Calling all entrepreneurs! Share the stage with top angels, VCs, entrepreneurs

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Nov 05, 2012, 09:30 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Vator Splash NY will bring angels and venture capital leaders together with promising business startups and seasoned entrepreneurs for a fun event that promises to spark fundraising opportunities and inspiration.

If you want to be one of the top 10 promising startups to get on stage on Dec. 5 at Le Poisson Rouge in Manhattan, there's still time to apply. The event, sponsored in part by KPMG, runs from 3:30 pm to midnight.

Apply here: http://vator.tv/competition/vator-splash-ny-december-2012

Even though success is not defined by how much money a company has raised, Thumbtack, Getable, Grovo, Astrid, Udemy, and Geeklist have gone on to raise millions of dollars collectively from venerable VCs and angels, soon after presenting at Splash.

"Having the opportunity to demonstrate Apartment List at Vator Splash and talk about our vision to an audience of top-tier VC investors and entrepreneurs was an exciting honor. Bambi and team put on an great night of Silicon Valley networking. We made meaningful connections at Splash as well as on Vator that are proving fruitful for our business, and winning the start up competition was icing on the cake," John Kobs, CEO and co-founder of Apartment List.

"At Vator Splash, I made great connections with a number of investors and had a number of follow-up meetings. We were able to raise our last round entirely from investors who discovered us from the publicity we generated from Vator Splash," said Jon Paris, CEO and founder of Astrid.

"Working with Vator, and Bambi, is a pleasure. She's really passionate about uniting great ideas with the right people. We actually tied for first in last years Vator Splash SF and as a direct result raised $150,000 from an investor who saw us pitch. TEEC Angels approached us right at the event and invested soon thereafter. Reuben Katz, CEO and founder of Geeklist.

"Vator has acted as a launchpad for my startup in terms of awareness and exposure. As a winner of a Vator competition, my startup enjoyed early traction and buzz. Vator has kept my business relevant in the minds of investors, entrepreneurs and potential employees. I've made many invaluable connections to the investor and entrepreneur community," said Tim Hyer, founder and CEO, Getable.

"Events like Vator Splash are critical for startups to generate awareness. We were a top 10 finalist for Splash LA. It provided us with an amazing opportunity to network and gain exposure to a whole community of investors and VCs. Soon after, we raised $3M as a result of the momentum/exposure from the event and the platform in general," said Peter Vogel, founder of Plink.

At Splash NY, the 300 expected attendees will also hear from top entrepreneurs sharing their stories.

At Splash NY, Sheila Marcelo, founder and CEO of Waltham, MA-based Care.com, will share her lessons building her startup, which has raised more than $100 million in venture financing. Jeremy Allaire, founder and CEO of Brightcove, will also talk about how he founded his company and led it to a successful IPO exit this year. Other speakers and judges of our competition include Scott Kurnit (founder of About.com and prolific angel investor), David Gilboa (founder and CEO of Warby Parker, and angel investor), Chris Fralic (First Round Capital), Rick Heitzmann (FirstMark Capital), Micah Rosenbloom (Founder Collective), David Teten (ff Venture Capital), Thatcher Bell (DFJ Gotham), Ben Lin (Great Oaks Capital Management), Gil Beyda (Genacast Ventures), Michael B. Aronson (MentorTech Ventures), James Robinson (RRE Ventures), Marc Michel (Metamorphic), Ezra Roizen (Ackrell Capital), Daniel Garrie (Pulse Advisory), Tim Walsh (KPMG), Max Chee (Millenium Technology Value Partners), and Allen Duan (Head of Corp Dev,Viacom), and Deborah Jackson (WIM Accelerator and Golden Seeds). Online judges include Jules Maltz (IVP), Tim Foster (KPMG), Kevin Stephens (Kismet).