Makerbase and the mission to dispel tech's 'founders' myths'

In a quiet, introvert corner of the tech world, Portland's XOXO festival and Makerbase are encouraging creatives to reclaim their part in creating tech history

Back in early September, in a hot, dusty dog park on the east side of Portland, a few hundred people gathered around a modest stage to listen to two men called Andy.

Both of them, the co-founders Andy Baio and Andy McMillan, had spent months arranging a small gathering of handpicked, independent designers, developers and - in the true, non-advertising sense of the word - creatives. Some were sitting cross-legged on coloured mats nursing strong locally roasted coffees, others lurking at the back looking shy and keeping out of the sun.