Oregon Startup Conference - Sacred Fire Creative

Category: Oregon Startup Conference

How Emily Cadiz is transforming early education with Finnegan the Dragon.

From Silence to Song: How Emily Cadiz Turned Personal Adversity into a Startup Powering Childhood Literacy

When Emily Cadiz lost her ability to speak after a traumatic classroom incident, she faced a deeply personal and professional reckoning.

A lifelong musician and former special education teacher, Emily turned to music to rebuild what had been broken, first in herself, then in the education system.

That journey gave rise to Finnegan the Dragon, an early childhood literacy platform that’s doing far more than teaching kids how to read.

It’s building bridges between science and story, music and memory, education and equity. And that’s exactly why Emily is a powerful addition to the Success Panel of the Oregon Startup Conference on June 20, 2025, at George Fox University.

Using Rhythm and Story to Rewire the Brain

The classroom incident truly brought Emily to what can be argued as the lowest point in her life. She faced financial setbacks because she was unable to teach. She faced personal setbacks because she was unable to communicate.

Throughout that time, Emily found her way back to music. While earning her master’s degree in music, she discovered that music was healing her brain and restoring her ability to communicate.

And as Emily retrained her own brain through music, she discovered something astonishing: that the same techniques that helped her recover her voice could accelerate early language development in children.

That idea became the foundation for Finnegan the Dragon.

The Dragon Searching for His Fire

Finnegan the Dragon is a character that Emily created for her master’s thesis. He’s a dragon who doesn’t have fire, and he needs to go through various adventures so he can find his fire.

Designed for kids ages 2 to 6, Finnegan combines the science of reading with songs, movement, and interactive storytelling. This is not passive screen time. It’s play-based learning with a purpose, where every rhyme, rhythm, and repetition is engineered to reinforce phonemic awareness and cognitive growth.

Finnegan the Dragon quickly caught the attention of education leaders and innovation funders. The platform has received support from the National Institutes of Health, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and a matching grant from Business Oregon and the Oregon Innovation Council.

Such massive support cements Finnegan’s role as one of Oregon’s most promising edtech ventures.

Finnegan’s Community-Driven Mission

But Finnegan the Dragon is more than a startup. It’s an initiative for literacy justice.

From the beginning, Emily has made sure that Finnegan isn’t limited to families who can afford the latest apps. Through partnerships with Head Start, public schools, and grassroots organizations, Finnegan is reaching children in underserved and multilingual communities, many of whom face barriers to early education access.

Finnegan’s content is culturally responsive and neurodiversity-affirming. This makes it especially effective for kids who are English learners, have learning differences, or come from trauma-impacted backgrounds.

Emily also leads educator workshops to help teachers integrate Finnegan into daily routines and expand their trauma-informed teaching practices. She’s even introduced Finnegan into community healing spaces, transforming music into a tool for emotional resilience and connection.

In every way, Emily is using her platform to ensure that the power of early learning belongs to every child, not just the privileged few.

Meet Emily at the Oregon Startup Conference

Emily Cadiz’s story is one of transformation: personal healing turned into collective impact. Her insights at the Oregon Startup Conference promise to inspire founders, educators, and changemakers alike, especially those who believe that innovation should lift communities, not just markets.

Join us at the Oregon Startup Conference and connect with Emily in person. Learn how she turned music into medicine and a startup into a movement.

How Pallavi Pande Is Redefining Disposable Tableware in Oregon’s Startup Scene

In a world awash with disposable convenience, Pallavi Pande saw an opportunity to bring tradition, sustainability, and social impact to the table – quite literally.

As the founder of Dtocs, a Portland, Oregon-based company crafting elegant, compostable tableware from naturally fallen palm leaves, Pallavi is more than an entrepreneur.

She’s a cultural bridge-builder and a changemaker.

A Childhood Memory, Reimagined

Growing up in India, Pallavi cherished the ritual of eating meals on banana leaves, a practice that connected her to nature and community.

Years later, as a mother and businesswoman in Oregon, she transformed that memory into a mission. And that is to replace wasteful paper and plastic disposables with sustainable, stylish alternatives.

In 2019, she launched Dtocs, a play on “detox,” creating single-use plates, bowls, and trays from Areca palm leaves. This tableware is chemical-free, microwave-safe, and compostable within 90 days. They’re available in the US and Canada through their website and retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Etsy.

A Product that Empowers

Dtocs goes beyond eco-friendly tableware. It’s about empowering people.

The company partners with women artisans in India, providing them with fair wages and resources like sewing machines through collaborations with non-profit organization Anmol Sahara.

In the US, Dtocs supports education equity by donating to organizations like Greater Than PDX.

This dual-impact model earned Pallavi recognition in 2024 as a CO-100 Customer Champion by the US Chamber of Commerce.

A Voice for Founders, A Force for Good

Pallavi’s journey to become a purpose-driven founder is a testament to resilience and vision. Her participation in programs like SEED SPOT’s Retail Brand Accelerator, backed by Walmart.org, has helped scale Dtocs while staying true to her values.

She brings a rare blend of cultural insight, business acumen, and social impact to Oregon’s startup ecosystem. Her story resonates with founders navigating the challenges of scaling a mission-driven brand in a competitive market.

Her insights on building a business that serves both people and the planet are invaluable, whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or an established innovator.

Don’t miss the chance to connect with Pallavi Pande at the Oregon Startup Conference, where she is part of the Success Panel. Come and hear how she’s turning leaves into legacy, and learn how you can do the same.