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Tech news and event company Tech Cocktail went around the nation looking for the hottest tech startups and then brought 43 favorites to Las Vegas for a special conference and competition this week.
The companies got to compete for a $10,000 prize and show off in front of representatives from Intel, Google and a bunch of other companies and investors.
But four of the companies selected for the conference were already here in Las Vegas.
While none of them made it to the final five in the competition, VEGAS INC wanted to highlight the hometown teams that were recognized as being among the best in the nation.
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ALICE Receptionist
Walking into an office building only to be greeted by a direction sign isn't the warmest welcome, but hiring a full-time receptionist is expensive. Win Tech LLC thinks they have the solution.
ALICE, or A Live Interactive Communication Experience, is an interactive virtual receptionist. A video receptionist on a touch screen welcomes visitors, who can then get help from a real employee sitting at a desk somewhere else — even if they are in another city or just out and about on a cellphone.
Chief Technology Officer Mike Yoder demonstrated the technology at the conference and said they are already set up in a number of businesses.
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Drinkboard
How many times has a friend said he owes you a drink but never delivers? Drinkboard tries to make it easy to give drinks or food to friends, all through a phone app.
Founder David Leibner said local casinos have reported that they constantly get phone calls from people in other cities who want to buy drinks or food for friends who are in Las Vegas celebrating birthdays or other events. With his app, restaurants and bars can load their menus, where friends can buy things virtually, then send it to a friend who redeems it by presenting the app at the restaurant or bar.
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NEO3DO
NEO3DO is a tablet with a 3D screen. The tablet runs on an Android operating system and doesn't require glasses for a full 3D-viewing experience.
Co-founders David Briggs and Nick Spriggs said they are trying to get the tablets into schools where studies have shown students score up to 45 percent higher after studying with 3D content.
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Tradezby
Most people know they can go to Craigslist to buy and sell things, but what if you just want to make a trade with your friends? Tradezby, which is still in the process of changing its name from mytradecart.com, allows people to list things they want to trade online.
Friends can then see your offering and make an offer in return. Founder Nate Llorando said the service is unlike others because you are trading with a network of people you already know and trust, and social media tools are also built in.