Press Release: BookExpo America and Librify announce the 2015 BEA Startup Challenge sponsored by Ingram and Sourcebooks

Norwalk, CT, April 22, 2015: Publishing technology startups will be making their pitches to leaders in Venture Capital, Technology, and Publishing organizations at this year's BookExpo America (BEA) conference.

Once again, starting on Wednesday, May 27th, there will be a Startup Alley at BEA, sponsored by Sourcebooks and Ingram, bringing together the best of Silicon Alley and the book publishing industry. Twenty startups will be selected to showcase their companies in Startup Alley, a unique opportunity for startups to be part of book publishing's largest industry event and to receive high visibility, access to industry executives, investors and VCs.

Participating startups will compete to appear before the judges from the Venture Capital and investment community to be chosen as BEA's 2015 Most Promising Publishing Startup. In addition, this year the BEA Startup Challenge will add the People's Choice Award, selected by the attendees and exhibitors to BEA. All Startups selected to be included in the event are eligible for prize consideration. A select few will have the opportunity to make their case to the judges at this year's event.

"Last year at BEA, we brought the tech community and the book publishing industry together for the first publishing Startup Challenge and we saw the great kind of innovation that comes out of bringing these communities together," said Joanna Stone, CEO of Librify. "Thanks to our sponsors Ingram and Sourcebooks, we are creating a place for innovation at BEA again this year. Startup Alley is a place for the growing book publishing startup community to gain access to traditional publishers and top venture capital and investment professionals".

The judges will include well-known names from venture capital and publishing including Jordan Bettman, Bain Capital Ventures, Dominique Raccah, CEO of Sourcebooks, Brian Napack, Senior Advisor, Providence Equity, Jason Saltzman, Alley NYC, Ed Klaris, Managing Director, DiSilva+Philips, and more. BookExpo Startup Challenge will be accepting applicant startups at bookexpochallenge.com.