LocusPlay - Finalists For 5th Annual LaunchPad Session At EiG 2012

Online, October 5, 2012 (Newswire.com) - EiG, the European iGaming Congress & Expo, taking place on October 16-18, 2012, at the Fira de Barcelona, Spain, announced today the selection of the five finalists that will exhibit in the EiG Start-Up Zone and pitch in the highly-competitive Fifth Annual Start-Up LaunchPad.

Ewa Bakun, Head of Content, Gaming for Clarion Events, commented, "For the last four years, the EiG LaunchPad has been a platform for innovative start-ups to pitch their ideas to a panel of experts, investors and to a room full of the EiG high-level attendees. This year the stakes are even higher with the evolutionary forces of the marketplace driving innovation and turning business models upside down."

The list of start-ups selected for the 2012 LaunchPad are:

LocusPlay (http://www.locusplay.com): Hi-Tech gaming platform that can be quickly rolled out in developing regions with lesser bandwidth availability. Supports wide range of games with diverse regional flavors.

Colossus:

Goplay:

Living Sports Limited:

Sofun Gaming:

Their products, revenue models and potential will be scrutinized and judged during the 5th EiG Start-Up LaunchPad on Wednesday, 17 October, at 15:00 - 17:00 by an esteemed panel of judges that includes:

Edward Pfeiffenberger, Managing Director, Venatus Interactive
Phil Cronin, CEO, Tombola
Mark Blandford, Chairman, Valhalla Investments
Uri Levy, VP Business Development, Playtech
Evan Hoff, Partner, Velo Partners
Moderator: Melissa Blau, Director, iGaming Capital

After hearing the judges' commentary, it will be up to the EiG audience to choose the winner using EiG voting technology SpotId.

Companies such as FSB Tech Solutions, USM Gaming, Passoker and TopHat Apps won in the last four years, gaining industry exposure and launching their companies at EiG.

The Launchpad has become an important and respected cornerstone in the iGaming sector for companies in their early stages looking to raise capital. Three of the four EiG winners have either raised the capital they were seeking or partnered with industry giants shortly after winning. This was not just true for the winners; Crowd Park who was a runner-up at EIG 2011 also raised capital on the back of the Launchpad.

The Launchpad has also proven a valuable place for investors to spot new trends and investment targets, as commented by Mark Blanford, an industry pioneer, investor in the gaming sector and a long-time Launchpad judge: "Several of my investments came about as a result of connections made at EIG. The start-up Launchpad is the best industry opportunity for me to spot new trends and interesting companies".


The 11th European iGaming Congress & Expo (EiG) is taking place in Barcelona on 16-18 October 2012. More information about the event and registration can be found at www.eigexpo.com.
About Clarion Events

Clarion Events' gaming portfolio is the first choice provider of quality information, events and services to the global gaming industries. It is dedicated to supporting the industry it serves - whether traditional or new, supplier or buyer, trade association or government department. The ongoing goal for Clarion Events' gaming portfolio is to maintain its position of leadership both within the industry and in representing the industry to the business community at large, providing world class customer service in the process. http://www.totallygaming.com

About EiG
EiG - Unravelling European iGaming.

Each year EiG serves as a melting pot at which iGaming's CEOs and thought leaders mix with regulators and the brightest new market entrants. 2012 is no exception as EiG returns to its spiritual home in Barcelona across 16th - 18th October.

Courtesy of a compelling mix of panel discussions, case studies and brainstorming sessions, the 11th European iGaming Congress and Expo will dissect the social gaming phenomenon, drilling down to evaluate its value as a player acquisition and retention tool as well as a new business model. Find out about monetisation models, player migration strategies, new business opportunities, regulations, the opening of new markets and a whole lot more, across three days of exhilarating learning and priceless networking.