LendingTree, LeadsCon Unveil First-Ever $25,000 Startup Innovation Spotlight

CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LendingTree®, the nation's leading online loan marketplace, and Access Intelligence, a leading business information and marketing company, today announced a new initiative to showcase the top startup companies in financial technology (fintech) lead generation at LeadsCon this summer.

The "LendingTree Startup Innovation Spotlight" at LeadsCon's Connect to Convert will recognize the most innovative fintech startups across the consumer lead generation, call center and customer experience sectors. Startups around the world can apply today at http://www.leadscon.com/connecttoconvert/start-up-spotlight/ for a chance to receive exposure, bragging rights and $25,000 in cash. Finalists will be announced in August and selected live on stage amid 1,000 industry executives at LeadsCon's Connect to Convert industry conference and expo, August 21-23 at the New York Hilton Midtown. 

"Nothing like this has ever been done in the lead industry," says LendingTree Founder and CEO Doug Lebda. "Empowering businesses and bringing new innovations to consumers is what we're all about. Together with LeadsCon, our goal is to help the industry's pioneering startups, consumers and clients at the same time."

Submissions are due by July 23, 2017. A panel of judges led by Doug Lebda, Founder and CEO of LendingTree, will score all entries and announce five finalists to be invited to present their business plan on stage at LeadsCon's Connect to Convert. Each finalist will have five minutes to present in the form of live demo, video and visuals, followed by questions from the panel in "Shark Tank"-style. The all-star panel of industry experts will then select and announce the winner of the $25,000 top prize.

"LeadsCon has always been committed to showcasing the latest technologies driving consumer lead generation and enhancing customer experiences," says Cory Smith, group business director of the LeadsCon portfolio at Access Intelligence. "We're excited to partner with LendingTree to continue to shine the spotlight on emerging technologies in a fun and innovative way."

STARTUP QUALIFICATIONS. The LendingTree Startup Innovation Spotlight at LeadsCon is open to any startup that:

• Focuses on innovation within the B2C customer acquisition/lead generation Industry
• Has at least one full-time founder
• Has a working prototype
• Was founded after June 1, 2014
• Applies by the July 23, 2017 deadline

ABOUT LEADSCON'S CONNECT TO COVERT CONFERENCE AND EXPO 
Formerly called LeadsCon NY, Connect to Convert is the lead industry's only roll-up-your-sleeves summer educational conference and exposition dedicated entirely to the most effective and emerging sectors of the lead generation industry: Calls, Clicks, Search and Shares. With dedicated b-to-c and b-to-b content designed around each section of the sales cycle, LeadsCon's Connect to Convert arms attendees with the critical intelligence they need to succeed in 2018 and beyond. The event takes place August 21-23 in New York City. Learn more at leadscon.com/connecttoconvert.

ABOUT ACCESS INTELLIGENCE 
Access Intelligence, a portfolio company of Veronis Suhler Stevenson, is a b-to-b media, event and information company serving the media, PR, cable, healthcare management, defense, chemical engineering, satellite and aviation markets. Leading brands include PR News, AdMonsters, Cynopsis, Cablefax, Folio:, Event Marketer, LeadsCon, Chief Marketer, MultiChannel Merchant, Media Industry Newsletter, Defense Daily Network, Aviation Today, Studio Daily, Power, Via Satellite and Exchange Monitor. Market-leading events include LeadsCon, AdMonsters Operations and Publisher Summits, Folio: Show, Experiential Marketing Summit, EventTech, SATELLITE 2018, OR Manager, LDC Gas Forums, Clean Gulf, ELECTRIC POWER and Western Power Summit. Learn more at accessintel.com.

ABOUT LENDINGTREE 
LendingTree (NASDAQ: TREE) is the nation's leading online loan marketplace, empowering consumers as they comparison-shop across a full suite of loan and credit-based offerings.  LendingTree provides an online marketplace which connects consumers with multiple lenders that compete for their business, as well as an array of online tools and information to help consumers find the best loan. Since inception, LendingTree has facilitated more than 65 million loan requests. LendingTree provides free monthly credit scores through My LendingTree and access to its network of over 500 lenders offering home loans, personal loans, credit cards, student loans, business loans, home equity loans/lines of credit, auto loans and more. LendingTree, LLC is a subsidiary of LendingTree, Inc. For more information go to www.lendingtree.com, dial 800-555-TREE, like our Facebook page and/or follow us on Twitter @LendingTree.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Greuling
704-943-8208
Megan.Greuling@LendingTree.com

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SOURCE LendingTree