Seeq Fuels Entrepreneur Nonprofit Programs by Committing to Pledge 1% Movement

The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network and Pledge 1% Colorado will use the donations to help local entrepreneurs further develop their businesses, while giving back to local communities

December 15, 2021 – SEATTLE – Seeq Corporation, a leader in manufacturing and Industrial Internet of Things advanced analytics software, today announced that its commitment to the Pledge 1% movement has been realized by its chosen nonprofit recipients.

Pledge 1% is a corporate philanthropy effort focused on integrating philanthropy into businesses around the world. The program encourages early-stage entrepreneurs and companies to donate 1% of product, equity, profit, or employee time to nonprofits in their communities.

Seeq made its commitment to Pledge 1% in 2013. Over the last eight years, an impressive group of entrepreneurs and companies have committed to the Pledge 1% movement, which has grown its network to include more than 12,000 donors. “At Seeq, we encourage our employees to embrace their innovative and entrepreneurial spirits every day, and we want to empower others to do the same,” says Steve Sliwa, Vice Chairman and Founder of Seeq. “With the right resources, entrepreneurs can make an immeasurable impact on our communities and economies. Therefore, a portion of our equity is donated to nonprofits focused on education and entrepreneur support.” Seeq chose to donate and evenly split 1% of its equity between two nonprofits in its founding communities, including:

• The Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, formerly known as the Entrepreneurs Foundation of the Northwest, is dedicated to building a local network of entrepreneurs in Oregon and Southwest Washington, and to connecting members with resources to develop their businesses. More than 54,000 community members have participated in OEN’s programs, and the nonprofit has given more than $10 million back to its communities.
• Pledge 1% Colorado, formerly known as the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Colorado, is a founding partner of Pledge 1% with a similar focus—making it easy for entrepreneurs and businesses to give back to their communities. The nonprofit has grown its own network to include more than 300 companies, and it has accumulated more than $11 million in assets for Colorado communities.

In 2021, both organizations had the opportunity to redeem their portion of Seeq’s commitment and put it to action.

“OEN supported Seeq’s development in its earliest days and by giving back to the organization now, Seeq has created a virtuous cycle of paying it forward,” says Amanda Oborne, president and executive director of OEN. “Our team will use Seeq’s contribution to support new startups that aim to follow in Seeq’s successful footsteps and, eventually, turn around and support the next generation of founders.”

“Seeq’s generous and flexible contribution has provided an unbelievable on-ramp for Pledge 1% Colorado to build upon the work we’ve been doing for the past 13 years,” comments Matt Zwiebel, executive director of Pledge 1% Colorado. “We now have a runway to develop new programs to educate businesses on giving intentionally, along with new platforms encouraging service providers to engage in philanthropic journeys.”

In addition to donating to Pledge 1%, Seeq is involved with community volunteer activities during company meetups, such as volunteering at local food banks, building bikes for the Boys & Girls Club of America, and sponsoring virtual walk-a-thons that benefit charities.

To learn more about Seeq, visit Seeq.com.