Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW

The newest addition to the SXSW Interactive schedule of activities is Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW, which occurs on the sixth floor of the Hilton Austin Downtown 10:00 am to 5:30 pm on Monday, March 16. This event showcases some of the web's most exciting new innovations, enabling the entrepreneurial visionaries behind these new products to demo their creations in front of a live audience of industry professionals and technology trend-settters.

For 2009, Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW is divided into four categories that approximate the various strengths of SXSWeek -- online video, online audio, social networking and innovative web applications. Finalists in the social networking and web application categories will demonstrate their product or service during the first part of the day, while the video and audio finalists will showcase their works in the afternoon portion of the event. Winners of the various categories will be announced at the end of the day.

For more details on this exciting new event at SXSW Interactive, contact Chris Valentine.

• Have a look at the finalists for Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW
• Take a look at the great people who are serving on the 2009 Advisory Board for Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW
• Click here for more information about Microsoft BizSpark

Guy Kawasaki and Brad King to emcee the first-ever Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW showcase

Serving as co-emcees of Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW in 2009 are Guy Kawasaki of alltop.com and veteran technology journalist Brad King. Kawasaki is currently a Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, a venture capital firm which specializes in high-technology start-up firms located in Silicon Valley, as well as co-founder of Nononina, the company that created the Truemors and Alltop websites. Brad King has been a reporter since 1994. He earned his Masters of Journalism with an emphasis on new media from the University of California at Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism in 2000 where he won the Wired Magazine's Excellent in Technology Journalism award for his series on the effect of MP3 technology on the music industry.

Microsoft BizSpark named Title Sponsor of Accelerator showcase

Microsoft BizSpark is a new program specifically for tech startups that offers all the software and development tools you'll need to accelerate your business for no upfront cost. In addition to software you'll get access to a nationwide network of business partners, and gain crucial visibility when you need it most.

Moontoast a Premier Sponsor of Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW

Moontoast is an online destination where the world comes together, a place where we can find and share our limitless knowledge by actually talking to each other face-to-face. Moontoast. Together We Know Everything.

Rackspace Cloud a Premier Sponsor of Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW

The Rackspace Cloud provides scalable web, application and storage hosting backed by Fanatical Support®. Our innovative product suite enables users to trade the hassles of hardware for a worry-free hosting environment. Learn more at rackspacecloud.com.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Named Silver Sponsor of Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, as well as the public and private capital markets that finance them.