embodied carbon building material innovation such as low carbon concrete, building energy systems, hemp insulation, etc.
Companies include: Powin, Skip Technology, Gridstor, ESS, Inc, Photon Marine, Continuous Solutions, OpConnect, Daimler Trucks North America, Jaguar Land Rover, Avangrid, Vestas, PAE, ZGF, Timberlab, Community Energy Labs, Birch Biosciences, Rocsys
Metals & Machinery – Kate Merrill
Represented by primary metal manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing, machinery, and transportation equipment manufacturing.
Companies include: Vigor, Gunderson, Evraz, Radius Recycling, AIMCO, Weir ESCO, Bridge City Steel, Portland Kettle Works, Willamette Technical Fabricators, AMFOR, Sherpa Design, Portland Bolt, Accretech, Icicle Tricycles and Chris King Precision Components.
Food & Beverage – Yvonne Smoker
Includes food and beverage manufacturing, as well as packaging, wholesaling, equipment, and Beverage manufacturing companies including those that produce beer, liquor, non-alcoholic & functional beverages. Sub-clusters include food-related equipment, tools and machinery, farm product wholesalers, and food wholesale and distribution.
Companies include: Great Notion, Westward Whiskey, Swift Cider, Portland Syrups, Pan's Mushroom Jerky, Jacobsen Salt, Blue Star Donuts, Franz Bakery, Salt & Straw, Honey Mama’s, Creo Chocolate, Ranger Chocolate, Hab Sauce, Sibeiho, Hot Mama Salsa, Smith Tea, Nossa Familia Coffee
Software & Media – Yvonne Smoker
Encompasses technology and media businesses who sell primarily to businesses but also directly to consumers. This includes those that sell custom-designed software products and services, design studios, and verticals including fin-tech, open-source software, and e-commerce solutions.
Companies: Jama Software, Zapproved, Autodesk, Panic, LegitScript, Hydrolix
Other Traded Sector – Pam Neal/Elaine Hsieh
We will respond to requests for assistance from traded-sector businesses that don’t fall within one of our priority industries such as biotech.
Companies: Portland Pet Food, Genentech
