Bend Outdoor Worx

adds companies

The outdoor accelerator Bend Outdoor Worx, has twice as many companies this year participating in its mentorship program.

The Bend mentorship program was awarded grants from Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, to support outdoor business mentoring through funding technical assistance and capacity building.

This year’s cohort includes Bend businesses Eyeonize, GiddyUP Gloves, SnoPlanks, Snowshoe Labs, Sunny, Spiral Wax, StoryBooth and Wanderhut Vehicle, and a Portland business, Howl at the Spoon.

Businesses compete for a year-long slot to receive mentorship specific to each company. Participants also receive guidance from notable outdoor business founders who work with the companies to connect with critical resources such as legal, financial, marketing, branding, logistics and support, sales and marketing and product development.

The accelerator is the brainchild of Gary Braceline, and was launched in 2014 with the help of Will Blount, Justin Rae and Eric Meade.

New guide dog

hub in Boring

Guide Dogs for the Blind plans to break ground this summer on a new, state-of-the art 30,000-square-foot client residence and community hub at its campus in Boring. The project will more than double the organization’s capacity to serve clients in Oregon, with an inclusive complex that brings together clients, staff, puppy raisers, and other volunteers in one unified space.

The inclusive indoor/outdoor structure will contain new client residence quarters with private suites, a community hub with a café and information center, and an expansive outdoor green space with sensory gardens, and dedicated spaces for dog training and special events. When completed, it will be the first of its kind in North America.

Intel chief exits

to run Nokia

The head of Intel’s data center and artificial intelligence business, Justin Hotard, is leaving the chipmaker after just a year to be CEO of Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia.

Hotard’s new role is a big step up for him, but his exit leaves Intel with another top job vacant when the company is also searching for a CEO – and for a strategic plan to resurrect the company.

Intel hired Hotard in February 2024 to run its data center business, which is under threat because of competition from other chip designers like AMD and because much of the data center market has moved to artificial intelligence – a space where Intel has no competitive products.

Intel’s own executive ranks are in flux. CEO Pat Gelsinger resigned abruptly in December, apparently amid a dispute with the board about the chipmaker’s direction. The company’s sales have fallen by a third since 2021 and Intel eliminated 15,000 jobs last fall – the first step in cutting $10 billion from its annual budget.