creative - New Mexico Technology Council

2016 Rise of the Rest Tour

——–Coming to Albuquerque October 6th——–

Rise Of The Rest $100K Pitch Competition
https://www.f6s.com/riseofrest/apply

THE MISSION

“Revolution’s “Rise of the Rest” with Steve Case is a nationwide effort to work closely with entrepreneurs in emerging startup ecosystems. Our view is that this is the beginning of a new era for entrepreneurship across the U.S. — high-growth companies can now start and scale anywhere, not just in a few coastal cities.

The effort has been praised by President Obama, leading Republicans, and business leaders across the country.” – www.riseofrest.com

FAQ:
❖ When is the deadline to apply?
➢ September 7th 11:59pm EST

❖ How do I know if my startup qualifies to apply?
You should apply if:
● Your product/service is live or in beta form
● You have measurable performance indicators such as revenue, customers, successful beta results
● You have raised no more than $3 million in outside funding
● Your company is based in the state where the pitch competition is being held

❖ 2. How long will it take to apply?
➢ The application should only take 20-30 minutes to complete
❖ What is the review process?
A team of Revolution investment professionals and Rise of the Rest tour partners review
all applications. Companies are judged on:
BOLD IDEA:
Does the idea “swing for the fences” and have the potential to disrupt a big industry,
affect your community, or even change the world?
JOBS:
Will the idea, if it scales, employ a large number of people?
TEAM:
Does the team have the skills and leadership to move forward on this idea?
EXECUTION:
Is there strong customer growth or revenue?
BUSINESS MODEL:
Has a revenue model been defined and is it realistic and sustainable?
LOCAL:
Is this idea building on the core strengths (and unique differentiators) of the region and,
if selected, will this startup potentially excite national investors and media to pay more
attention to what’s happening in the region?
❖ If I am not selected as a finalist, can I still participate in the event?
➢ Yes! The pitch and open bar party afterwards are free. Space is limited. We
encourage you to RSVP and APPLY at the same time. To RSVP visit:
https://nvite.com/community/riseoftherest
❖ What are the terms of the investment?
➢ If the winning company currently has an open round of funding (or a
recently closed round that can be reopened) Steve will participate in the round at
the terms already designated.
➢ If the company is not currently fundraising outside of the competition, Steve Case
will invest via a convertible note with the following terms: 18 month maturity; 6%
simple interest; 20% discount to the next priced round.

❖ When will finalists be notified?
➢ At least 2 weeks prior to the pitch event.
❖ If I am selected as a finalist, what happens next?
➢ You will be required to confirm that you are available to pitch within 24 hours of
being notified.
➢ You will receive pitch coaching from a member of the Rise of the Rest team or
from one of the tour’s local partners in your city.
➢ Your company will be included in press materials related to the event.
❖ What types of companies have won in the past?
50% of past Rise of the Rest winners have had female and/or minority founders.

Changing the Conversation: Creative Startups Week

One of the best things to come from Albuquerque’s innovation scene in recent months is the sense that our entrepreneurs, technologists, artists and other creatives are coming together like never before. It’s evident in the work of Bandojo, a music creation app that really came together when electronic composer/artist Paniotis met with serial entrepreneur Travis Kellerman. It had its inflection point when Levitated celebrated its launch during Tech Fiesta and hundreds came – the smartest and most diverse crowd I think I’ve ever seen in Albuquerque.

A real catalyst in this has been the Creative Startups accelerator that holds its Demo Day and other events this week. Seeking a wider range of ‘creative’ startups both geographically (about half are from outside New Mexico) and in sector or play (they didn’t define creative), they’ve launched a great experiment that capitalizes on both the creative and business talent we have in New Mexico – as well as some great connections from Tom Aageson and Alice Loy – to apply the startup teaching methodologies from Steve Blank, Eric Ries and others to more creative endeavors.

We’ll learn much more Thursday night when their teams present their new ventures. From Creative Startups & the Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship:

“Meet all of the Creative-Startups entrepreneurs in fast-paced presentations. Food trucks, beer sampling and open exhibits following the demos – so come ready for fun!”

Explora! Museum, 1701 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque, NM
Event opens at 6:00 PM
Startup presentations at 6:30 PM
Sign up at: http://www.culturalentrepreneur.org/rsvp3

(More about both Wednesday & Thursday events here: http://www.culturalentrepreneur.org/rsvp)

Another important thing though about the Creative Startups cohort and the ABQid accelerator as well is that the startups’ journeys don’t end with the demo day and the relationships don’t end there either. Creative Startups’ Roxanne Blair is looking forward to not only the ongoing mentorship for their teams, but also other events and initiatives to keep building connections in our local ecosystem.

In “The Rise of the Creative Class” Richard Florida identified Albuquerque for its richness in different kinds of creatives. It’s great to be here now as our promise begins to pay off.