A new program for the venerable technology launch show,Demo, adds an ocean of new entrepreneurial talent and could give long legs to the event.
Quietly unveiled by the show’s executive producer last year, Matt Marshall of VentureBeat, the new program includes three types of scholarships which can be used by any domestic and International technology company.
Universities are the target of Demo’s entry-level College Alpha Pitch Program which is underwritten by Microsoft Corp, according to Neal Silverman the IDG Senior Vice President who is Demo’s General Manager. The Student Alpha Pitch Program includes two full admissions to Demo and 90-second stage demonstrator slots as well as stations in Demo’s Demonstrator Pavilion. Ten College Pitch Scholarships will be available at Demo, Silverman says.
Demo is offering two other categories of scholarships; 20 full scholarships for young companies which launch their products at Demo but which have received less than $500,000 in funding and 10 partial scholarships for companies that have received limited angel funding but raised less than $1.5 million overall.
Funding for the new Demo Scholarship programs is coming from Demo’s Platinum Partners which includes AARP, Porter Novelli, Microsoft and other companies, according to Demo’s General Manager.
Demo Spring 2012 is April 17-19 and its location is the Hyatt Regency, Silicon Valley in Santa Clara, CA. the deadline to apply for College Alpha Pitch Scholarships is February 17.Additional information on Demo’s Scholarship program including applications is at http://demo.com/ehome/DEMO/launch/scholarships.
in the past, many startups operated on budgets that precluded their participation in the show, the new scholarships open up Demo to more new companies,” Silverman notes. Demo does not accept equity positions or warrants in any company that are part of its scholarship programs, Silverman reports.
In addition to Demo Spring and Demo Fall, Demo also has events in Asia, China and Brazil.—Jim Forbes on 02/14/2012.
Disclosure: I was the founding producer of Demo Mobile, now known as Demo Fall. I have no fiduciary relationships with Demo, IDG or any of its contract executive producers.
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