CEA Announces Finalists For i-stage Competition

ARLINGTON, Va.-(Business Wire)-September 24, 2009 - The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^® today announced the finalists in its second annual i-stage competition, the technology event featuring the most innovative new consumer technology products that will soon come to market. The 11 finalists will unveil their products before a live audience of attendees at CEA’s Industry Forum on Monday, October 19, at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix, AZ.

The i-stage winner will receive $40,000 dollars, a turn-key exhibit at the 2010 International CES^®, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, and a booth at CES Unveiled in New York or Las Vegas. The second place company will receive $7,500 and a booth at CES Unveiled in New York or Las Vegas. The fan favorite, as chosen by the audience, will receive $2,500 and a booth at CES Unveiled in New York or Las Vegas.

Last year's i-stage winner, Boxee, went on to receive over $10 million in venture capital and was named by BusinessWeek as one of the "20 Most Important Inventions of the Next Ten Years."

“The International CES is where entrepreneurs make deals and do business, and CEA’s i-stage is a launch pad for innovative companies to display cool products on the CES showfloor,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. “These finalists are taking technology trends to the next level and will shape the future of how consumers work and play.”

The i-stage finalists, listed by company and product name, are:

Cubicvue LLC, CubicVue
Entourage Systems Inc., The eDGe
Immerz Inc., KOR-FX
Meld Technology, MELD BOX
Regen Inc., ReNu
Tenrehte Technologies, PICOwatt
Thinkeco Inc., modlet
Thinkoptics Inc, iWavit
Valencell, Healthset®
Zagg Inc., ZAGGbox
Zero1.tv Gmbh, VooMote

The i-stage finalists will be judged on Monday, October 19, at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix, AZ, by a panel of technology experts including Natali Del Conte of CNET TV and the CBS Early Show, Blake Krikorian, co-founder of Sling Media, Ross Levinsohn, Managing Partner of Fuse Capital and Jeff Pulver, founder of Pulver.com and co-founder of Vonage.

Registration for i-stage and CEA’s Industry Forum is currently open. For more information on the events, visit www.CE.org/i-stage.

About CEA:

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $172 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES – Where Entertainment, Technology and Business Converge. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org.

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