LeWeb London Launches Start-Up Competition

LeWeb, Europe’s biggest tech start-up conference, has announced the theme for its first London competition. Developers and entrepreneurs are welcome to pitch their ideas for mobile applications that work “Faster than Real Time”, ahead of the event held on June 19 and 20.

This summer will mark the first time the trend-setting conference is being held outside France. The London event will complement the traditional Paris event in December. It is supported by UK Trade and Investment board and Tech City initiative.

Laser focus

Every year since 2004, LeWeb has bourght together global start-ups, industry leaders, journalists, sponsors, investors and web celebrities to shape the future of the Internet. More than 1,000 participants are expected at the first summer conference in London, being held at the Westminster Central Hall opposite the Abbey.

The theme for the  event and competition, “Faster than real Time”, is about prediction. LeWeb organiser and spiritual guide Loic Le Meur explains: “So much data is published online constantly that we’re able to PREDICT, faster than real time, what you will do and how to adapt to this for us, brands, apps, entrepreneurs!”

“Our appetite for split-second interaction is insatiable,” says LeWeb’s website. But it’s not just the users who need to be ahead of the curve. “Not only are new technologies giving us what we crave, the entrepreneurs behind them must exist in this Faster than Real Time world to compete. They must remain laser focused, yet have cat like reflexes to adapt, pivot, whatever it takes to stay in the game.”

Confirmed speakers at the event include Bradley Horowitz, vice president of product management at Google, Alexander Ljung, founder and CEO of SoundCloud, UK Digital Champion Martha Lane Fox, Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote and many more.

Winning the LeWeb competition is about more than the prize. It is about getting noticed, making contacts and gaining the trust of investors. One LeWeb start-up  winner from two years ago, Waze, has now raised $55 million and has 8 million drivers using its social driving app. The winner from 2008, Viewdle, raised $10 million by 2010.

To participate in the competition, the start-ups need to have less than £1.24 million of financing and launch the company and/or product at LeWeb 2012. Interested parties can pitch their ideas until May 15, 2012. Entry into the competition is free, and 16 start-ups will get an opportunity to present their work on the main stage. You can find more information here.

You can buy early bird tickets until April 30, and these carry a considerable (£550) discount. You can also use our code “Techweek” to get £100 off your ticket.

This is what happened at LeWeb last year. It really makes you want to be there:

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