Austin-Area Startups Reunite for Third Annual Austin Startup Games

AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwired - Jan 14, 2014) - Austin's tech startups and entrepreneurs will join forces later this month to compete for bragging rights and support local charities at the 3rd annual Austin Startup Games competition taking place January 25th, 2014, at the Austin Music Hall. Presented by RetailMeNot, the one-day charity event, featuring 16 participating organizations, is expected to more than double last year's contributions to local nonprofits.

This year's Startup Games will determine gold, silver and bronze winners in quintessential startup "sports," including Ping Pong, Foosball, Beer Pong, Flip Cup, Pop-a-Shot, Darts, Shuffleboard, Connect Four, Trivia and, new this year, a MYSTERY "executive leadership" event, which will headline the day's festivities. Events resulting in ties will be settled with Rock-Paper-Scissors in accordance with Austin Startup rules and bylaws. The team with the highest aggregate score across all events will be declared the winner.

"The Austin Startup Games is a celebration of our vibrant tech community, and a way for our local businesses and entrepreneurs to network and give back to charities and organizations in a way that no other city in the country is doing. We are doing our part to help 'Keep Austin Weird,'" said Gillian Wilson, president, Austin Startup Games. "Austin startups are well-known for being fast-paced, hardworking and a lot of fun. Each year, the Games keep getting better and better, and this year will be the best yet."

All competing teams play on behalf of a non-profit organization of their choosing. Each organization is guaranteed to receive a portion of money raised with the largest percentage going to charities represented by the first and second place teams. This year's participants include many of Austin's fastest growing private companies as well as team Tech Stars, composed of new entrepreneurs working to grow companies in Central Texas.

The complete roster, including 15 returning teams and 1 brand new team, with each company's respective choice of charity:

• Adlucent - Charity: Austin Dog Rescue
• Adometry - Charity: Center for Child Protection
• Boundless Network - Charity: Front Steps
• Build A Sign - Charity: Mobile Loaves & Fishes
• Capital Factory - Charity: Breakthrough Austin
• Chaotic Moon - Charity: GENaustin
• CSID - Charity: LifeWorks Austin
• Headspring - Charity: Austin Pro Bono
• Living Direct - Charity: Austin Children's Shelter
• Main Street Hub - Charity: Austin Pets Alive!
• Map My Fitness - Charity: The Trail Foundation
• Mass Relevance - Charity: Urban Roots Austin
• SpareFoot - Charity: Kure It
• Spiceworks - Charity: Championship Hearts Foundation
• Spredfast - Charity: Center for Child Protection
• uShip - Charity: Communities in Schools of Central TX

The Austin Startup Games kick off at 1:45 pm CT at the Austin Music Hall in downtown Austin. Admission price is a $10 charitable gift, plus a canned good for Capital Area Food Bank, which will be distributed to the charitable organizations represented. For tickets, visit: 2014 Austin Startup Games. Doors open at 1:00 PM.

The Austin Startup Games is sponsored by RetailMeNot, MHBT, Kastner, Huggins, Reddien, & Gravelle, LLC and Insight Venture Partners. For more information about the competing companies, sponsors and future events, visit Startup Games on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ATXStartupGames.

About the Startup Games:
The Austin Startup Games, founded in 2012, aims to bring together the local startup community to foster healthy competition, networking, and entertainment -- all while shining a spotlight on the Austin technology industry. The one-day event consists of 10 games played in a bracket-style format, with single elimination. Now a 501(c) organization, the Startup Games continues to give back to local charities in the Austin community and beyond through team entrance fees, tickets sold and sponsorships. For more information visit StartupOlympics.org.