DURHAM, NC – Five companies will present to a panel of experienced investors and one firm will launch at a new event called “Launch Days” starting at 5:15 p.m. at Durham’s American Tobacco campus tonight (May 12).

Organizer Scott Kelly of KeySource Commercial Bank says that in addition to five presenting companies, the event features the launch of a new hardware-focused company by veterans Matt Williamson and Alison Phillips of Bronto Software.

The five presenting companies are Ruzuku; Neobudget; Argyle Social; Shoeboxed; and Ignite Social Media.

Following their presentations they will be “grilled” by Bill Brown, a Duke law professor also involved with Durham-based Eight Rivers Capital, Andy Dreyfus of the Piedmont Angel Network, and Kip Johnson from Womble Carlye, an angel investor.

The startups can expect to be asked the types of tough questions investors pose: how big is their market, really? Is their product a game-changer?

Kelly tells us that he hopes the event helps introduce the startup companies to the community, providing them with some support.

Kelly says initially he thought of “Launch Days” as an annual event, but has received 20 responses from firms that were interested in participating and may look at more frequency.

KeySource Bank is a commercial banking firm founded three years ago. It raised $19 million in capital and mainly makes commercial loans to companies with $1 million to $30 million in revenue.

The event will be held at American Tobacco Campus’s Bay 7. It costs $29 at the door.

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Tags: Durham, Events, Launch Days, NC, Ruzuku; Neobudget; Argyle Social; Shoeboxed; and Ignite Social Media.