PitchForce (formerly IGNITE!) by PeopleConnect November 8, 2012

PitchForce is a series of monthly fund raising events for high tech, software, clean tech, medical device, biotech or medical diagnostic companies. The way it works is that ten companies are chosen each month to participate in PitchForce. Presenting companies will each have a demo table with the opportunity to meet and network with angels, VCs and guests during the first hour. Attendees will then vote for their favorite company, and the top five will get to present to a distinguished panel of VCs. The panel then chooses who they feel is the most promising startup. The winner gets a meeting with our Sponsoring Venture Capitalist, Hummer Winblad, for a full Pitch Session to the Hummer Winblad team.

The companies that have been selected for this month’s PitchForce event thus far are:

EcoTensil – EcoTensil Inc. creates the hippest, most eco-friendly paperboard utensils available. Their products are biodegradable, recyclable, made in the USA from sustainable material, and use less material than other plastic biodegradable utensils.

Free Flow Wines - Free Flow Wines provides turn-key keg services to the world’s leading wine brands. The Free Flow Wines System enables our client wineries to serve their wines to wine lovers nationwide in the most sustainable, environmentally-friendly and freshest way possible: on tap.

NuffnangX – NuffnangX is a mobile app that helps you find, follow and communicate with blogs all over the world. Users can follow any blog they love, like posts and have conversations with bloggers. It is like instagram for blogs!

One World Virtual - WebEx meets Second Life without the avatars. True-to-life virtual meetings online, on-mobile, OS agnostic, in photo-realistic 3D.

PrizeReel - The PrizeReel Platform helps brands to run contests and promotions that engage their users and reward them for contributing valuable mobile media.

Tapgreet – Tapgreet places self-service greeting card kiosks in coffeehouses and cafe's (think Redbox for greeting cards).

TESHUB - TESHUB combines the unique experience of professional athletes with the expertise of cutting edge science in footwear and apparel designed for the specific needs of athletes in today's sophisticated training arena - those athletes who are looking to build from the ground up.

The Daily Sales Exchange - he Daily Sales Exchange is a web marketplace that accelerates sales transactions by qualifying and enhancing buyer-seller relationships at the right time.

Zyante - Zyante's platform and interactive learning resources will dramatically transform the teaching and learning experience in universities.

The panel of VCs for this Thursdays’ event are:

-Eric Ferraro, shareholder at LeClairRyan, an international law firm.
-Mitchell Kertzman, a Managing Director at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners
-Suraj Kumar Rajwani, a co-founder and partner of DoubleRock
-Steve Bernardez, who joined ONSET Ventures in 2006, bringing more than a decade of experience in the IT industry.
-Allan Young, a very talented and successful investor and entrepreneur, founder at mediaFORGE, a partner at Design Engine Lab, and a consultant with Sendside Networks. Allan currently is a co-founder of LaunchHere Inc.

The schedule for the evening is as follows:

5:00 - 6:00 PM Networking, free appetizers, drinks and demo tables. Vote for top startups.
6:15 - 7:15 PM Top 6 startups are announced to pitch to a distinguished panel of VCs
7:15 - 7:45 PM Q/A with Mitchell Kertzman from Hummer Winblad Venture Partners
7:45 - 8:30 PM Networking with dessert and drinks!

For more information on this event and available sponsorship or pitching opportunities, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

Official Website: http://www.pitch-force.com