As part of our May cover story, 100 Reasons to Love Portland, we've been asking some of our favorite Portland authors, performers, and thinkers to tell us why they love our city.

No one knows Portland's booming start-up scene like Rick Turoczy. In 2009, the tech guru co-founded the Portland Incubator Experiement (PIE), which has successfully mentored over 40 start-ups, including VendScreen, Lytics, and LittleBird. He writes about technology and entrepreneurship on his blog, the Silicon Florist, and sits on the board of the Technology Association of Oregon.  

We asked Turoczy why he loves Portland. Here's what he said:

These individuals — these Portlanders — are deeply invested in the quality of the products they’re creating. Even if that means risking scale. In Portland, we don’t make tons and tons of subpar product. We make small amounts of amazing product. And, it’s not just those products that are typically classified as “creative.” Because everyone in Portland is a creative in their own right. Especially the tech startup folks with whom I have the pleasure to associate day in and day out. Technologists who are carefully crafting their code. And building elegant solutions to complex problems. Creating companies from nothing. While solving problems with simplicity and aesthetic. 

It’s because of this focus that Portland products and experiences are ones that our locals readily consume — and that more and more people outside the region are beginning to crave. Only to be inspired to pursue products and experiences of their own. It’s an incredibly interesting cycle of craft, consumption, and inspiration. And observing how that cycle — time and time again — consistently inspires, motivates, and drives so many individuals in our community to pursue their own creative avenues remains one of my favorite things about what’s happening here.