VentureBeat’s 5 favorite DEMO companies

The attendees of DEMO Fall 2010 have already chosen their favorite company from the 70 that launched products at the conference earlier this week. And the event team, led by VentureBeat editor-in-chief Matt Marshall, has handed out its DEMOgod awards.

But the lowly writers here at VentureBeat, the ones who covered all of the launches, have our favorites, too. We were (mostly) uninvolved in selecting the companies for DEMO or the DEMOgod awards, so our choices are a bit different. The companies in our top 5 list don’t get any prizes except a (virtual) pat on the back — but luckily, our number one choice was also the People’s Choice winner, so it already won $1 million in free advertising from DEMO co-producer IDG.

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Here’s our list:

1. Card 2.0 from Dynamics — Dynamics hopes to upgrade credit cards into computerized smartcards with better security and multiple accounts per card, without making any changes to the existing infrastructure of magnetic stripe readers in 60 million locations.
2. Bump — Bump is a social networking app using license plates. When Bump users see someone in a car who they want to communicate with, they take a picture of the person’s plate. Bump’s mobile apps pass along messages to the car-owner, like “Way to use turn signals” or “Would you like to go on a date?”
3. Profitably — Profitably sifts through a company’s accounting data to glean insights about inefficiencies and opportunities.
4. Delphix Server from Delphix — Delphix says its database software shrinks storage requirements for non-production databases by a factor of ten, minimizes database refresh times, and reduces setup time from days to minutes.
5. Microfueler from E-fuel — Consumers feed organic solids such as wood, paper, plants, and bread into E-Fuel’s MicroFueler module. The MicroFueler turns the trash into sugar water, which is then converted into ethanol fuel.

Favorite AlphaPitch (a DEMO program for early-stage companies): FitLab (from Digital Lifestyle Solutions), a website that creates a personalized workout routine based on your needs and preferences.

Getting content noticed is a challenge for everyone making apps. We’ll cover the topic at DiscoveryBeat 2010. Startups and big companies alike should consider entering our Needle in the Haystack discovery business idea competition. Early bird discounts are available until September 22. Sponsors can contact us at sponsors@venturebeat.com. To buy tickets, click on this link.