State’s top innovators sought

Oklahoma’s most promising interactive entrepreneurs will make their best pitches deep in the heart of Texas next March in the second annual Buffalo Lounge Elevator Pitch Competition at the annual South By Southwest Conference & Festival. Oklahoma entrepreneurs will compete for $10,000 in prizes in the one-night pitch competition before a live audience at the Avenue on Congress in Austin, Texas.

The process of selecting finalists for the Buffalo Lounge event begins with submission of videotaped pitches by a 6 p.m. Dec. 20 deadline. To enter a video pitch, visit www.i2E.org and click on the Buffalo Lounge logo. Finalists will be selected and announced in January by a panel composed of i2E Inc. and Greater Oklahoma City Chamber staff. The live pitch competition will begin at 9 p.m. March 10. The Buffalo Lounge Elevator Pitch competition is sponsored by i2E and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. It is part of Oklahoma’s Buffalo Lounge activities at SXSW on March 10-12.

“We’re excited to once again showcase promising Oklahoma entrepreneurs before a SXSW audience that wants to see innovative, new concepts,” said Josh O’Brien, director of entrepreneurial development for the chamber.
The Buffalo Lounge is a collaborative effort to spotlight Oklahoma companies and innovators at the massive SXSW conference, which last year attracted more than 65,000 visitors in areas of film, music and interactive software. For more information or questions about the Buffalo Lounge Elevator Pitch competition, contact O’Brien at [email protected] or 813-2412.