upside

Interview begins: 6:05
Debrief begins: 45:15

Michael Markesbery is the co-founder and CEO of OROS apparel, an outdoor and sportswear company that has revolutionized the technology in outdoor clothing.

Founded in Cincinnati and now based in Portland, Oregon, OROS makes outdoor apparel using their own NASA-inspired aerogel technology called SolarCore. An online, direct-to-consumer brand, OROS offers several products with the aim of making outwear less bulky and, perhaps one day, eliminating the need for outwear at all.

Michael recounts his inspiration for the product and for the company, and how he and his partner started building the brand as pre-med students and continue to watch it grow.

We discuss:
- Inspiration for a less bulky yet warmer product (6:15)
- The potential of aerogel and it's use in SolarCore (8:00)
- The start of OROS and it's values (11:15)
- Acquiring aerogel (15:54)
- Kickstarter success (17:50)
- Flourishing of the business (22:39)
- How warm is SolarCore? (25:33)
- Target consumers (30:25)
- OROS's goals for today and market potential (32:05)
- OROS's products and finances (33:45)
- Move to Portland (42:04)
- Marketability of eliminating outwear (43:29)

OROS was founded in 2014 and based in Portland, Oregon.

Learn more about OROS: https://www.orosapparel.com/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm

Show Notes

Interview begins: 6:05
Debrief begins: 45:15

Michael Markesbery is the co-founder and CEO of OROS apparel, an outdoor and sportswear company that has revolutionized the technology in outdoor clothing.

Founded in Cincinnati and now based in Portland, Oregon, OROS makes outdoor apparel using their own NASA-inspired aerogel technology called SolarCore. An online, direct-to-consumer brand, OROS offers several products with the aim of making outwear less bulky and, perhaps one day, eliminating the need for outwear at all.

Michael recounts his inspiration for the product and for the company, and how he and his partner started building the brand as pre-med students and continue to watch it grow.

We discuss:
  • Inspiration for a less bulky yet warmer product (6:15)
  • The potential of aerogel and it's use in SolarCore (8:00)
  • The start of OROS and it's values (11:15)
  • Acquiring aerogel (15:54)
  • Kickstarter success (17:50)
  • Flourishing of the business (22:39)
  • How warm is SolarCore? (25:33)
  • Target consumers (30:25)
  • OROS's goals for today and market potential (32:05)
  • OROS's products and finances (33:45)
  • Move to Portland (42:04)
  • Marketability of eliminating outwear (43:29)
OROS was founded in 2014 and based in Portland, Oregon.

Learn more about OROS: https://www.orosapparel.com/
Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm

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Named a top 27 business podcast by Fortune, upside examines startup investing outside of Silicon Valley.

Every Wednesday, we speak with an early stage founder. We interview them as if we are angel investors considering the company as an investment opportunity.

Each show has three segments:

1.) Intro: independent research of the company
2.) Interview: interview with the founder
3.) Debrief: breaking down the opportunity

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