Bill Tai To Mentor Frontrunners Of LA Auto Show's 2016 Top Ten Automotive Startups™ Competition

LOS ANGELES, July 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The LA Auto Show has added two prizes to its Top Ten Automotive Startups™ challenge, including live mentoring sessions with Silicon Valley investor Bill Tai, and an invitation to attend the finals of the Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) held on Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson's private estate.

After the Top Ten are chosen, the competition's esteemed judges will go on to select three of these companies to each receive a mentoring session on stage with Tai during AutoMobility LA™ on November 16.

The live mentorships will be followed by an announcement that reveals the startup that will be invited to attend the XTC on Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island.

"The LA Auto Show is attracting super interesting and disruptive startups that are redefining what we know as automotive," said Tai. "As an educator, investor and entrepreneur myself, I want to help bring my network and resources to accelerate the success of this year's Top Ten finalists."

Top Ten finalists will gain valuable exposure among more than 4,500 media and 20,000 industry professionals during this year's AutoMobility LA at the Los Angeles Convention Center (Nov. 14-17); attendees include influential thought-leaders, automakers, tech titans, designers, developers, investors, dealers, government officials, analysts, fellow startups and more. In addition to showcasing their companies on the exhibit floor, the Top Ten finalists will have the opportunity to be featured in various media outlets before, during and after AutoMobility LA.

The Top Ten finalists will also enjoy access to all AutoMobility LA networking events and receive an exclusive invitation to a breakfast with the LA Auto Show's executive team on Nov. 17.

The Top Ten finalists will be selected by the AutoMobility LA advisory board, which is comprised of senior executives from Aeris Communications, City of Los Angeles, Elektrobit, Ellis and Associates, Google, Local Motors, Lyft, Nokia Growth Partners, NVIDIA, Pandora and Strategy Analytics.  AutoMobility LA will be accepting submissions from June 9 - July 31, 2016.

Startups from all industries are encouraged to apply now by visiting: http://laautoshow.com/top-ten-automotive-startups/ 

"Bill is among Silicon Valley's highest-profile investors and has incredible experience accumulated from investing in more than 110 companies globally over a 25-year career in venture capital," said Lisa Kaz, President and CEO of LA Auto Show and AutoMobility LA. "We are thrilled that he will help us select and mentor some of the most innovative and promising new companies in our rapidly changing field. We are equally grateful to collaborate with XTC and its special host and guest judge Sir Richard Branson, who is an iconic inspiration for next-generation entrepreneurs across the globe."

AutoMobility LA is the culmination of a multi-year effort to evolve the LA Auto Show's Connected Car Expo and its Press & Trade Days into a trade show designed exclusively for the new automotive industry. The four-day event will continue to bring together the entire "new mobility ecosystem" – comprised of automakers, tech companies, designers, developers, startups, investors, dealers, government officials, analysts, etc. – to redefine and unveil the future of transportation.

About the Los Angeles Auto Show and AutoMobility LA
Founded in 1907, the Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®) is the first major North American auto show of the season each year.  In 2016, the show's Press & Trade Days merged with the Connected Car Expo (CCE) to become AutoMobility LA^TM, the industry's first trade show converging the technology and automotive industries to launch new products and technologies and to discuss the most pressing issues surrounding the future of transportation and mobility.  AutoMobility LA 2016 will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Nov. 14-17, with manufacturer vehicle debuts intermixed. LA Auto Show will open to the public from Nov. 18-27. AutoMobility LA is where the new auto industry gets business done, unveils groundbreaking products and makes strategic announcements in front of media from around the globe.  LA Auto Show is endorsed by the Greater L.A. New Car Dealer Association and is operated by ANSA Productions.  To receive the latest show news and information, follow LA Auto Show on Twitter at twitter.com/LAAutoShow or via Facebook at facebook.com/LosAngelesAutoShow and sign up for alerts at http://www.laautoshow.com/.  For more information about AutoMobility LA, please visit http://www.automobilityla.com.

AutoMobility LA™, Connected Car Expo®, LA Auto Show® and Los Angeles Auto Show™ are the exclusive property of ANSA Productions, Inc.

Media Contacts:
Breanna Buhr/Sanaz Marbley
JMPR Public Relations
818-992-4353
bbuhr@jmprpublicrelations.com 
smarbley@jmprpublicrelations.com

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SOURCE Los Angeles Auto Show