Moving to a new city offers an exciting opportunity to experience a new culture, but it also provides you with a chance to expand your professional network. When I first moved to Matter’s Portland, OR office from headquarters in Newburyport, MA I was excited about the challenge of meeting new professionals and getting to know a new corporate landscape – one that’s known for its entrepreneurial attitude and vibrant tech culture from giants like Nike to vision care innovators like Sightbox.
Networking events can be an excellent way to learn more about the professional landscape of any new city you move to. It also gives you a chance to unwind, meet other professionals in the area and make new business partnerships too. When it comes to Portland, I always recommend the following:
- NewTechPDX – A favorite of mine, NewTechPDX is the place to be to learn about the latest tech disrupting Portland and the West Coast. The event starts with casual networking and includes 3 short demos from companies related to the theme of the month such as automotive, VR and smart cities.
- Network After Work – Want to meet the most amount of people in the shortest amount of time? If so, Network After Work is for you. The theme is broad and it allows you to meet professionals across sectors from financial advisors to graphic designers.
- New Relic FutureTalks – If looking into the crystal ball of technology executives and futurists is for you, then you’ve come to the right place. Whenever I’m looking for new trends to keep an eye out for I always try to attend FutureTalks. As the name alludes, this event is all about the future whether it’s 6 months or 6 years from now.
- Startup Happy Hour – The heart of Portland lies in the startup community. If you own, work or are just interested in startups then this is the perfect event for you. Get to know your peers across industries and discover the innovators making a name for themselves in the city.
Each networking event is different and after attending one or two you’ll find which events you enjoy most. The above is just a sample of my favorites. Are there any I’m missing? Tell me in the comments!
Follow Matter PDX on Twitter and Instagram to see which events my colleagues and I are attending!