Shark Tank Competitor, The Startup Hour Announces May Premiere of the First Crowdfunding Show on TV to Allow Viewers to Invest and Fund Startups

    AUSTIN, TX, March 13, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Startup Hour(tm), a new television program that enables viewers to participate in the funding of startups featured on the show, announces the premiere schedule for the first season in six markets across the United States.

The Startup Hour will broadcast the debut show of its 11 week season at 9:00pm CST on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 on Hearst Television stations in Boston, Pittsburgh, Orlando, Kansas City, and Sacramento. The show will also be broadcast on a Media General station in Austin and will be featured on Roku, YouTube and other digital and social streaming channels.

The television program is set to begin filming startup pitches from the general public at the upcoming South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas on March 14-15, 2015.

The first season will be filmed in April at the iconic View Lounge located on the 39th floor of the San Francisco Marriott Marquis in the heart San Francisco's bustling SOMA neighborhood.

Entrepreneurs from all US cities and accredited investors worldwide are encouraged to apply by visiting TheStartupHour.com.

To allow viewers to interact with the TV show when it airs, The Startup Hour will enable equity and rewards-based crowdfunding of the startups featured on the program through its online portal that will launch prior to the show's first episode.

The Startup Hour has entered into an agreement with CrowdEngine, a leading provider of custom crowdfunding platforms to create a new marketplace for startups to fund their ideas.

The Startup Hour(tm), currently sponsored by Microsoft, will highlight Microsoft and other technologies that allow viewers to engage with the show in real time through the use of second and third screens. Textinvesting, a patent-pending technology licensed from TheHub.fm, is a new technology employed by the show that lets viewers who have pre-registered on the show's website to invest in the featured startups using SMS text messaging.

Executive Producer Jonathan Block comments, "As the first show on television that allows viewers to invest and directly fund the startups they love, we are truly excited to launch The Startup Hour at the festival where so many ground breaking musical acts and startups have been discovered."

The television program will premiere on the following networks:

- MeTV Network: Boston, Orlando, Kansas City & Sacramento (http://metvnetwork.com/wheretowatch)
- Movies! TV Network: Pittsburgh (http://moviestvnetwork.com/wheretowatch)
- My Austin TV - KBVO: Austin (http://myaustintv.clientmediaserver.com)

Interested entrepreneurs can submit a video on TheStartupHour.com for a chance to be filmed for current or future shows, or show up in person to apply.

The Startup Hour Team is currently filming startups pitches from 10:00am - 4:00pm at the following locations:

Austin, TX - March 14-15,
South by Southwest Festival (SXSW)
WeWork Congress, 600 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

Kansas City, MO - March 17
The Innovation Cafe, 111 West 10th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105

Boston, MA - March 19
WeWork South Station, 745 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02111

Pittsburgh, PA - March 21
The Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh University Club, 123 University Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, in Ballroom A

New York City, NY - March 23-24
The WeWork Soho West, 175 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013

Orlando, FL - March 26
Canvs, 101 S Garland Ave #108, Orlando, FL 32801

San Francisco/Berkeley, CA - March 30
WeWork Berkeley, 2120 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704

ABOUT THE STARTUP HOUR(tm)
The Startup Hour(tm) is making television history by allowing viewers to own a stake in the startup ideas pitched on television through crowdfunding. Viewers will be able to use their mobile and web devices to invest in and fund startups from their couch as they view the pitch on TV. The format introduces an emerging startup culture full of dynamic personalities and drama to a broader public. The importance of entrepreneurship is highlighted, and as viewers imagine themselves in these roles, they simultaneously have an opportunity to learn, jump in and take action. A potential new investor is now a click away. www.TheStartupHour.com

Media Contact: Deborah Radel or Jenna Roy at DRPR, (310) 360-3997 [email protected].

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