Oregon UAS Accelerator Celebrates Success of 2025 Pendleton Innovator Showcase:

Ziz Defense Company and DroneSpotter Take Top Honors

PENDELTON, OR, UNITED STATES, May 31, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Pendleton, OR – May 30, 2025 – The Oregon UAS Accelerator is proud to announce the successful conclusion of the 2025 Pendleton Innovator Showcase, held May 29 at Wildhorse Casino in Pendleton, Oregon. This exclusive event brought together leading investors, strategic partners, and five trailblazing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) startups for an afternoon of live pitches, networking, and thought leadership.

Event Highlights
The Showcase featured presentations from the Spring 2025 cohort:
• 3Autonomy LLC – Reshoring critical U.S. drone supply chains with NDAA-compliant quadrotors and modular open systems.
• Accipiter Aeroworks – Pioneering solar-powered VTOL aircraft for continuous, long-duration missions.
• DroneSpotter – Delivering scalable, NDAA-compliant airspace awareness and real-time drone detection, now deployed in over 15 cities.
• Morgan Geospatial – Advancing high-performance UAS airframes and comprehensive geospatial services for commercial and government markets.
• Ziz Defense Company – Developing portable, AI-powered counter-drone defense systems for military and strategic partners.

Attendees also enjoyed a fireside chat, “Technology Happens in the Most Unexpected Places,” with Joseph Wyno (Oregon UAS Accelerator) and JD Tovey III (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation), highlighting how innovation and technology are transforming communities in Oregon and beyond.

Award Winners
The evening culminated in two prestigious awards:

Judges’ Overall Winner: Ziz Defense Company
Recognized for their smart, portable AI counter-drone systems, Ziz Defense Company is empowering defense organizations to protect against evolving UAV threats with validated, field-proven technology and strategic partnerships across the U.S. Department of Defense and NATO allies.

People’s Choice Award: DroneSpotter
Selected by audience vote, DroneSpotter is elevating airspace safety with scalable, real-time drone detection and tracking, already generating over $100,000 in annual recurring revenue and achieving an 86% pilot program conversion rate.

Cohort Achievements
All five presenting companies received the second tranche of their non-dilutive grants, marking significant milestones in their commercialization journey. Each innovator demonstrated remarkable progress in technical development, business strategy, and investor readiness—reinforcing Oregon’s reputation as a national hub for unmanned systems innovation.

Gratitude to Partners and Judges
This event would not have been possible without the steadfast support of our strategic partners: Business Oregon, Oregon Lottery, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, and the Pendleton UAS Test Range. Special thanks to our distinguished judges—Deepthi Madhava (Oregon Venture Fund), Shashi Jain (Portland Seed Fund), and Jim Gochee (Entrepreneur & Investor)—for their expertise and thoughtful evaluation.

Looking Ahead
“The energy, innovation, and collaboration on display at this year’s Showcase prove that Oregon is leading the way in UAS technology,” said Joseph Wyno, Executive Director of the Oregon UAS Accelerator. “Congratulations to all our cohort members and winners. We look forward to supporting their continued success and welcoming even more innovators to our ecosystem.”

Chris Ponzillo
Oregon UAS Accelerator
+1 714-614-2646
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