Helping Exceptional Startups Transform Into Incredible Companies.

About North Bank

The core of a startup ecosystem is its people. These people connect around visionary ideas to create startups. These startups need the information, connections, and capital to grow to their potential.

North Bank Innovations is an organization designed to connect the community, educate the community, inspire the community, and create growth for all the community members.

Every day we meet new exceptional people in our region who need support, guidance and, opportunities to build an amazing vibrant business culture in the region. We are committed to events, programs and a very active involvement to make this happen. Below are a just a few of the core team that represent the many others that make up North Bank.

Dave Barcos

Dave Barcos is a startup strategist, creative leader, and entrepreneurial force behind dozens of early-stage ventures across the Pacific Northwest. Known for bridging vision and execution, he helps founders shape bold ideas into scalable, investable companies—often where innovation meets real-world impact. With a background in design, advertising, and business acceleration, Dave has led brand strategy, go-to-market planning, and product validation for startups in sectors ranging from food innovation to aerospace systems. As the founder of North Bank Innovations, he has built programs that support high-growth founders, secured public and private funding, and cultivated partnerships across government, education, and industry.

Marden Nochez

Marden Nochez is a visionary builder, systems thinker, and operational strategist with a deep background in manufacturing, engineering, and infrastructure development. Known for his hands-on leadership and ability to bring structure to ambitious ideas, Marden has led large-scale projects across sectors ranging from energy and transportation to hardware innovation. He brings a rare blend of practical execution and long-range planning, helping teams navigate complex technical environments while staying grounded in real-world constraints. Whether developing physical systems or building out operational models, Marden is a driving force behind scalable, resilient solutions.

Chris (C3) Croteau

C3 is a transformative technology executive and recognized thought leader, he specializes in launching innovative products and opening new markets through strategic vision, cross-sector partnerships, and operational excellence. With experience leading global teams of over 650 professionals, he has driven $300M+ in acquisitions and delivered breakthrough growth in emerging segments such as augmented reality and wearables. His leadership has shaped industry trajectories—propelling Intel into new categories, cultivating joint ventures with companies like Samsung, and securing over 100 business deals across SaaS, enterprise storage, networking, and advanced graphics.

Charles Swatzell

Charles Swatzell is a seasoned technology executive and entrepreneurial leader known for turning complex ideas into high-impact software solutions. As CEO of Formos, he has scaled the company into a global custom development firm, delivering enterprise-grade platforms and products for clients ranging from nimble startups to Fortune 500 companies. With deep expertise in product strategy, systems architecture, and team leadership, Charles has built and managed distributed engineering teams across the U.S., South America, and Asia. He is recognized for his ability to align technical execution with business goals, foster long-term client relationships, and drive digital transformation across industries.

Chris Magaña

Chris has more than 14 years of equity research and portfolio management experience. After receiving his B.A. in Business Administration from Concordia University, he completed his MBA in Finance and JD from Willamette University. He is a member of the Oregon State Bar. He has served as an adjunct professor at Concordia University and currently teaches part-time at Washington State University-Vancouver and Willamette University’s Graduate School of Business. He serves on several nonprofit boards and foundations and cares deeply about advocating issues surrounding education, affordable housing, children and the environment. Chris speaks regularly to students, community groups and associations on investment, economics, business ethics and personal finance topics.

Just A Few Startups We Have Helped

NBI RESOURCE COUNCIL

The Resource Council is a hand-selected group of leaders shaping the next wave of innovation in Clark County. It’s more than a network — it’s a trusted circle of influence, insight, and impact.

Membership is by invitation only.
This application collects your basic contact and background information. If selected, you will receive a private invitation to join. Members gain access to a dedicated Slack channel and early access to NBI events, programs, and opportunities.

As a Resource Council Member, you will:

See first — get a front-row seat to the newest startups emerging in our region.
Be informed early — receive advance notice of NBI’s upcoming events, programs, and initiatives.
Collaborate on North Bank education — help shape and contribute to North Bank’s founder-focused programs.
Get featured — opportunities to speak at events and share your expertise with a wide network of founders and leaders.
Expand your reach — support NBI through social and professional networks.
Participate as a subject matter expert — serve as a speaker, mentor, or panelist.
Meet exceptional leaders in our region —
Give back — share updates on the startups or founders you’re advising.

The Resource Council is your access point to the next generation of bold ideas. Let’s build what’s next — together.

Apply now

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS

Our Ecosystems has great organizations and companies that support startups and the work
of North Bank Innovations. This is only a partial list of our direct supporters.