TECHburgher :: Putting some sizzle in the Pittsburgh technology sector.

AlphaLab, a catalyst for launching next generation software, entertainment technology and Internet-based startups, recently opened its doors to investors and other members of Pittsburgh’s entrepreneurial community to come in and check out its first group of six companies. Founded by active seed-stage investor, Innovation Works, the AlphaLab program gave this group of entrepreneurs funding, access to a network of expert advisors, and free office space as part of an intensive 20-week program located on Pittsburgh’s South Side. All six of the companies in the first round have created some really cool technology and have bright futures as entrepreneurs.

Here is a brief look at each of AlphaLab’s current portfolio companies:

BlenderHouse creates targeted applications based on its social recommendation technology, which enables friends to exchange trusted recommendations and feedback during key life decisions.

This startup applies a structured approach to socially driven decision-making processes. By focusing on existing social networks, such as Facebook, BlenderHouse can reach a large number of already connected users in a highly targeted and efficient way. BlenderHouse provides advertisers with a way to join the decision-making process overtly, proactively, and in an engaging and useful dialogue. www.blenderhouse.com

Chogger is a Web comic platform where users can easily view, create and share Web comics. The explosive growth in user-generated content across different media types presents an opportunity for Chogger to establish Web comics as a new user-generated medium, just as YouTube did for videos or Blogger did for blogs. Despite the lack of a popular tool for creating and viewing comics, Web comics have been on the rise in recent years. www.chogger.com

The aim of Crono is to save people time.

Crono’s technology is capable of learning user preferences, and is specifically focused on learning to act on behalf of users. Crono’s personal agent platform will enable multiple applications that automate complex interactions and tasks.

Crono’s first offering, Skedit, is a personalized assistant agent for meeting scheduling. The Skedit agent’s sophisticated negotiation and learning engine preserves privacy, satisfies preferences, and saves time when scheduling with one or more parties. www.mycrono.com

GameHuddle is a social gaming community that gives players an innovative way to connect with the gaming universe.

Gamers are increasingly frustrated by their inability to meet other players who fit their game style, the difficulty in managing online team play, and the lack of relevant game reviews and news. GameHuddle provides a solution to these problems with a series of tools that help create a more personalized gaming experience for its users. www.gamehuddle.com

Skill-Life is developing an online game in which teenagers develop their financial literacy and earn real-world rewards by leading the virtual life of an avatar.

The product provides a fun, efficient, and standards-based tool to educators and parents seeking ways to reach young people about money. The timing has never been better- 40 states now have personal finance standards and nine out of 10 parents want their children to know more about money! www.skill-life.com

Sonya Labs is creating the “Google” of legal research by developing sophisticated search algorithms and research management tools, tailored specifically for the legal industry. The proliferation of online case information and a new generation of law students and professionals who expect easy-to-use natural language search present an opportunity to disrupt the existing legal research providers whose solutions are expensive and hard-to-use.

Sonya Lab’s search engine, Enfacto, is currently live and acts as a reference source for case information appearing on legal blogs and Wikipedia. www.sonyalabs.com