I don't know what it is about these Dragon's Lair style NS 2.0 events but you can't help but get sucked into the sense of anticipation wafting in the air and find yourself willing the pitching companies to do well - last night they needed little encouragement as the tech businesses that presented were simply that good!

Judging by the encouraging comments, the panel - made up of Richard Gregory (COO Latitude Group), Mike Perls (CEO MC2), Tom Cheesewright (Strategy Director, And Digital) and Kevin McKay (Director McCann Erickson) - left mightily impressed with what they had seen.

After our host, Manoj Ranaweera, welcomed all and thanked the NS 2.0 sponsors, Imran Hakim said a few words about the strength of networks when times are tough and how small businesses should seize the opportunity to innovate and adapt to change. All good stuff - shame he couldn't hang around to see more good stuff after edocr.com.

Manoj was first up to pitch edocr.com. Armed with a screenshot of the new edocr front page that shouts about getting your business noticed, those already familiar with edocr started to 'get it' more although there were still some question marks over the approach to market and charging v 'freemium' model.

My own view is that edocr could be a great tool for businesses to reach out and leverage their intellectual property, however, the prize lies in building the critical mass to make it "the go to" site for business documents. Freemium for now may hold the key - leverage to the hilt later, perhaps?

Next up was Georgia Brown with phonefromhere.com. Met with a rapturous response from the panel, phonefromhere.com stole the evening. It stands out as one of those "obvious" (yet clever) tools that you think the big boys (ala Skype) would be busy developing and rolling out yet right now there is only tumble-weed. Nada. And therefore a gaping opportunity for this promising business.

My slight concern was the repeated reference to it being "early" technology. Phonefromhere.com has been active on the Manchester tech scene for at least a year (I think) and we all know how fast things develop in the tech world. Strike now would be the resounding advice I reckon.

PostureMinder presented a useful piece of software technology that could help mitigate backpain suffered working in front of a pc or (worse) laptop and perhaps aid those on the road to recovery. Having come close to securing some deals with businesses, the panel agreed that the larger corporates probably held the key to the product's success given the investment required. Mention was made of a joint venture and I can see some mileage in this. I can also see it working in the larger blue chip professional organisations who (once they have their budgets back) will no doubt soon be paranoid about future employee claims along these lines.

Finally, (just 4 months in) was vmweb.co.uk and its new UK protected FLIMP package, essentially for businesses of all sizes (particularly SMEs) to create, distribute and track corporate videos. The panel agreed that the age of video is now truly dawning and that with the advent of Google PPC for video this service is timely. There were murmurs of concern over the SME masses producing garish DIY video nasties that could shatter any remnants of value in their brand, although the opportunity to get something out there rather than nothing and the current high conversion rates for video messages left the panel impressed.

That rounded off another successful NS20 evening with the panel summing up with words of encouragement for NW tech businesses to show more self belief and confidence in their entrepreneurial businesses and talents.

And so we headed home with the rallying battle-cry ringing in our ears that there is an opportunity for the North West to lead on Digital, Technology & Creative Media - we just need to take that chance...