For Moogfest 2014 attendees in Asheville, Local Flavor AVL is go-to app

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Here’s the press release.

After its launch in early 2014, technology start-up Local Flavor AVL is filling a gap for local businesses and organizations by creating a first-of-its-kind mobile app to reach newcomers, locals, and the nine million visitors who spend time in Asheville annually. As a Moogfest sponsor, the app supports local businesses by helping thousands of attendees from around the world navigate and experience Asheville’s vibrant local offerings.

“We set out to create a way to level the playing field for local businesses that have to compete with larger companies with larger marketing budgets, and to be able to work with Moogfest signifies that our innovative app has done just that,” said Ted Pate, Co-Founder and Marketing Director for Local Flavor AVL. “Moogfest saw that we have created something special that strikes a chord with users and local Asheville businesses.”

The start-up’s initial success brings into focus the efforts of many to grow and support the technology field in Asheville.

“Local Flavor AVL is a great example of the creativity and collaboration that occurs in Asheville-based tech start-ups.” said Alex Medley, Operations Manager of Moogfest. “We believe that the Local Flavor AVL app will enhance festival goers experience of Asheville while at Moogfest, which is a benefit to the entire community.”

In October 2013, a team of local creative and technology professionals joined forces at Asheville Startup Weekend to create Local Flavor AVL. This mobile app promotes Asheville’s strong local offerings and provides a way for visitors, newcomers and locals to experience what makes Asheville like no other place on the planet. In addition to winning first place at the intensive competition, Local Flavor AVL is the first Startup Weekend participant to launch into an operational phase.

Pate says that support from local businesses has been strong, noting that local businesses see Local Flavor AVL as a solution to the collective problems these businesses experience in reaching consumers, especially those consumers from out-of-town.

“Everything we learned during the app development phase pointed toward a strong need to develop an effective, affordable way to reach consumers on their handheld devices, and it couldn’t be a discount or coupon site. We saw very clearly that visitors, newcomers and locals value an authentic experience more than they value a 15 percent off coupon,” said Pate.

As a technology start-up headquartered in Asheville, Local Flavor AVL is an example of what economic development organizations are striving to achieve. Paul Szurek, CFO of Biltmore Farms, Chairman of the Asheville Buncombe County Economic Development Coalition’s Board and a judge at the 2013 Asheville Startup Weekend, sees a bright future for Local Flavor AVL in both growth and job creation.

“Local Flavor AVL’s success is great for our entrepreneurial economy, and can potentially help us attract more of such companies,” said Szurek. “This app will further intensify the infatuation people have with Asheville that keeps them coming back again and again.”

More information about Local Flavor AVL is available online at LocalFlavorAVL.com. To follow Local Flavor AVL on Facebook, go to facebook.com/LocalFlavorAVL/info. For the latest on local happenings and events, follow them on Twitter at @LocalFlavorAVL.

About Local Flavor AVL

The Local Favor AVL team, Asheville locals Ted Pate, Trevor Parker and Flori Pate, created an app that they themselves would use and recommend to their friends and families visiting Asheville. After a tireless 54-hour session at the Asheville Startup Weekend, the idea for the first-of-its-kind mobile app was born, and took first place honors. The app showcases the businesses, restaurants, events, non-profits, artists, musicians and more that deliver an authentic Asheville experience to visitors, newcomers and locals alike. More information is available at LocalFlavorAVL.com.

About Moogfest

Since 2004, Moogfest has been a gathering for the musicians that worked closely with Bob and his instruments. In 2014, Moogfest is amplifying its vision and becoming a 5-day event dedicated to the synthesis of technology, art and music. Moogfest honors the inventiveness of Bob Moog and the legacy of the analog synth with an experimental line up of daytime conference programming and landmark nightly performances. Moogfest takes place April 23-27, 2014 in downtown Asheville, N.C.