The effort to understand the flows of capital in the state of Oregon began with a group of stakeholders in 2012 who saw a need to identify gaps in the capital ecosystem. As that first report focused on the challenges of recovery from the great financial crisis, it was followed by a second iteration in 2014 and through continuing support from a growing group of stakeholders, the project has become a biennial effort of the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business.
In each iteration of the Capital Scan, from 2014 to present, the focus of the project has been to illuminate data that are not otherwise easily accessible. The research and analysis also seek to provide insights into the opportunities and challenges for businesses in Oregon seeking outside capital through loans, grants, crowdfunding, equity investments, and other programs to grow their firms, employment base, and the Oregon economy.
The Capital Scan is just that—a scan of the landscape of capital resources firms can access to start, launch, and grow. Though broad in coverage of capital types, the report does not dig deep into the questions many stakeholders may have about economic, social, or racial disparities of capital flows and access. Such detailed analysis is the domain of a different type of research by more appropriate investigators and organizations.
What the 2020 Oregon Capital Scan can offer is a look into the activities of Oregon’s economy in the relative stability of 2018-2019, the adaptation to the different world of 2020, and a measurement of activities that can be used to calibrate how Oregon’s businesses and capital resources evolve in the coming years.
Download the 2020 Oregon Capital Scan (PDF)
