The six finalists for the MindTrek Launchpad have been selected. The finalists, in alphabetical order and with their own slogan-type product descriptions are:

Everyplay: Kamu World (http://www.kamuworld.com/)
"Kamu World is the world's first virtual world with augmented reality game play."

Linkotec: Dazzboard (http://www.dazzboard.com/)
“Dazzboard is the open iTunes for 2 billion mobile phones”

MultiTouch: MultiTouch Cell 46″ LCD Display (http://www.multitouch.fi/)
"MultiTouch Cell 46” LCD display is the first modular, scalable, and stackable LCD-based multitouch display solution in the world."

Oppifi: Epooq (http://www.epooq.net/)
“Oppifi provides a constantly developing internet service – Epooq - that enables reliving, storing and sharing one’s own experiences of the life lived.”

Virtual Air Guitar Company: Freemotion® Technology (http://www.virtualairguitar.com/technology/)
"Disclaimer: Freemotion® Technology can make you extremely fit - just by playing a video game. Any resulting six packs are unintentional."

Zokem: Automatic communications tool for mobile phones (http://www.zokem.com/)   
"Your Life. Broadcast it. Automatically."

Pre-jury member and MindTrek Launchpad partner Antti Vilpponen describes the companies in the ArcticStartup blog (http://www.arcticstartup.com/) in the following way: “Everyplay is a social gaming startup, Linkotec’s dazzboard has been named as the non-proprietary iTunes while Multitouch creates modular Hardware. Oppifi’s product Epooq is a tool for storing ones memories online, Virtual Air Guitar Company specialises in motion based gaming controls (think Nintendo Wii with your body) and Zokem is the advanced Twitter on your mobile.”

Another pre-jury member, business development advisor, Kari Vääränen from Technopolis, comments on the competition entrants as follows: “The high standard of competition was a positive surprise to me. General trends such as community-based features were strongly visible. It was particularly gratifying to see that all the participants had also thought about the business and earnings models.”

Be there to see these rising stars pitching themselves at the Launchpad final on Oct 2nd in Scandic Rosendahl, Tampere. The winner will be announced on the second conference day, Oct 2nd.

The jurors who will select the winner are: Sharon C. Ballard (Enable Ventures Inc.), Jyri Engeström (Google), Hannu Jungman (Veraventure Ltd.), Pekka Pärnänen (Finpro Silicon Valley), Henri Rantalainen (Technopolis Plc), Manu Setälä (Tekes) ja Tanu-Matti Tuominen (Zeeland Society).

TOP-NOTCH PARTNER SESSIONS

Remember also our high-class partner sessions on Sep 30th, like:

Mindtrek/FinNode Strategy Event: Enterprise Social Collaboration - Why Companies Need To Take Action. (http://www.mindtrek.org/2009/enterprisesocialcollaboration - free of charge!)

Social Web Workshop by Jyri Engeström Chris Messina. Digital identity, relationships, social objects, technologies (like OpenID, OAuth, Portable Contacts and Activity Streams), and more! (http://www.mindtrek.org/2009/socialwebworkshop - in Helsinki)
 
NOTE: If you are joining any of the partner sessions, use that registration form to register for the main conference as well!

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

The conference programme available at http://www.mindtrek.org/2009/programme

ACADEMIC MINDTREK 30.9 – 02.10

Register now and be prepared to hear the newest research developments in the fields of social media, ambient and ubiquitous media, and games. The detailed academic conference programme is available here: http://www.mindtrek.org/2009/academic/programme

REGISTER

Registration for the conference (Oct 1-2), Academic MindTrek (Sep 30-Oct 2), and Partner Sessions (Sep 30) ends on the 15th of September – don’t leave it until the last minute!  http://www.mindtrek.org/2009/registration

You can also check out who else is coming: http://www.mindtrek.org/2009/participants

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