Vator has hosted about two dozen competitions in the past 1-1/2 years, since inception. Those competitions have mainly been focused on startups in the U.S.

But this competition is something I'm really excited about because it's designed to identify top companies in Europe.

Vator has partnered with Guidewire Group, to be the online platform for Innovate!Europe, a competition that will bring together elite startups across Europe.

There are finalists and one winner, that will be recognized in Spain in May, and Silicon Valley, in June. 

“We’re really excited about what our partnership with Vator.tv” said Mike Sigal, Co-Founder of Guidewire Group and Innovate!Europe “The Innovate!Europe program is identifying a lot of great European and Israeli startups who are eager to create relationships in Silicon Valley and expand globally, and Vator.tv is a terrific platform to help us introduce those companies to potential partners and investors in advance of our Trade Mission in June.”

The details are outlined on Innovate!Europe's competition page on Vator. 

But the main point is this. Produced by Guidewire Group, the world’s leading analyst firm focused exclusively on startups and emerging markets, Innovate!Europe offers you invaluable mentoring and promotion while you compete to be named Europe’s top startup and win a free 90-day stay at Guidewire’s business accelerator in the heart of Silicon Valley, worth over $30,000.

We're sorry to the many great startups based in the U.S. that find this competition appealing, but this contest is only for European-based startups.

The Innovate!Europe program encompasses two competition rounds.

Round 1: Applicants compete to participate in one of Innovate!Europe’s Going Global Workshops, held in cities around Europe between March 30th and April 8th.

Round 2: Finalists compete during a two-day Master Class held in Spain in early May. The winner will be announced during the Innovate!Europe Trade Mission to Silicon Valley in June 2009. This second-round competition will be launched on April 15, once finalists are announced.

There are already a number of companies that have applied to this competition, such Zemanta, Nuconomy, and iFood.tv. (Check out their profiles below)

If you are one of the many dozens that have already applied, and do not have a company profile on Vator, you should do so today, as the judges will be doing their due diligence on the companies over the next week.

To create a profile on Vator, you must first register to Vator. Once registered, you'll see instructions on how to create a company profile - which is free to create. And, then go to the Innovate!Europe competition page and hit "Participate in this competition."

You can upload as many videos, or documents, related to your company. If you're interested, you can also participate in Vator's private beta program, in which startups can send short messages to their constituents. We've got a growing list of startups already in this program, and actively using their Vator profiles to share their news and build a following. Among the startups in the private beta program that have the largest follower base are Wize, Indaba, Occipital, Famplosion and Kosmix. So, don't forget to request to be part of the private beta program.(Check out their profiles below)

For media partners covering this event, you can take the videos of the startups, and embed them on your site. Just hit the "i" on the video player of the video you want to embed, and grab the embed code to put on your site. 

Good luck to all the contestants!