Wellington, March 9 NZPA - Six start-up companies offering very different services will compete for a prize worth over $70,000 on Saturday, during the two-day Planet 2010 communications and technology conference in Auckland.

The companies will have five minutes to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges, with the winning pitch awarded $70,000 worth of IT, marketing, legal and accounting services, as well as three computers and account management support.

The shortlisted candidates include Dazzle Tickets, a ticketing solution; Fun2bFit, aimed at reducing childhood obesity; Speech School TV, a subscription-based internet television channel; Big Little Band, combining online gaming and social play; Livelink, which involves multi-media e-marketing; and Lifetime Health Diary, a complete lifelong health and medical record.

A 15-year-old Nelson schoolboy has also been awarded a year's free broadband for his proposal to expand his business, Acronum Industries, which sells electronic components online.