'BIA/Kelsey NOW' to Examine the Rise of the Local On-Demand Economy, June 12, San Francisco

CHANTILLY, Va., May 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- From ride sharing and hospitality to house cleaning, odd jobs and roadside assistance, consumers, workers and investors are enthusiastically joining the local on-demand economy (LODE).BIA/Kelsey NOW, June 12, in San Francisco, will examine the rise of LODE and its implications for brands, service providers, local media and local workforces.

"At BIA/Kelsey NOW, we'll sit down with the leaders in today's customer experience, contract and customer management services, as well as upstarts who are tearing down the silos between media channels to 'close the loop' on the marketing cycle," said Conference Chair Mitch Ratcliffe, senior analyst, digital media strategist, BIA/Kelsey. "We're excited about the more intimate format of this one-day program, which has been designed to stimulate an interactive exchange of ideas among some of the most influential companies and individuals focused on LODE opportunities."

LODE Funding Sets the Stage

Collectively, LODE startups garnered more investment dollars in 2014 than any other market segment, raising $2.6 billion in venture capital (source: CB Insights). Meanwhile, the sector's growth continues with recent rounds closed by a number of companies whose executives will be speaking at BIA/Kelsey NOW, including DocuSign ($233M, Series F, May 2015), Breezeworks ($5M, Series A, Nov. 2014), Urgent.ly ($1.2M, Convertible Note, Oct. 2014) and Flint Mobile ($9.4M, Series C, Oct. 2014).

At BIA/Kelsey NOW, investors will discuss LODE opportunities and priorities during a special investment roundtable featuring William Hsu, Co-Founder and Partner, Mucker Capital; James Joaquin, Co-Founder, Obvious Ventures; Rick Prostko, Managing Director, Comcast Ventures; and Rob Siegel, General Partner, XSeed Capital.

B-to-B, B-to-C and Vertical Leaders at the Podium

In addition, on-demand experts from key LODE constituencies are scheduled to speak, including business leaders David Galvan, VP, Business Development – Strategic Alliances, MasterCard and Sameer Shirsekar, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Attendees will also hear from emerging LODE platforms and service providers representing key vertical segments, including:

• Nick Desai, Co-Founder and CEO, Heal (doctor house calls)
• Charley Wang, Co-Founder, Josephine.com (home-cooked meals)
• Paul Zeckser, VP, Product Development, HomeAdvisor (home improvement pros)
• Jared Simon, COO and Co-Founder, HotelTonight (hotel/hospitality)
• Sean Weinstock, Head of Partnerships, Homejoy (house cleaning)
• Chris Spanos, CEO, Urgent.ly (roadside assistance)

Sponsors and partners for BIA/Kelsey NOW include: AccelOne, Century Interactive and TheOnDemandEconomy.org. The early bird conference rate ends Friday, May 15. Complete conference information, including the agenda, speakers list, venue, sponsorships and online registration is available at http://www.biakelsey.com/NOW.

About BIA/Kelsey

BIA/Kelsey advises companies in the local media space through consulting and valuation services, research and forecasts, Custom Advisory Services and conferences. Since 1983 BIA/Kelsey has been a resource to the media, mobile advertising, telecommunications, Yellow Pages and electronic directory markets, as well as to government agencies, law firms and investment companies looking to understand trends and revenue drivers. BIA/Kelsey's annual conferences draw executives from across industries seeking expert guidance on how companies are finding innovative ways to grow. Additional information is available at http://www.biakelsey.com, on the company's Local Media Watch blog and Twitter (http://twitter.com/BIAKelsey). Stay connected by subscribing to the firm's bi-monthly newsletter.

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SOURCE BIA/Kelsey

Related Links

http://www.biakelsey.com/NOW