Conference Details |
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The contest is now closed. Stay tuned for a list of the ten Startup 2009 finalists!
Applications for Startup 2009 (June 3, NYC) will close in two weeks. If you miss the deadline, you'll miss your opportunity to get a lot of free buzz, bragging rights, and several top-tier VC firms. So don't blow it.
A reminder:
- Entering the Startup 2009 competition is free. Just give us a quick description of your business as per the instructions below, and you're good to go. All emerging online companies, from business plans up to a few million in seed capital, are invited to apply.
- Our expert panel will choose 10 winners from the pool of applicants. Each of these winners will be invited to present their company at the conference, persuade the judges and audience that they'll soon rule the world, and compete for a $50,000 Grand Prize. They'll also each get a write-up on Silicon Alley Insider.
- There's also the Entrepreneur-Appreciation conference-and-promotion package for $295. Even if your company is not selected as one of the 10 winners, you can attend the conference and get an SAI write-up for $295. That's $100 off the Early Bird price.
Tickets for Startup 2009 are are available now. Seating is limited, so if you procrastinate and get boxed out, don't come crying to us. The early bird special is $395, and we're also offering a limited number of student tickets for $49. You'll need to present a valid student ID at the door to get in with the latter.
Full details below...
We're pleased to announce the Startup 2009 conference, which will take place in New York during Internet Week on Wednesday, June 3. The conference is co-hosted by Silicon Alley Insider and New York University's Stern School of Business, with support from founding sponsor General Catalyst Partners. Startup 2009 will showcase 10 top startups competing for bragging rights, buzz, and a $50,000 prize.
The conference will take place on June 3, 2009, at the Schimmel Auditorium at NYU's Stern School. It will be the first of what we hope will become an annual forum for outstanding entrepreneurs and early-stage companies to meet VCs, investors, journalists, and other members of the East Coast startup community.
Tickets are available now (thanks to our ticketing sponsor, Eventbrite). The early-bird rate is $395. We also have a limited number of student tickets for $49. The Schimmel Auditorium is awesome but small (attendance is limited), so please buy your tickets early. Applying to present at the conference is free--see below. And hurry--applications close April 20.
The Conference
Startup 2009 will be a one-day conference featuring interviews with entrepreneurs, expert panels, networking, and ten featured startups competing for a $50,000 Grand Prize.
Speakers will include:
Jason Calacanis, Founder/CEO Mahalo, founder Weblogs, former EIR at Sequoia. In his return to Silicon Alley, Jason will describe what it's like to build a thriving company out of thin air, become a global media star, and then get steamrolled by a collapsing economy. More importantly, he'll explain how he managed to get up and do it all over again.
John Battelle, Founder/Chairman/CEO, Federated Media; author The Search and Searchblog, former CEO, The Industry Standard. John also built a huge company (Industry Standard), watched it get destroyed in the dotcom bust, and then bounced back up and did it all over again.
Kevin Ryan, CEO Alleycorp; former CEO Doubleclick; founder Gilt Groupe, Silicon Alley Insider, Shopwiki, Panther, 10gen. Kevin built DoubleClick from a New York-based startup with a dozen employees to a global behemoth with 1500. Then he shrunk it to 750 people, sold it, and launched six New York-based, venture-backed startups, including the highly successful Gilt Groupe. Kevin will explain what he's learned from this 15-year ride--and why you should never bother with a business plan.
Our VC partners will serve as judges:
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George Bell, partner General Catalyst Partners; former CEO Excite, Excite@Home, and Upromise; board member Big Fish Games; Going; HubSpot; PhotoShelter; ShortTail Media and WonderHowTo. In the late 1990s, George built Excite from a tiny startup to a global behemoth. He then merged it with @Home and became CEO of the combined company.
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Rick Heitzmann, founder/Managing Director, FirstMark Capital; board member Clickable, Live Gamer, weplay, Riot Games and New York City Economic Development Corporation.
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Eric Hippeau, managing partner, SoftBank Capital.
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Jeanne Sullivan, general partner, StarVest Partners.
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David Pakman, partner, Venrock, former CEO eMusic.
The Contest
Emerging online companies are invited to submit applications to present at the conference. We will circulate your application to our panel of VCs and experts, who will choose the Top 10 most promising companies from the pool of applicants. The Top 10 will be announced on Silicon Alley Insider and be invited to present on stage at the conference and compete for a $50,000 Grand Prize.
Applying to the conference is free*, and all companies that apply will be evaluated by General Catalyst, Softbank, StarVest, Venrock, and FirstMark Capital for possible investment. The Top 10 will be featured live at the conference and will be written up on Silicon Alley Insider.
At the end of the conference, one of the Top 10 will also win a $50,000 Grand Prize, which will consist of a $25,000 cash investment from General Catalyst Partners and $25,000 of in-kind services. The latter will include:
- Up to 6 months of office space in NYC.
- Marketing campaign with Silicon Alley Insider.
- Legal services from a top-notch law firm.
How to Apply - Deadline Is April 20
Emerging companies in the online industry are invited to apply. (We define "emerging" as up to a few million of seed capital.) Operating companies are fine. Business-plan-stage companies are also fine, but you will need to describe your planned product and value proposition in detail.
Here's how to apply:
1. Log-in to Angelsoft, a web site that connects entrepreneurs and investors, which we have modified for Startup 2009.
2. Click the green "Apply for Funding" button on the right hand side to fill out a Startup 2009 contest application form. (We've modified the standard Angelsoft application for use with the conference, so please ignore the "Apply For Funding" part. You're applying for the conference, not funding.)
3. Fill in the information and upload your business plan--any other uploaded material will be discarded.
4. Save your work and submit your application.
We will share your application only with our staff and our panel of judges, which includes General Catalyst, Venrock, and Softbank.
Applying to present at the conference is free.* We're also offering a promotional package for $295 that includes:
- Publicity on Silicon Alley Insider (logo, link, and company description)
- A conference ticket
The $295 can be paid via credit card.
Check out the Rules and Eligibility before you apply.
*We initially planned to charge a $295 application fee, but thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we've been able to eliminate it. If you're coming to the conference, the $295 promotional package is still an excellent deal.
Questions? Email us at [email protected].
