Huffington Magazine Issue 74 | Page 63

PAUL BERG/SAFI WATER WORKS SILICON FOREST the merits of the proposed deal: The commission would furnish $100,000 in renovations — carpeting, new tile, a little kitchen space, and new bathrooms — in exchange for her agreeing to a year’s worth of free rent. “I like having those startups down there,” Livingston says. “Maybe one of them will wind up being a tenant for us long-term. If not, we’re left with an improved space.” Livingston was included on the selection committee that picked the winners. She joined two local venture capitalists, a founder of a Portland startup incubator, and a partner from a Portland seed fund that takes stakes in early-stage companies and provides mentoring. Once the commission began inviting applications, measu