Hackers Fight Cancer by Rallying Tech Entrepreneurs and VCs

SAN FRANCISCO - June 13, 2013 - PRLog -- SAN FRANCISCO – June 13, 2013 – What does a competition to find the next Mr/Ms Silicon Valley and an online auction of once-in-a-lifetime experiences with VCs/angel investors have in common?  They’re the final events for a 10-week fundraising effort by the HackCancer team for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  

Mr/Ms Silicon Valley – Path to the IPO is the culmination of the HackCancer LLS fundraising campaign where over 1,000 young professionals will gather at the Fairmont Hotel Ballroom to toast to a great cause, hear about innovative new ideas, and dance the night away.  To find the best representatives for Mr/Ms Silicon Valley, each contestant will go through the 3 paths to their eventual crowning moment.  (1) The Seed Round: Contestants will create mini-campaigns to raise money for LLS.  (2) Series A Funding: Contestants have 45 seconds to pitch an idea to a panel of expert judges.  Emmy award winning anchor/reporter and current PandoDaily writer, Kym McNicholas, will be the MC.  (3) IPO: The audience will be asked to vote for their favorite idea.  After the announcement of Mr/Ms Silicon Valley, Randi Zuckerberg’s cover band, Feedbomb; Dave Kim, who will be opening for Justin Timberlake & Jay Z this summer; and Jennifer Tzeng, acclaimed violist will entertain the crowds along with the DJs.  Tickets for the Grand Finale can be purchased for a $30 (general admission) or $55 (VIP) donation: www.hackcancersf.com.

Prominent angels, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs have also pitched in to offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the online auction that ends today (Thursday June 13th) at 1:00 PM Pacific.  Some examples include:

-        Coveted spot on the MaiTai Maui 2014 trip with Susi Mai (Professional Kiteboarder) and Bill Tai (Charles River Ventures).

-        Wine and dine like kings with Cowboy Ventures (Aileen Lee, Blake Ross, Brendan Marshall, & Noah Lichtenstein) including a private champagne reception in the garden courtyard, dinner in the great hall with a private chef (Kitchit experience), and a Louix XIII de Remy Martin cognac sampling.

-        Karaoke jam session with Tim Chang (Forbes Midas List, Mayfield Fund)

-        Spend a day on the Sonoma raceway and race a Ducati with Jonathan Teo (General Catalyst Partners)

-        Tour of Zappos, the $350M Downtown Vegas Project, and a one-week stay at Tony Hsieh’s Ogden luxury condo.

-        Co-pilot a plane with Warren Buffet’s former pilot, Michael Flint, along with PandoDaily’s Sarah Lacy and 2 of your friends.

-        Helicopter ride and coffee over NYC with Jon Oringer (Shutterstock founder & NYC Entrepreneur of the Year)

-        Dinner and drinks with Dave McClure (500 Startups), Connie Chan (Andreessen Horowitz), Justin Kan (Justin.tv/Exec), or Alfred Lin (Sequoia Capital/Zappos).

-        More experiences at http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/HackCancer

About HackCancer

Team HackCancer is a group of young professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area supporting Steve Chen’s Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) 2013 MWOY campaign.  Our team has been raising money mainly by hosting fun events for other philanthropic minded young professionals to attend. http://www.hackcancersf.com/

About LLS

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services. Our key priorities will ensure that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society helps blood cancer patients live better, longer lives. http://www.lls.org/