OMIC R&D Interactive Insights Session

Bringing a physical product to market comes with unique challenges. From selecting the right materials to validating designs and preparing for manufacturing, every decision can impact cost, quality, and speed to market.

Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC) R&D, in partnership with the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), are hosting an interactive insights session from 2:00 - 3:30 pm on Wednesday, September 9th at The Hivve in Grants Pass designed for founders, innovators, and startups developing physical products.

During this session, OMIC R&D experts will share practical strategies and resources that help entrepreneurs accelerate product development, reduce technical risk, and make smarter manufacturing decisions earlier in the process.

What You'll Learn

• How to evaluate and select materials that meet your product's performance requirements

• Best practices for testing designs before investing in production

• When and how additive manufacturing can improve speed, flexibility, and cost efficiency

• Common challenges founders face when transitioning from prototype to manufacturing and how to avoid them

• How advanced capabilities such as 3D metal printing, product validation, and materials testing can support innovation

• Ways startups can leverage OMIC R&D's expertise, facilities, and programs to strengthen product development

You'll also learn about startup-focused opportunities, including pro bono support and technical resources available through OMIC R&D that can help remove barriers to commercialization.

Who Should Attend

This session is ideal for founders and startup teams who are:

• Developing a hardware, consumer, industrial, or manufactured product

• Building and testing prototypes

• Exploring manufacturing options

• Preparing for pilot production or commercial launch

• Looking to reduce risk and accelerate product development

Whether you're refining an early concept or preparing for production, this session will provide practical guidance to help you build with greater confidence and efficiency.

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) is co-hosting the event. Space is limited, and registration is reviewed, so interested participants should register and wait for email confirmation.