Startups Get a Spotlight at BEA!!!

Below is the full copy of the press release issued this morning announcing the BookExpo Start Up Challenge.  This is going to be an incredible event.  While BEA will always first and foremost be about books and authors, publishing is a business and events like this highlight the need to innovate, that publishing is an industry moving forward and embracing technology.  Librify has been an incredible partner, where BEA offers the platform but it is their team that delivers the magic in bringing all the key elements together with venture capital, industry insiders and the innovation incubated at nascent companies so they can now take the next step and continue publishing's role, where content originates and innovates! 

Startups Pitch at BookExpo America 2014

Announcing the unveiling of the BookExpo Startup Challenge; an event at Book Expo America where publishing startups compete for the opportunity to win cash prizes and pitch to the VCs in attendance.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK April 16th, 2014 – Publishing technology startups will be making their pitches to leaders in Venture Capital, Technology, and Publishing organizations at this year’s BEA convention.

For the first time ever, there will be a Startup Alley at BEA, bringing together the best of Silicon Alley and the book publishing industry on Thursday, May 29th, 2014.  Startups will compete to appear before the judges that will decide prizewinners and potential investment candidates on the spot.  The first prize of  $10,000, is sponsored by ICG Ventures Inc., an Ingram Content Group company.  The second prize, $5,000, is sponsored by Sourcebooks. All Startups at the event are eligible for consideration. A select few will have the opportunity to make their case to the judges at this year’s event.

“Last year at  BEA, we brought the tech community and the book publishing industry together for the first  publishing hackathon and we saw the great kind of innovation that comes out of bringing these communities together," said Joanna Stone, CEO of Librify. "This year we are continuing that tradition by creating a place at BEA for the growing book publishing startup community to gain access to traditional publishers and top venture capital and investment professionals”. 

The judges will include well-known names from venture capital and publishing including David Roland, Chief Venture Capital Officer, ICG Ventures Inc., Brian Cohen, Chairman of NY Angels, Jordan Bettman, Bain Capital Ventures, Dawn Barber, co-founder of NY Tech Meetup, Dominique Raccah, Publisher of Sourcebooks, and more.  BookExpo Startup Challenge will be accepting applicant startups at bookexpochallenge.com, where they can submit their pitch for our judges.

”BookExpo Startup Challenge is poised to be a fantastic event for BEA and the industry that will put a spotlight on innovation and technology at BEA, an important component of the publishing ecosystem," said Steven Rosato, Event Director for BookExpo America, Reed Exhibitions. "We expect this event to attract wide media coverage and to bring in solid venture capitalists looking for unique opportunities." 

Librify and BookExpo America have made a limited number of entry-level registration packages available for qualifying startups.  All registered startups will have access to additional benefits including interactions with executives from major publishing houses (including the Big 5), access to coaching and strategic advice from investment industry professionals, coaching from NY Tech Meetup founder Dawn Barber, and much more.

Startups seeking to participate in the BookExpo Startup Challenge should visit bookexpochallenge.com to apply. Others seeking more information regarding this year’s BookExpo America at the Javits Center should visit www.bookexpoamerica.com.

Registered attendees and exhibitors of BEA are invited to attend the final BookExpo Startup Challenge event at 2:30PM on May 29^th, 2014.

BookExpo Startup Challenge is brought to you in part by Book Expo America and Librify. 

ABOUT BOOKEXPO AMERICA:

BookExpo America (BEA) is North America’s largest gathering of book trade professionals attracting an international audience. It is organized with the support of association partners including the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and the American Booksellers Association (ABA). BEA is recognized for the media attention it brings to upcoming books as well as for the notable authors it attracts to the convention itself.

ABOUT LIBRIFY

Founded in late 2012 by publishing industry veterans and based in New York City, Librify is creating the world’s first book-of-the-month club for ebooks, bringing a dramatically improved shared, social reading experience and discounted pricing model to book clubs and readers across all platforms and devices. Librify was the co-organizer with the Perseus Book Group of the first ever Publishing Hackathon in May, 2013 at AlleyNYC and BEA, bringing together the technology, venture capital and publishing communities For more information pertaining to Librify and its upcoming launch please contact info@librify.com, or visit www.librify.com. 

Contact Information:
BookExpo Startup Challenge
475 Park Ave South

781-995-2665
info@librify.com
www.bookexpochallenge.com