It’s that time again, get ready for Webinnovators Group session #23. Webinnovators has grown from 20 people in a room when I first attended the second or third event to almost 1,000 at the last one.

We begin with the doors officially opening at 6:30pm in the Cambridge Royal Sonesta Hotel. At 7pm in the Grand Ballroom we’ll hold our usual format of self-/angel-funded startups demo’ing to the audience in Main Dish showcases, and select an “Audience Choice” winner of the crowd’s favorite. After a brief intermission, at 8pm we’ll hold a strictly-optional special entrepreneur’s PR breakout session. During the entire evening’s event, Side Dish startup companies will provide informal demonstrations to the networking crowd from the Skyline Suites room.

An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Bootstrapping PR

Entrepreneur and marketing/media executive Mike Troiano will host a conversation with a panel of media reporters/columnists/editors including Scott Kirsner of the Boston Globe, Wade Roush from Xconomy, Peter Kafka from AllThingsD, and Bob Brown of Network World. Despite the fact that media coverage is as an essential component of any web start-up’s marketing mix, full-blown PR support may not be in the cards. This on-stage discussion will provide the inside scoop on engaging with the media – everything from how entrepreneurs can generate awareness of their company through the media to what do you need to know before you connect with the press. In addition, panelists will cover questions like “What’s the best way to engage with reporters?” “What do reporters care / write about?” “What could entrepreneurs learn from PR people?” and “What really ticks reporters off (pet peeve)?”

We are just two weeks away from our September 29th Web Innovators Group meeting and I wanted to announce our set of demonstrating companies. The doors officially open at 6:30pm at the Grand Ballroom in the Cambridge Royal Sonesta, with the “Main Dish” presentations to the entire crowd starting at 7pm:

Following those presentations, each of our “Side Dish” demonstrators will have an opportunity to give a quick 30-second overview of their service to the audience followed by a showcase of their company at tables spread throughout the periphery of the skyline suites room during the unstructured networking portion of the evening:

All of the above companies were selected amongst dozens of applicants looking to participate in the program. Unfortunately there was not space for other qualifying startups; if yours was not chosen, I’d encourage you to reapply for the next event in December.

And as a reminder, we also have a special breakout session at 8pm entitled, “An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Bootstrapping PR.” It will feature entrepreneur and marketing/media executive Mike Troiano hosting a discussion with a media panel including Scott Kirsner of the Boston Globe, Wade Roush from Xconomy, Peter Kafka from AllThingsD, and Bob Brown of Network World.

With both a great set of presenters (including a pre-launch sneak preview) PLUS the optional breakout session, this September WebInno will be a special one. Everyone who is interested in web and mobile innovation is invited to attend the free event. Please RSVP (and find additional details) on the event page (http://webinno23.eventbrite.com/) if you plan to join us so we are able to print name tags and appropriately size the room.