Vancouver’s Launch Academy: Demo Day, with a Twist

Kira M. Newman Jul 24, 2012 Tweet

In a typical demo day, each of the companies graduating from an accelerator gets a few minutes to pitch their idea, show off their wit, and hopefully win the hearts of investors.

But today, the startups from Launch Academy are under more pressure: they have just 60 seconds to catch the crowd’s eye. Only the top five get a chance for a full, five-minute presentation, plus five minutes of questions. At stake is a trip to Seattle to pitch investors and a spot at Launch@Grow, a startup showcase in August that will attract hundreds of attendees.

This is the first demo day for Launch Academy, a 3-month incubator program in Vancouver. Here are tonight’s competitors:

Local

• Placeling: An iPhone app to create a virtual map of your world, adding relevant information and recommendations from friends.
• OfVancouver: An iPad app for discovering Vancouver, whether you’re a local, a newcomer, or a traveler. Created by Flat World Apps.
• Iinnii Interactive News Network: A news site where you can share community news without having it filtered through the mainstream media.
• For Two Please: A site featuring hundreds of local date ideas.

Education

• Thinkific: Online and mobile classes currently focused on entrepreneurs, standardized test takers, and professionals. Cofounded by former teacher Greg Smith and veteran tech entrepreneur Matt Smith.
• GoSoftWorks: Creators of iPhone and iPad apps for learning about astronomy, like GoSkyWatch and GoSatWatch.
• Unitclass: A social learning platform that gets students to interact and learn outside of class.

Jobs

• KarmaHire: Helps businesses hire with video interviews and technical tests.
• CoopStudent: Connects businesses with co-op students looking for jobs.
• MomoJobs: A recruiting site where anyone can refer a candidate for a job, and collect a referral fee if that person is hired.
• Jobmodo: Tools to bring in potential candidates from your business’s social networks, including a Facebook job page.

Business

• Chloi Inc: Services for businesses to help them market their apps faster and more cheaply, like APIs and cloud services.
• netlek: Marketing software that helps you create an SEO-optimized website, post to Facebook and Twitter, send sales emails, and ultimately find new clients.
• FluidFeatures: Helps you test your product by controlling which users see which features.
• Ockamo: Analytics tools that track information about your online customers.
• SpaceList: A marketplace for renting commercial spaces.

Productivity

• four53: Software for dynamic web presentations.
• DecideOnline: A tool for soliciting opinions, like which logo is best for your company.

Entertainment

• Battlefy: A platform to create and stream video game tournaments.
• GreenCod Apps Limited: A game studio and the creators of Traffic Mania.
• Collective Entertainment: A game studio creating interactive social games.
• Goodbits: Pulls in the best articles shared across your social networks for you to read.
• Chantup!: Organized a massive, in-person chant with thousands of people in Vancouver.

Update: Launch Academy selected three winners: netlek, Battlefy, and Thinkific.