Launch Pad finalists announced

Launch Pad finalists announced

The Telecommunications Industry Group has announced the three finalists in Launch Pad, a competition to find New Zealand’s best start-up company.

They are Speech School TV, a subscription-based internet television channel which offers English language speech and accent coaching; Dazzle Tickets, a new ticketing solution which is currently electrifying the entertainment industry, and Lifetime Health Diary, which provides you and your doctor with a single and complete personal health record.

The winner of Launch Pad and the second and third place-getters will be announced on March 30.

The winning entry will receive $70,000 worth of IT, marketing, legal and accounting services, as well as three 5102 Hewlett Packard Netbooks and 12 months’ account management support from four of the competition’s sponsors, WorldxChange, Republik, Hudson Gavin Martin and MYOB.

The second and third place-getters will receive prizes of $10,000 and $5000 sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Development and a HP 5102 Netbook.

The three finalists were chosen from a shortlist of six, who each had five minutes to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges at the Planet 2010 conference in Auckland on March 13.

Rob Spray, TIG chief executive officer, says the judges were delighted with the quality of the entrants.

“They are now faced with the difficult task of deciding who should be the overall winner. It won’t be easy, as all three finalists came up with innovative and exciting ideas. We wish all the Launch Pad contestants the very best in their future business ventures.”

ENDS

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