SXSW Accelerator Names Music Tech Finalists

More than four hundred companies submitted their web-based products to the third annual SXSW Accelerator presented by Microsoft BizSpark. It was the first year that SXSW created a special music tech category and I enjoyed being on the panel of judges that chose the eight finalists and two alternates. 

If you're heaed to SXSW (and if not, you probably should be), the music finalists will presenting on Wednesday, March 16th at the Hilton Austin Downtown. Here's a first-look and their self-penned elevator pitches:

Air Guitar Ltd
Monmouth, United Kingdom
We love music and technology, so we pioneer online platforms that let Fans and Bands interact in ‘tactile’ new ways. Our first product, the AiR Guitar turns a band t-shirt into an instrument you can play at home, using only a webcam and an Augmented Reality website.

algoriddim GmbH
Munich, Germany
algoriddim is a Germany-based software company specializing in cutting-edge audio and multimedia applications for Mac, iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Our mission is to develop software that is intuitive and user-friendly, yet offers the quality and power of professional level software.

Exfm
New York, NY
Exfm is a browser extension for Chrome that turns the web into your music library. Exfm runs in the background while you browse, creating a music library from every MP3 file you find. The profile you create becomes a great way to share the music you discover with the world.

Herd
Ontario, Canada
The founders of Herd met at a multi-platform matchmaking program sponsored by NBC / UNIVERSAL and The Canadian Film Centre where they conceived of HERD, a music service for mobile device users looking to discover and share local music. HERD introduces location as a key element of music discovery.

Next Big Sound
Boulder, CO
Next Big Sound tracks hundreds of thousands of artists across all the major web sites (YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, Last.fm etc.) and lets professionals in the music industry see social media data, traffic to an artists .com, traditional sales and radio numbers and P2P data all in one centralized dashboard.

RootMusic
San Francisco CA
There’s a better way to do music online – whether you’re a fan who wants to listen to your favorite band’s music, or a musician that wants to get their music out there. That’s exactly what RootMusic does: make everything easier for you. Musicians and fans, we got your back.

Roqbot
Berkeley, CA
Roqbot is a virtual jukebox and background music service for public venues. The Roqbot player runs on any internet enabled device (i.e. iPod Touch, netbook, or Roku) connected to the venue sound system. Customers utilize our mobile apps or website to purchase credits, play music, and vote on the queue.

Shuffler.fm
NE, Amsterdam
Shuffler.fm is a audio magazine made by music blogs. Navigate and discover thousands of music blogs without having to weed through them one by one. The web is your player and blogger your dj's.

Alternates

BreakoutBand
Brooklyn, NY
BreakoutBand is a new social music experience for teens and young adults. The BreakoutBand platform enables our young artists, regardless of musical training, to create and share songs, win fans and compete. Whether they are waiting to be discovered or just having fun, BreakoutBand is the ultimate social music experience.

BuzzDeck
London, United Kingdom
Frustration and mystery were originally the two main drivers in AWAL’s quest to bring transparency and information to the fore. BuzzDeck takes fragmented data and places it on the same comprehensive view, multiplying value and relevance providing the user an unrivaled insight into cause of buzz and effect of marketing.