Startups 'HATCH' at SXSW Interactive Festival

HOUSTON, Jan. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- HATCH is a pitch competition for revolutionary tech startups at SXSW Interactive festival. Technology founders compete to win several prizes and gain recognition to take their startup to the next stage. HATCH is presented by the Houston Technology Center. HATCH wants early stage, technology startups with alluring, disruptive product ideas for the 2nd annual HATCH at SXSW's Startup Village.  Finalists will be selected to present their 4-minute business plans to a panel of corporate, angel, and venture investor judges in front of the SXSW audience on March 10th, 2013 from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM in Austin, TX. The audience will weigh in with comments and votes using mobile and web. Last year's winner, Rami Essaid, Co-founder and CEO of Distil adds, "Hatchpitch gave Distil amazing exposure. Thanks to the pitch event, we were able to meet our current lead investor and raise our next round of funding."

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130125/DA48482LOGO)

HATCH will select 12 companies with innovative IT technologies to participate in the competition. Participants will receive one-on-one coaching from mentors to refine their presentations for the competition. Companies can apply online at www.hatchpitch.com. The application period for HATCH ends February 4, 2013.

HATCH is looking for companies in the following categories: 

Cloud tech and services
Mobile and connected devices
Web tech
Collaborative tech
Big data
Virtual tech
Media and entertainment
Health and healthcare IT

Last year, 15 startups were chosen to participate including DADapp, Distil.it, GivePals, GoingMyWay (now RideScout), GonnaBe, LiveMusicStage, MyStream, NewsIT, Qukku, Realeyes, Recite, RewardCard, SPOTS Tracking Systems, Storymix Media and VoteIt. Distil.it won cloud hosting, a Samsung tablet, coaching and mentoring for their success last year in front of 300 people judged by Nicole Glaros, John Frankel, Marc Weiser, Joel Yarmon, Don Dodge, Joni Cobb, Rick Pleczko, and Chris Bernard. See video coverage from last year's inaugural HATCH Presented by Houston Technology Center at http://www.hatchpitch.com/hatch-startup-pitch-competition-at-sxsw/.

HATCH is a pitch competition for revolutionary tech startups at SXSW. Finalists present their business plans and receive feedback from esteemed entrepreneur, corporate, angel, and venture investor judges. The audience weighs in with comments and votes using mobile and web. HATCH is presented by the Houston Technology Center, one of Forbes' "Ten Technology Incubators Changing the World", and is a collaborative effort across the Houston and Austin startup communities.  More details on HATCH can be found at www.hatchpitch.com. Connect to the cause on twitter and facebook at @HATCHPitch.

The Houston Technology Center is a business accelerator and the largest technology business incubator in Texas, advancing the commercialization of emerging technology companies in the greater Houston area. HTC serves as the nexus of new ideas, technological innovation, and entrepreneurship. As a catalyst for change, economic growth and development, HTC's focus is to assist in the acceleration and commercialization of emerging technology companies. HTC assists Houston-based entrepreneurs within several key sectors: energy, information technology, life sciences, nanotechnology, and NASA/aerospace. More on The Houston Technology Center can be found at www.houstontech.org/

Contact: Mandy Graessle
[email protected]
(713) 581-4631

SOURCE Houston Technology Center