When Derek called me up on Boxing Day to suggest that we add OFFICE HOURs to Startup Grind 2013, he gave me two criteria:

1. We don’t want to waste anyone’s time. Quality matters.

2. We are trying to start lasting friendships that are needed to survive the Startup Grind.

Our mutual disdain for live pitch competitions was established when we first met, so factoring that in was already part of the equation. Like Mark Suster, it’s not that we think Demo Days and Pitch Competitions are useless, we just believe that they could be re-imagined to serve everyone better.

Here is our first step in that direction:

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Do you know a startup that is ready to meet one on one with Howard Morgan, Nikhil Kalghatgi, Shai Goldman or TK Kuegler?

Or how about a one on one meeting with Erick Schonfeld as he searches for the best mobile startups to showcase at DEMO Mobile?

Over Thanksgiving weekend, these world class investors will select startups to meet with for 10 minute, one on one meetings. How can your startup be selected for one of these opportunities? Click here to learn how.

Cdling (pronounced “seedling”) is a platform that builds trust between investors, startups and experts across global startup communities. Want to learn more? Thank you to Howard, Nikhil, Shai, Erick and TK for working with us across the New York startup community to create these opportunities for some promising Founders.

Thank you party! 

On the evening of November 27, Cdling, in collaboration with Ultra Light Startups NYC, Picatic and Goodwin Procter LLP is hosting a private thank you party at The Alley NYC! Here are the details! http://www.picatic.com/cdlingofficehrsnyc

Give us an opinion of the hottest startup in NYC now!

Click to browse NYC Startups

UPDATE Nov. 21

Riffing on the “Office Hours” added to Startup Grind events with First Round Capital’s Howard Morgan and 500Startups’ Paul Singh, back in early October Wasabi Ventures Managing Partner, Tom “TK” Kuegler decided to select 5 promising startups for 10 min, one on one sessions in an exclusive hour just prior to Startup Grind Baltimore’s October 30th fire side chat event.

That was before a lady named Sandy decided to put the plans of millions of people on hold. While the Startup Grind event has been successfully rescheduled to December 4 in Baltimore, unfortunately TK can not be on hand to meet face to face for the hour before hand.

Genacast Ventures Joins the Search!

The good news is that Gil Beyda from Genacast Ventures is joining the search for great startups in the Baltimore/D.C. region!

Genacast Ventures is a seed fund that invests up to $1 million in technology-centric Internet start-ups in the northeastern US.

A partnership between serial entrepreneur Gil Beyda and Comcast Ventures, Genacast brings the best of “been there, done that” start-up experience and seasoned venture investing.

OFFICE HOURS, Cdling Rated Referrals - UPDATE, Dec 3, 2012

Based upon the experience of our most recent OFFICE Hours pilot in NYC, we talked to Gil and TK today and we are changing our approach. To sum it up …

Get 10 credible opinions about your startup on Cdling and you can request a meeting with either TK or Gil or both.  Your request will trigger the creation of a Cdling report on your startup that will go TK and Gil. Once they receive the report, TK or Gil will make the decision on whether to schedule the meeting.

If your startup would like to meet with Gil or TK to make a pitch, ask for advice, seek an introduction here is how to advance your startup on Cdling.  There is no deadline. You don’t need to be a Baltimore based startup (but you will need to be a match for these investors if you expect to get a meeting). We will create these reports for the first 10 startups that qualify. If you have any questions contact Founder, Michael Cayley: michael at cdling dot com.

Attention mentors, subject matter experts and investors in the Baltimore/D.C. region.  You know these startups better than anyone. Genacast Ventures, Wasabi Ventures and Cdling look forward to your participation!