Worldwide competition for the Innovation in Music & Entertainment Award begins on 1st June

Berlin, 1st June 2006 ¯ From 1 June, innovative start-ups in music, entertainment and technology can enter for this year’s Popkomm-IMEA. The “Innovation in Music & Entertainment Award” is a worldwide competition, and following its major success of previous years is now taking place for the third time. A jury of high-ranking members includes representatives from the media, music business, technology and venture capitalists. On 20th September 2006 in Berlin they will be honouring the winners in the categories "Mobile Music & Entertainment Innovations" and "Digital Music & Marketing Innovations and B2B Solutions".

The concept behind the 2006 Popkomm-IMEA is a worldwide search for the best new business ideas, the most innovative entrepreneurs and the most promising start-ups in the media, music, entertainment and technology, examining their merits and presenting the ten most outstanding ideas. Popkomm offers entrants a platform to make their global stage appearance amidst an interesting business environment that also includes 2,000 representatives of the world’s media.

A business platform for innovation and sustainability

Constanze Althoff, Popkomm conference manager: "Popkomm is a business platform for information exchange, innovation and sustainability in the music business. The Popkomm-IMEA offers start-ups a unique platform for making a future in the business. For our trade visitors this is a great opportunity to find out about the most interesting developments and ideas of tomorrow, and to make direct contact with business newcomers."

From 1 June, interested start-ups from around the world are invited to apply online at http://www.popkommawards.com. The deadline for entries is 31st July 2006.

This year the Popkomm-IMEA awards will be presented in the categories Mobile Music & Entertainment Innovations" and "Digital Music & Marketing Innovations and B2B Solutions".

The category Mobile Music & Entertainment Innovations includes: new mobile music and related mobile entertainment ventures, mobile content sales platforms and technologies, wireless content services and solutions, convergence platforms, mobile entertainment devices, B2B and B2C interactive mobile music solutions.

Entrants applying in the category Digital Music & Marketing Innovations and B2B Solutions will represent: new online content services, innovative digital media business plans, platforms and technologies such as super distribution by users, peer-to-peer file sharing, new forms of advertising, agents, recommendation systems, fingerprinting, watermarking, broadcast monitoring, webcasting, digital radio (DAB, HD, satellite radio), digital rights & asset management solutions, copy protection, CRM (customer relationship management) solutions, promotion and marketing tools, solutions for marketing research & matching.

Prior to the event, a special jury will choose five finalists in each category. This pre-event jury is composed of international media representatives and experts, the organisers of the IMEA at Popkomm and the venture capital firms T-Venture and bmp AG, who are also on the jury selecting the winners. The most promising projects will be chosen according to criteria listed and available for general viewing at http://www.popkommawards.com.

On 20th September, the first day of Popkomm, the ten finalists will present their ideas and business plans not only to the jury of high-ranking figures, but also to an international audience of trade visitors, industry experts, representatives of the industry and journalists. The jurors will then select the 2006 Popkomm-IMEA winners.

The official presentation of the Popkomm-IMEA 2006 Trophy will take place on 21st September at the festive opening of Popkomm’s European Music & Media Night Party. Prizes for the winners include a free stand at Popkomm 2007, free coaching with Venture Capital Company bmp AG and comprehensive reporting of the event by media partners of the IMEA.

The Popkomm-IMEA 2006 is being supported by CoreMedia AG. Ten years ago this now internationally established company for content and digital rights management systems began as a minor start-up. Since then CoreMedia AG has successfully produced and promoted innovation, in particular in the converging telecommunications and media markets.

New business prospects for winners of the IMEA

For previous winners of the Popkomm IMEA the biggest bonus was a sharp improvement in recognition by target groups, the media and potential business partners. Thus the winner of the 2004 IMEA, the music service provider Playlouder MSP, has meanwhile concluded a number of substantial business agreements, among them with Tiscali. Early in May of this year, the international financial media reported the 2005 IMEA winner, the karaoke online community kSolo.com, being taken over by the Murdoch-owned subsidiary Fox Interactive Media (FIM). The FIM network not only hosts much-visited platforms such as Foxsports.com, Americanidol.com and Fox.com, but also the original community, MySpace.com.

About Popkomm

Popkomm is one of the world’s leading business platforms and will be taking place for the 18th time from 20th to 22nd September 2006, bringing together musicians, bands and publishing companies, labels, producers, export agencies and leading decision-makers from the music industry. Last year’s Popkomm attracted 796 exhibitors and an attendance of 15,108, making it one of the largest specialist events for the music sector anywhere in the world.