June 8th Deadline Fast Approaching for Applications to TechLaunch

June 5, 2012 - PRLog -- Montclair, New Jersey – June 5, 2012:   If you are an aspiring tech entrepreneur with an innovative concept worth developing, or a fledgling tech start-up who just needs the critical support to transform your dream into reality, don’t miss the bus!  TechLaunch, New Jersey’s Technology Accelerator, is still taking applications at techlaunch.com, for the 2012 LaunchPad program….until the Deadline of June 8th.

The Selection Committee will then whittle down the applications to 20-25 Semi-Finalists. They will be summoned for the next Interview Round, during which they may be asked to provide video-recorded responses to a series of follow up questions. In-person interviews with each Semi-Finalist team will follow over a series of days before the final selections.

10-12 teams (Founders) will be selected by July 9th as the LaunchPad I Inaugural Class of 2012.  Each team will be given $18-to-$20,000 in early seed-stage capital. At the end of the month, on July 30th, Founders, Mentors and Sponsors are welcomed to Founder/Mentor Networking Day taking place at Montclair State University’s Conference Center. This event will provide an open environment for Founders and Mentors to ‘match-up’ in preparation for LaunchPad I, a 3-month intensive, mentorship-driven business program taking place from August 6th to October 26 on the campus of Montclair State University.

About LaunchPad I
The focus of LaunchPad is to develop an effective investor pitch and to build and iterate the product or services within the 12 week time frame. The Founders are encouraged to develop and pivot their ideas with help from the available resources provided by TechLaunch—including work space, mentors, one-on-one business coaching, and guest speakers. Weekly business exercises are provided as well as peer sharing sessions focused on a range of topics such as company formation, strategic planning, cash-flow management, financial projections, intellectual property, human resources, competitive analysis and optimizing the investor pitch. Guest speakers and panel discussions supplement the topics as well as provide a real world perspective. Informal and weekly pitching to mentors and potential investors are scheduled as appropriate.

On November 1st, TechLaunch will welcome everyone back to campus for its Demo Day & Investor Conference, an exciting event in which Angel Investors, VCs and Enterprise Businesses will converge to view short demos and hear intriguing pitches from each team. Investors are encouraged to bring their checkbooks!

To learn more about TechLaunch, or to apply for the 2012 program, visit techlaunch.com.

About TechLaunch:
New Jersey’s premier Technology Accelerator, TechLaunch was created to drive the commercialization of innovative technology within the State. Formed in collaboration with the NJ Economic Development Authority (EDA) (njeda.com), Montclair State University (montclair.edu), Casabona Ventures LLC (CasabonaVentures.com), and successful entrepreneurs, TechLaunch provides a select group of emerging portfolio companies early seed-stage funding, mentorship, key services and exposure to qualified investors, most notably during Demo Day which culminates our 12-week LaunchPad business program.  To contact the team or learn more, please visit us at techlaunch.com or email our Executive Director, Travis Kahn at travis@techlaunch.com.

About Montclair State University:
Montclair State University offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs to a highly diverse population of 18,500 students in an expansive university setting that focuses on student learning and success. For more information, visit montclair.edu.

Contacts:
Travis Kahn                          Norma Casabona
Executive Director               Media Contact
travis@techlaunch.com             norma@techlaunch.com