Third Annual Nerd HQ Shatters Records, Raises $215,000 For Operation Smile

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Zachary Levi and The Nerd Machine returned to Comic-Con this year bringing with them Nerd HQ. This annual event, now in its third year, provided fans with a home base during the international comic book and entertainment festival. Guests experienced cutting edge technology with hardware provided by Intel & ASUS; gaming showcases including action-packed Neverwinter gameplay; a sneak peak at the all-new, electric FIAT 500e and several exclusive parties including the festival favorite, Levi's annual Nerd Party.

Also back by popular demand was the very popular philanthropic panel series "Conversation for a Cause." Guest who purchased tickets to these intimate panels of about 250 people enjoyed asking questions of their favorite entertainers in an un-moderated forum. This year's panels included some of the most talked about films, television shows and celebrities including "Riddick," "Cast from '300: Rise of an Empire,'" "Dr. Who," "The Maze Runner," "Haven," "I, Frankenstein," "Orphan Black," "PBS Masterpiece: Sherlock," "Psych," "Stoopid Buddy with Seth Green," "Thrilling Adventure Hour," "Fannibal Meetup with Bryan Fuller, Hugh Dancy and David Slade," "Signing with the legendary Jim Lee of DC Entertainment," "Adult Swim Panel featuring cast members from NTSF and Children's Hospital," "Kick Ass 2 Panel and Signing," "Tiny Commando featuring Ed Helms, Gillian Jacobs, Ryan McFaul and Zachary Levi," "A Conversation with NASA/JPL Mars Curiosity Rover" and "A Conversation with Zachary Levi and Mystery Guests" and individual panels with Evangeline Lilly, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, Joe Manganiello, Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Richard Madden, Tom Hiddleston, and Nerd HQ Founder Zachary Levi.

With the addition several new fundraising efforts, such as photo opportunities with celebrities including Stan Lee, Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, David Giuntoli, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Levi, an exclusive auction on eBay that featured one-of-a-kind artwork from Elevendy, a huge screening of fan-favorite Serenity on Petco Park's field, and a generous $10,000 donation from event sponsor Intel & ASUS, the event generated a record breaking $215,000 for Operation Smile or as Nerd HQ Founder Zachary Levi put it, 895 smiles.

ABOUT ASUS - ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world's best-selling and most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today's digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets and smartphones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,168 awards in 2012 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC(tm). ASUS has more than 12,500 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of 3,800 engineers. Company revenue for 2012 was approximately US$14 billion.

ABOUT FIAT BRAND - The FIAT brand stands for discovery through passionate self-expression. It encourages people to be in charge of their lives, live confidently and celebrate the smallest of things with infectious excitement. That philosophy is embodied by the North American introduction of the iconic Fiat 500 or Cinquecento – a small car that lives big. Italian at heart and rooted in a rich heritage, the 500 is synonymous with modern, simple design blending form, function and a pride of ownership that is genuine.

Reminiscent of the original Cinquecento, the Fiat 500 and Fiat 500c (Cabrio) build on the vehicle's global popularity. Since its initial launch in 2007, more than 1,000,000 Fiat 500 vehicles have been sold in more than 100 countries around the world. The model's unquestionable popularity is the result of the Fiat 500's great ability to deliver unmatched personalization options with advanced solutions in terms of quality, engine and passenger comfort. In addition to success on the sales front, the Fiat 500 has earned more than 80 international awards, including being named the 2008 European Car of the Year, 2009 World Car Design of the Year and Best New Engine of 2010 (Fiat MultiAir® Turbo). In the U.S., the 2012 Fiat 500 was named "Best Buy" in the subcompact category by Consumers Digest and was deemed a "Top Safety Pick" by the influential Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The FIAT brand portfolio in North America continues to expand with the arrival of the high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth, Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio and the Fiat 500 Turbo. In 2013, the FIAT brand will launch the Fiat 500e, a full-electric version of the Fiat 500, and the Fiat 500L, a new five-passenger model that will expand FIAT's brand style and efficiency into the growing B-segment.

ABOUT FIAT 500E - Designing city-friendly, environmentally responsible and fun-to-drive small cars is what the FIAT brand and its "Simply More" belief stand for. The all-new 2013 Fiat 500e electrifies the next chapter of the brand's legacy by embodying the FIAT brand's simple, purposeful and fun-to-drive values – through iconic style, engaging dynamics and an environmentally responsible zero-emissions design.

The all-new 2013 Fiat 500e arrives at FIAT Studios in California during the second quarter of 2013.

ABOUT INTEL - Intel is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world's computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.

ABOUT PERFECT WORLD ENTERTAINMENT INC. - Perfect World Entertainment is a leading North American online games publisher specializing in immersive free-to-play MMORPGs. Founded in 2008, Perfect World Entertainment has published a number of popular titles, including Blacklight Retribution, Forsaken World, Perfect World International and Star Trek Online. The company works closely with its American development teams and partners such as Cryptic Studios, developer of the highly acclaimed MMORPG Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter, and Runic Games, developer of the hit Torchlight series, to provide unparalleled quality of service and game experiences to its players. A subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd., Perfect World Entertainment is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. For more information, please visit: www.perfectworld.com.

ABOUT OPERATION SMILE - Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is an international children's medical charity with a presence in more than 60 countries, whose network of more than 5,000 medical volunteers from over 80 countries is dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children. Since its founding in 1982, Operation Smile has provided more than 3.5 million healthcare evaluations and conducted over 200,000 free surgeries for children and young adults born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities, as well as patients suffering from burns. To build long-term self-sufficiency in developing countries, Operation Smile trains doctors and local medical professionals in its partner countries so they are empowered to treat their own local communities, donates medical equipment and supplies, and provides year-round medical treatment through its worldwide Comprehensive Care Centers.

ABOUT THE NERD MACHINE - The Nerd Machine is a multimedia company dedicated in bringing its global clientele the best of apparel, accessories, software, hardware, music, and both long and short form video content. We not only put a premium on customer satisfaction and input but also collaboration, as we believe that some of the very best ideas may come out of the very community we serve. Our goal is to nurture an environment where community interaction thrives, creating the best and most forward thinking products available on the market. And, philosophically speaking, spearheading a "mission of redefinition" that changes the global perception of what a nerd is, and thereby allow everyone to celebrate the nerd in themselves. The question is: What are you nerdy about?

VIVA LA NERDOLUTION

SOURCE The Nerd Machine