UPDATE (22nd August 2011):

After receiving close to 60 entries we now have a winner!

Judging this competition has been super fun and truly inspirational as we read through and watched videos of entries from great people and companies all over New Zealand.

It may sound cliché but picking a winner has been extremly difficult and and we really did want to send quite a few companies to San Francisco. But hey, there can only be one winner so we just had to suck it up and make a decision ;-).. 

So without further ado, the winner is……Jacob Creech and the team at IntuitionHQ 

We were really impressed with the clarity and direction of Jacobs entry, really impressed with their awesome usability testing product and infected by his enthusiasm to make IntuitionHQ go large in the US. 

For all those entries that didn’t win this time around.. we know you will keep kicking ass and we will be in contact with many of you very soon as we think there might be some networking opportunities etc that we can help with.

This is your big chance to win:

• Return flights for 2 people to San Francisco; 
• Accommodation in San Francisco for 30 days; and
• Up to 2 desks at the new kiwi run, SOMA district office space “The Landing Pad” to work from during your stay. 

The total prize is limited to NZD$10,000, so depending on how schmancy you are with your accommodation, you might have some spending money left over too.

So what’s the catch?

No catch here! Nicole Fougere & I (Rich Chetwynd) recently exited our business Litmos.com, so we wanted to do something to give back to the thriving NZ business community that we’ve been a part of for the past few years. It occurred to us that our trips to the USA have always been pivotal in the growth of our business, so we hope that it will be for your business too!

Awesome! How do I enter?

We think that the key to success is keeping it simple so we’re making this competition super easy to enter. All you have to do is tell us about your business or the business idea, you’re working on, and why a month in San Francisco would make all the difference in the world to you.

Feel free to include text, pictures, diagrams and whatever else it takes to get your message across.

Please send your entry by email to: boosterseat2011@gmail.com by August 14th 2011, and include your name and contact phone number.

How is it judged?

Nicole & I will ultimately choose the winner, but we have asked Andy Hamilton of the Icehouse to be involved with the judging process and he has very kindly agreed to help out.

NB. This competition is not restricted to web startups. You might have a growing business that wants to enter the USA market or just a great idea that you want to make fly. If the idea is good and the passion is clear then you’re in the running.

Good luck & thanks for supporting us over the years :o)

Rich & Nicole

also.. A special thanks to Sacha Judd (Buddle Findlay), John Holt(Landing Pad/Sonar 6), & Andy Hamilton (The ICEHOUSE) for offering their services and helping us to make this competition happen. These guys & girl rock!

The fine print

We’re keeping this pretty simple but the Booster Seat 2011 competition is subject to the following terms and conditions (and any other terms set out on this website):

• This competition is only open to New Zealand residents who are at least 18 years of age. 
• Entry into this competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not enter the competition.
• The return flights to San Francisco are for up to 2 people (the winner and one other person) and are economy class tickets on Air New Zealand.
• We’ll put the 2 of you up for 30 consecutive nights at the accommodation of your choice in San Francisco (but keep in mind that the total prize value is a maximum of NZD$10,000). We’ve heard great things about the networking opportunities with other startup crews at the Pacific Tradewinds Hostel but we will work with you on what works best.  
• Thanks to John Holt for providing up to 2 desks at the shiny new Landing Pad in San Francisco for 30 consecutive days. You acknowledge that further terms and conditions may apply to the use of any desk at the Landing Pad and that you may be required to agree to these terms and conditions before access is granted. 
• You acknowledge that the total value of the prize is NZD$10,000. If the total cost of your flights and accommodation is less than NZD$10,000 then the remaining amount will be given to you in cash as spending money. However, if the total cost of your flights and accommodation is greater than NZD$10,000, then you will be required to pay any costs over NZD$10,000.  
• You will also be responsible for paying any additional costs associated with the prize that are not specifically included, including without limitation, transport, meal costs, spending money, insurance, visas and all other incidentals. 
• The winner of the competition will be chosen at our sole and absolute discretion. By entering this competition, the winner agrees to the use of their name, company name (if applicable) and image, without compensation, for publicity purposes. We agree to keep confidential any information in your entry which you have expressly identified as being confidential. 
• We will notify the successful winner of the prize by telephone on or before 22nd August 2011 and you acknowledge that your name, company name (if applicable) and image may appear at www.boosterseat2011.com. Where the winner cannot be located within 14 days after the winner has been chosen, another winner will be chosen from the entries. 
• You agree that we will be responsible for booking the flights and accommodation, in consultation with you, and we will use our reasonable efforts to book the flights and accommodation requested by you. However, you acknowledge that flights and accommodation are subject to availability at the time of booking, and we will not be responsible for any fluctuations in price that may occur between you notifying us of your preferred flights or accommodation and the time when we make such bookings. 
• The prize must be redeemed and travel commenced by 30 November 2011. 
• You are responsible for organising your own current valid passport and making sure you comply with any other entry requirements into the USA (including without limitation, organising any visas and submitting an ESTA form). 
• We will not be liable to any person in any way (including, without limitation, in negligence) in relation to this competition or the prize for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including, without limitation, indirect or consequential loss) except for liability that cannot be excluded by law. 
• The prize is not transferable and cannot be taken as cash. In the event the prize is unavailable for any reason despite our reasonable endeavours to obtain them, we reserve the right to substitute the prize for a different prize of equal or greater value. Our decisions in relation to any aspect of the competition (including the prize) are final and no correspondence will be entered into. 
• We will collect and hold personal information provided by each entrant. This personal information may be used to notify the winner and to organise the prize. Entrants have the right to access their personal information and to request that it be corrected.