Five Trailblazing Startups to Pitch at Exclusive Investor Event
Pendleton, OR – May 21, 2025 – The Oregon UAS Accelerator is excited to announce the 2025 Pendleton Innovator Showcase, an exclusive event designed to connect investors and strategic partners with the most promising new ventures in unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The event will take place on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at Wildhorse Casino in Pendleton, Oregon.
This year’s showcase will feature live pitches from five cutting-edge companies selected for the Spring 2025 cohort, each poised to transform the future of UAS technology:
- 3Autonomy LLC: Developing an Made in U.S., NDAA-Compliant, utility quadrotor platform with a Modular Open Systems Architecture, focused on re-shoring critical supply chain components for the U.S. sUAS market.
- Accipiter Aeroworks: A Nevada-based innovator creating solar-powered VTOL aircraft for long-duration missions: multi-day, multi-cycle flights over 50km.
- DroneSpotter: Delivering airspace awareness as a service with custom IoT hardware that tracks drone Remote ID signals, providing actionable real-time and historical data through a secure cloud platform.
- Morgan Geospatial: Offering comprehensive UAV/Drone services for commercial and government clients, including mapping, geospatial analysis, and utility inspection, while developing advanced UAS airframes for enhanced performance.
- Ziz Defense Company: Creating an AI-powered defense architecture to detect and neutralize UAV threats, leveraging acoustic triangulation and high-precision LiDAR technology.
The event will feature a judged pitch competition, with awards for both the Judges’ Winner and the People’s Choice, offering attendees a unique opportunity to help recognize and support the most promising innovations.
New This Year: Fireside Chat
The 2025 Pendleton Innovator Showcase will also feature a special fireside chat, “Technology Happens in the Most Unexpected Places,” hosted by Joseph Wyno of the Oregon UAS Accelerator. Joseph will be joined by JD Tovey III, AICP, Executive Director of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. JD will share insights on the Tribe’s leadership in technology, the region’s history, and how embracing innovation is shaping the future for the Umatilla community.
“The Pendleton Innovator Showcase is where the next generation of UAS solutions takes flight. We invite investors and strategic partners to join us in Pendleton to meet these exceptional founders, see their technologies in action, and explore new opportunities for investment and collaboration,” said Chris Ponzillo, CMO of the Oregon UAS Accelerator.
Event Highlights
- Live Innovator Pitches: See groundbreaking UAS startups present to an audience of investors and industry leaders.
- Fireside Chat: Gain unique insights from JD Tovey III and Joseph Wyno on technology and innovation in unexpected places.
- Networking Opportunities: Engage directly with founders, investors, and peers in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
- Exclusive Access: Get an inside look at the future of UAS technology, from NDAA-compliant quadrotors to AI-powered defense systems.
Strategic Partners
This event is made possible thanks to the support of our strategic partners:
Registration & Contact
Accredited investors and strategic partners are invited to register now to secure their place at this exclusive event.
For more information and to register, visit: oregonuas.org/showcase
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