Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge

From the event organizers:

35 Startups and early stage companies from throughout California (and beyond) will be vying for a GLOBIE award as the Most Innovative New Product in California. Presented by Innovate North State, the Innovation Challenge is scheduled from 8:00 am – 5:30 pm on April 2 at Chico State University’s Bell Memorial Union Hall.

The Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge is the Most Innovative Product Competition primarily focused on California businesses located outside of Silicon Valley. It provides an extremely valuable opportunity for the showcased companies to generate positive visibility for their company, while making a year’s worth of key investment, media, industry, academia and government official contacts in one day.

Startups and early-stage companies seeking to present should submit an executive summary or innovative product description ASAP to Innovate North State’s CEO Jon Gregory. Slots will be reserved on a first-come, first served basis for those that are approved by a selection committee of investors and industry experts.

Innovate North State is pleased to announce that over ten different angel groups or angel funds have confirmed their participation. Among the groups or funds confirmed include Sacramento Angels, Astia Angels, 530 Angels, North Bay Angels, Sierra Angels, Angelus Funding, Band of Angels, Brown Dog Partners, Almond Tree Capital, and Northern California Investment Fund.

Innovate North State welcomes Silicon Valley tech pioneer Tony Perkins, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AlwaysOn, as the luncheon keynote speaker. In addition a venture capital panel featuring leading investors from Altos Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and DBL Investors is also a key part of the Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge.

“The 3rd annual Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge is an unprecedented opportunity for start-ups to meet a network of angels, early stage venture capitalists, media, and other alternative sources of capital.” Mr. Gregory continued, “It’s a must-participate venue for businesses seeking visibility for their new products or are raising capital.”

Selected finalists have 6-minutes on the Grand Innovation Stage in Chico State University’s Bell Memorial Union Hall to explain why their innovative new product is changing, or will change, the world, their industry, or people’s lives. The most innovative new product awards will be presented in 5 industry categories: food and agriculture, clean tech and environmental, web, mobile apps, software and information technology, manufacturing and consumer products, and healthcare.

Information here.