Kicking-off the Conference week on February 24, 2014 Innovation Sandbox promotes new technology, new ways of thinking, and provides advice and counsel for entrepreneurs while also exposing the RSA Conference community to venture capital professionals, industry experts, senior level business practitioners and thought leaders. At this half-day event, attendees view demonstrations from the rising stars in information security, participate in interactive learning sessions with industry veterans, and network with peers and visionaries, among others.

During Innovation Sandbox, ten competitors will compete on stage for the title of “Most Innovative Company” at RSA Conference 2014. If you think your startup is worthy of such a title, you still have time to try and claim a spot. The deadline to submit for Innovation Sandbox has been extended to Tuesday, January 7th. For those still working on submissions we pulled together a short list of best practices from our judges that may help you as you finalize your content over the next few days. At RSA Conference 2013, Remotium won the award based on its potential to impact the broad and pressing enterprise BYOD challenge through a data management approach, all while still enabling employees to comfortably use their own preferred devices. Past winners of Innovation Sandbox also include Appthority, Invincea and Alert Enterprise.

• Do Tell a story. Be Compelling and Passionate. The judges are panel of industry veterans andVC community members that have “seen and heard it all” – if you want them to care about your company and product, show them that you do!
• Don’t Leave a Question Blank. Answer the Questionnaire in its Entirety. All answers will be kept confidential. Don’t leave something blank because you think it will “go to print.” With the number of submissions generated each year, we’d hate to see your company be cut from consideration for something as simple as a blank answer.
• Do Highlight Your Management Team. We want to see and hear about your team’s prior successes. • Don’t Rely on Marketing Jargon. The panel of judges are experts and the BS meter will be on – do not give them a reason to doubt your innovation and product capability because it all sounds too good to be true.
• Do Confirm that your Plan is Executable. Can you showcase how this solution will come to market? Do you have the resources to be successful or will you look like a flash in the security pan? You know you have what it takes to succeed, let us know what your keys to victory will be.
• Don’t Worry about the Production Quality of Your Video Submission. We want the story, not the special effects. We understand the constraints of the startup world; the judges will not be looking for Hollywood production values. The judges are more interested in the passion of your executives and the power of your product/solution.
• Do Have Fun. C’mon…let us see that smile.
• Don’t Wait Until the Last Day to Submit. We know things are hectic, but the longer you wait the more chances there will be that something else will keep you from putting together that submission. If you delay, you could miss this time window. There will not be another extension.

What do you think? Does your company have what it takes to score the crown of most Innovative Company at RSA Conference 2014? A full listing of the submission criteria for submissions can be found here. To submit your company for a chance to showcase your product or solution at the RSA Conference 2014 please visit: http://www.rsaconference.com/TheSandbox