Indy Startup Weekend Leads to New Businesses

Press Release

(Indianapolis, IN) December, 8, 2008 - While most of the Indy business community was shoveling snow or shopping at the mall this weekend, a group of approximately 40 entrepreneurs gave birth to five new businesses. With skill sets ranging from technology and finance to marketing and project management, these entrepreneurs brainstormed, developed, designed, and refined their business concepts. The businesses resulting from the Indy Startup Weekend included:

· ShoutNow www.shoutnow.com - A rapid voice messaging service which allows users to instantly share voicemails with an unlimited network of contacts by placing just one phone call.

· Pocket Story Book – www.pocketstorybook.com - A service to create custom children's books which can be shared via download to web or iphone, or by printing through a 3rd party book publisher

· Pocket Tales – www.pockettales.com Interactive children's eBooks for the iPhone and the iPod touch. Sold through Apple's AppStore, pockettales' applications convert ordinary mobile devices into fun, educational tools.

· More Than A Meal - www.morethanameal.com Bad things can happen to good people. When the unexpected happens, your friends need More Than A Meal.

· ScatterGear - www.ScatterGear.com is a market-specific online storefront which offers goods and services to and for military personnel and their families.

"The companies and projects that come out of the weekends are fantastic" said Clayton Stobbs, interim CEO of Startup Weekend. "But the main goal of Startup Weekend is to build community and give participants entrepreneurial experience they can apply in these and future ventures."

"Each weekend has its own distinctive feel because of group size, participants skill sets, and local and geographical influences " said Startup Junkie and weekend facilitator Nick Seguin. "But in each case, and Indy was no different, there is a common thread of innovation and community."

About Indy Startup Weekend:
Startup Weekend (www.startupweekend.com) recruits a highly motivated group of developers, business managers, startup enthusiasts, marketing gurus, graphic artists and more to a 54 hour event that builds communities, companies and projects. Founded in 2007 by Andrew Hyde, the weekend is a concept of a conference focusing on learning by creating. It is known for its quick decisions, 'out of the box' thinking, unique facilitation technique and letting the founders show what they can do. The program has already met with success in Boulder, Toronto, New York, Hamburg, Houston, West Lafayette, Boston, DC and many more.

The Indianapolis event, the third in the state of Indiana since the program inception, was held at the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at the downtown IUPUI campus. The even was made possible with support from the following sponsors: OneDegreeConnect.com, Compendium blogware, Rainmakers, Hannipin Marketing, Smaller Indiana, Bluelock and Media Temple.

For more information on the progress of these new companies or the next Startup Weekend visit indianapolis.startupweekend.com or contact local organizer Lou Begnel at lbegnel@gmail.com.

About Shout Now:
ShoutNow today launched a rapid voice messaging service which allows users to instantly share voicemails with an unlimited network of contacts by placing just one phone call. ShoutNow is ideal for community based organizations that have a diverse group of members and a need to deliver critical messages in a cost effective and efficient manner.

About Pocket Story
Pocket StoryBook is a web-based platform which allows users create custom children's books which can be shared via download to web or iphone, or by printing through a 3rd party book publisher. The success of the product is built into the viral nature of the user generated content.

About PocketTales
PocketTales is a publisher of interactive children's eBooks for the iPhone and the iPod touch. Sold through Apple's AppStore, pockettales' applications convert ordinary mobile devices into fun, educational tools.

PocketTales' unique design provides access to multiple stories through just one download, providing hours of education and fun. Leveraging the full capabilities of the digital medium, PocketTales integrates voice recording making it possible for children to listen to their parents reading their favorite story, anytime and anywhere.

About More Than a Meal
When friends experience the unexpected, they often require help to get by. Whether it's a death in the family, a newborn baby, an extended hospitalization, or just general overload, people need the help of their friends when their lives are disrupted. More Than A Meal helps you coordinate and participate in group efforts to provide the items and services that help your friends make it through challenging times.