Publishing Startup Showcase

Startup Showcase will be returning to TOC 2013, giving groundbreaking startups a chance to show their stuff to the world. Highlighting the startup ecosystem’s creativity and variety, the Showcase will give young companies in the publishing space a chance to get their company in front of a global community of leaders in the publishing and technology industries, as well as potential investors. And this year we’re changing the format slightly and allowing the public to choose the finalists, giving startups even more exposure in the publishing industry.

And the winners are…

• Most Commercial: CartoDB
• Most Entrepreneurial: Paperight
• Audience Favorite: Borne Digital

Watch video of the three winners being announced (and giving their 1 minute pitch) onstage at TOC in New York

The 10 Finalists

Congratulations to these 10 startups who will be joining us in person at TOC in New York City to demo their products and services in the Startup Showcase.

View the list of the 20 semi-finalist companies

About Startup Showcase

Who qualifies to participate?

• Relatively young publishing (and publishing-related) startups that aren’t drowning in investment (yet)
• Established companies incorporating new technologies and/OR innovative business models in their approach to publishing

How it works:

• Our team of investors, VCs, and industry analysts will select 20 leading publishing startups from all the submissions we receive. (Note: call for submissions ended December 6)
• The 20 semi-finalist companies will then be put up for a public vote by the publishing industry
• The 10 companies with the highest combination of public vote and judges’ score will then get the opportunity to demo their product/service and tell their story in-person at the TOC Startup Showcase on Wednesday, February 13 in New York City.
• On February 13 during TOC, we’ll have the 10 finalists demoing in one large room. TOC attendees and two judges from the investor community will have a chance to visit the demos and listen to your 5-minute pitch. We’ll then ask everyone to vote on their favorite startup
• The three winners (two judges picks and the audience favorite) will be announced the following day during the afternoon keynotes. Each of the winning companies will then give a one-minute pitch and have a short conversation with the judges onstage.

If selected as a finalist:

• We’ll provide you with a small table and room for two people to demo
• You’ll supply your own laptop for the demos (we won’t provide power, so we recommend bringing two laptops)
• Wireless internet access will be available, so web-based demos are okay
• You’ll bring a maximum of two people (at least one of whom must be a founder or C-level equivalent)
• The week prior to the event, you’ll supply us with a presentation of 2-4 slides that includes screenshots for your onstage pitch in case you are selected
• You’ll receive a complementary 2-Day Pass that will get you into all keynotes, sessions, and events

Important Dates
All Startup Showcase submissions due: December 6
Semi-finalists notified by: January 3
Semi-finalist voting opens: January 7
Semi-finalist voting ends: January 11
Finalists notified by: January 15

• To get started, complete our complete our Startup Showcase application before December 6.
• Once we’ve received all the applications, we’ll review them and contact the finalists by DATE TBA. If your company is chosen, you’ll receive up to two 2-day passes to TOC 2013 for the members of your company who will be pitching.
• You’ll have a space in the showcase to try and win over the judges.
• The winning startup will be chosen onsite at TOC 2013.
• To be a finalist, you need to be in New York on February 13, 2013.