BetaBeat: The LowDown on High Tech

Betabeat Pitch Series The topography of New York’s tech scene has changed since 2011, when we first peeked behind closed doors to document the fundraising process for season one of The Pitch. According to the latest reports, venture capitalists are investing more money in more local tech startups, luring expats from fashion and Wall Street to pursue their dreams and launch their own company. But success is far from guaranteed, especially with the spectre of the Series A crunch and difficulty in getting users to download and engage–never mind pay for–your product or service. That’s why, for our second season of The Pitch, we’re letting you decide which startups get a chance to sell their concept on camera to investors from top notch firms like Softbank Capital and Lerer Ventures. Because, hey, if the founders can’t convince you to vote, how will they ever convince VCs to invest? Will it be the team gamifying college admissions? The platform for managing finances and responsibilities with your roommate? The matchmaking service for your closet? Or, perhaps, the site that lets users crowdfund meals for the homeless? Readers are welcome to vote as many times as they would like. The 10 startups with the most votes by midnight Thursday, March 28th will have their pitch vetted on camera by Nikhil Kalghatgi from SoftBank Capital and Steve Schlafman from Lerer Ventures, and vy for the chance of taking home $10,000 in funding. Here they are, in their own words. Check out the above slideshow and click “like” to vote for your favorite startups.