A year ago, I had the distinct pleasure of helping launch a new program at SXSW in Austin. ReleaseIt, the brain child of Hugh Forest, brought to fruition by Chris Valentine and his team, was a new approach to providing a platform for companies (startups, corporations, etc.) to launch a new product, service or entire company in Startup Village at SXSW Interactive.
SXSW wants to recognize companies who are launching during or just before the festival by giving these deserving ventures a boost of exposure on their own ReleaseIt at SXSW stage in Startup Village on Friday, March 13, 2015.
ReleaseIt is a great program that allows companies of all ages and sizes to apply for a chance to make it to the finals during SXSW where they will compete in front of a panel of technology leaders who will select the company most likely to succeed in the marketplace.
The distinguished judges include Marc Nager, CEO of UpGlobal, Susan Amat from Venture Hive in Miami, Lesa Mitchell from NetworkForScale, and Evan Burfield, cofounder of 1776 in DC.
Finalists are also provided support and feedback from one of five amazing coaches: Shauna Causey with Everymove.org, Mellie Price from Capital Factory, Ken Koo from Spark Ten , Tyler Prochow from THINK BIG Partners in KC, and Andy Stoll from Seedhere Studio in Iowa.
So what do you do from here?
1) Click on this link and apply to be a startup featured at ReleaseIt before February 6th, 2015
2) Share this with your friends and other companies launching a new product/service or company at SXSW: #sxsw #releaseit
3) Get as many people to come and support you when you pitch
4) Figure out a way to wow the judges and make sure your company is the big winner!
Last year’s winner, Visage currently does great things, growing their business including customers such as LinkedIn and Mashable.
Don’t miss out on your chance to stand out at SXSW in 2015 and present live on stage on Friday, March 13th from the famed Startup Village.
The post How to Stand Out at SXSW This Year appeared first on The Dallas Entrepreneur Center.