[February 16, 2017]

Envy Selected as Finalist for SXSW Accelerator Competition

Envy - the first ever visual search and review app launching in San Diego and Austin March 1 that will make consumers rethink the way they find the things they love, swiping through images, as opposed to reviews, where they can call it, map it, or book it - was selected as a finalist in the Social and Culture category for the ninth annual SXSW Accelerator competition.

The accelerator is the marquee event of South by Southwest® (SXSW (News - Alert)®) Conference and Festivals (March 10-19, 2017) Startup Village®, where leading startups from around the world showcase some of the most impressive new tech innovations to a panel of hand-picked judges and a live audience. Out of the more than 500 companies who applied to present at SXSW Accelerator, Envy was selected out of 50 finalists in ten different categories and will present alongside five other companies in the Social and Culture category.

Envy, created by San Diego entrepreneurs Jennifer Cosco and Christopher Nebel, is a web-based mobile app in which consumers locate and select products and services by swiping through images. Right if they love it, left if they don't. They also have the option to view the respective website, map, phone or booking information directly, read and post reviews, and establish a following as an influencer, all within one application.

"The time is now and the world is hungry for a new social media platform," said Jennifer Cosco, co-founder of Envy. "Gone are he days when a customer has to scroll through thousands of pictures of hairstyles in Google (News - Alert) images in the hopes that their stylist can give them exactly what they want based solely on a picture. With Envy, you can select the exact hairstyle you want and go directly to the same stylist who created it. Now imagine if you can do that for not only hair, but nails, tattoos, plastic surgery, weddings, food."

Cosco said the Accelerator pitch comes at a good time for the app since it's entering its Series A funding.

The two-day event will be held the first weekend of SXSW Conference and Festivals, Saturday, March 11 through Sunday, March 12, on the third floor of the Downtown Austin Hilton. The pitch competition will then culminate with the SXSW Accelerator Awards Ceremony on Sunday evening, March 12, where winning startups from each category will be announced and honored. The Accelerator competition will feature finalists across the following ten categories: Augmented and Virtual Reality, Enterprise and Smart Data, Entertainment and Content, Health and Wearables, Innovative World, Payment and FinTech, Security and Privacy, Social and Culture, Sports, and Transportation.

"SXSW Accelerator has hosted some of the most innovative startups over the eight years we've held our competition. These companies have gone on to capture the attention of investors and leading technology companies worldwide. 71 percent have received funding in excess of $3.1 billion, while 14 percent were acquired," said SXSW Accelerator Event Producer Chris Valentine. "Out of the hundreds of applicants, we have identified 50 finalists to present. Everyone with SXSW Accelerator is proud to support startups that are on the forefront of solving some of today's biggest challenges through technology."

For more information about SXSW Accelerator and to view the complete list of finalists, visit the following site: http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/awards/accelerator.

About Envy

Located in Carlsbad, Calif., Envy offers a visual search experience platform for products and services organized by geographical location combining visual appeal, review, e-commerce and social media. The company was founded by Jennifer Cosco, a young, driven entrepreneur and successful business owner within the fitness industry; and Christopher Nebel, a seasoned digital and brand strategist who created breakthrough social and digital content and solutions for brands like Sony, Land Rover, Nike, W Hotels, Mattel, Kraft, ESPN and Herman Miller (News - Alert). Learn more about Envy here, or on social -- @findyourenvy on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter (News - Alert). Interested small business owners can learn more about registering and advertising their brand by contacting [email protected]. Tastemakers, trendsetters and bloggers an become a part of the launch by contacting [email protected].

About SXSW

SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2017 will take place March 10-19, 2017.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170216006331/en/

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