Applicants sought for 2016 TechOut competition

$100k to be awarded to top startups

Applications are being accepted for TechOut, New Hampshire’s largest startup competition.

Deadline for applications is Aug. 19.

Jointly organized by the NH High Tech Council and AlphaLoft, the contest is entering its fifth year.

“TechOut is more than a business plan competition. It’s an opportunity for promising companies with great ideas to receive advice from experts who grown or funded successful companies and are willing to put skin in the game,” said Matt Cookson, the council’s executive director. “We’re seeing an uptick in terms of new ideas that are spawning new companies in the region and hope to have a robust group of applicants in 2016.”

The competition is open to startups that have been in business for fewer than five years, raised less than $250,000 in funding and have less than $250,000 in annual revenue. The competition awards $100,000 in financing prize money: first place receives $50,000, second place $30,000 and third place $20,000. A panel of judges awards the top two prizes and the third prize, $20,000 cash, is decided entirely by the audience the night of the event.

There is no application fee.

After the application deadline, judges will narrow the field to a group of finalists who will have the opportunity to go through a pitch camp and then do a short presentation at the event in October.

This year’s awards event will be held Wednesday, Oct. 5, at Dyn in Manchester.

For more information, visit NHHTC.org or contact michelline@cooksonstrategies.com or 603-935-8951.