Launch Pad Ignition: 2012 Class Revealed

Launch Pad Ignition, the New Orleans-based accelerator in its second year, is announcing its 2012 class of startups this evening. The seven companies selected will spend the next 12 weeks in New Orleans launching or furthering the development of their companies.

While the official announcement and presentation of the start-up founders will occur this evening at the premiere of Ctrl+Alt+Compete, we have been provided access to information ahead of the event.

The 2012 Launch Pad Ignition companies and founders are:

Launch Pad Ignition stressed a “stage agnostic” approach during the application process, and the companies selected are in some cases much further along than the inaugural class.

Giftmeo and VoteIt have both received significant external funding. Unawkward and Connect for a Cause have so far been boot-strapped and/or founder-funded. Red Ticket Games is a fresh, un-funded and un-developed idea, and Lawyerfy is new even to our ears so we can’t comment there.

Another notable difference from the first year of Ignition is the number of single-founder companies. There was a lot of talk last year about the benefits of co-founders. This year the organizers, including Chris Schultz, seem to feel more confident in the “founder-developer,” or the entrepreneur who also has the technical knowledge/ development chops.

Ignition Premier Event

The founders will each introduce their companies and Microsoft is hosting the New Orleans premier of the new documentary about launching a startup called “Ctrl+Alt+Compete.” Details are as follows:

Attend the event to meet the founders, rub elbows with the Ignition organizers, and of course to watch the documentary before taking your date out for Valentine’s Day. #nerdalert

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Good luck to the 2012 Ignition class – We will be following their progress as Launch Fest approaches in the Spring.