March 20th, 2013: Carlisle technology start-up competes in international investor showcase
Eric Veronikis | everonikis@pennlive.com
on March 20, 2013 at 1:12 PM
A start-up Carlisle technology business was one of eight companies worldwide chosen to present its product to investors during the 13th Founder Showcase Pitch Competition in California’s Silicon Valley on March 27.
CRIMEWATCH Technologies, a crime-fighting software company founded by Matt Bloom almost a year ago, will showcase its product which helps “increase law enforcement interaction with the general public on a local, state and national scale.”
The event will take place at the Microsoft campus in Mountain View, Cal.
The Founder’s Showcase is a three-month competition that pitted the company against more than 80 start-ups.
The competition consists of five rounds.
The top eight companies make it to the Silicone Valley, where their products will be introduced to the world’s top venture capitalists, said John Donnelly, chief operating officer of CRIMEWATCH.
The eight companies will be weeded to two in California, and then down to one.
But according to Donnelly, all at the event are winners.
“All eight companies basically win because they are presented to venture capitalists. They are the big venture capitalists,” he said.
CrimeWatch is located in the Murata Business Center, a business incubator for start-ups on Lincoln Street in Carlisle.
The company's website, and software for law enforcement agencies, provides what Donnelly called an "efficient method" to share arrests, most wanted information and other crime incidents in jurisdictions with the public.
"It streamlines some of the processes they use to put out press releases," Donnelly said. "It also allows them to receive tips from the public."
The business has been funded through software sales to law enforcement agencies, and through Ben Franklin Partners, an arm of the state Department of Community and Economic Development that backs start-up technology companies.
Donnelly hopes the Founder's Showcase is a game changer for the young company.
“If we are successful with this, it will give us the money we need to expand our product and business,” he said. This is quite an event for any start-up. Former winners of this competition include foursquare.”
