Oh, the wonderful cocktail napkin. Yes, it’s perfect for wiping up mini-messes at the bar, or keeping drink condensation to a minimum. But this peculiar paper product also has formed the perfect canvas for countless entrepreneurial brainstorms over the years, some better than others.
Now, we’re turning to the cocktail napkin to tell the stories of the 10 most innovative and ground-breaking startups in the Seattle area.
We’ve partnered with Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) and newly-opened Bezos Center for Innovation on a new project dubbed “The Seattle 10” in which 10 startup companies from the region will be chosen by GeekWire to sketch their business ideas on giant six-by-six foot canvas cocktail napkins.
Even better, the 10 startups that are chosen for this honor will have their cocktail napkin drawings placed on display at the Bezos Center in the Museum of History and Industry for a period of time, debuting at the festive GeekWire Gala on December 4th, held this year at the museum in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood.
For those cutting-edge startups interested in joining the ranks of “The Seattle 10,” here’s how it will work. Send us a brief description of 100 words or less on why you think your startup idea will change the world, along with a photo of the team or CEO and address. (Send directly to me at john@geekwire.com with subject line of “Seattle 10”).
We’re looking for big and bold ideas across a range of industries, from biotechnology and clean tech to software and mobile. Only startups that are less than six-years-old and located in the greater Seattle area may apply. Deadline for submission is this Friday, October 18th at noon.
We’ll sort through the nominations, and then make the public announcement of “The Seattle 10” next month in the lead-up to the GeekWire Gala. Two team members from each selected company will receive free entry to the Gala, including the opportunity to talk to guests about their idea and what makes it so awesome.
Representatives of the museum will deliver and pick up the large-scale cocktail napkins, and will include a “how to” manual and proper supplies for designing your masterpiece. All you need to do is think big, recreating your entrepreneurial idea on this fascinating canvas for all of Seattle to see.
Sounds fun, huh? Well, send us those 100-word descriptions this week, and maybe your company will have what it takes to be one of “The Seattle 10.”
Editor’s note: MOHAI and the Bezos Center for Innovation are sponsoring GeekWire in conjunction with “The Seattle 10” project.
