The Walt Disney Company Announces Second Startup Accelerator Program
January 27 2015 - 03:30PM
Business Wire
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) announced that it is
accepting applications for its second Disney Accelerator program
powered by Techstars. Disney Accelerator will select a class of 10
startup companies for a three-month mentorship and investment
program beginning July 6, 2015 and concluding with a Demo Day on
October 6, 2015.
The program is open to technology-based startups with a vision
for making an impact on the world of media and entertainment.
Participants will be offered $120,000 in investment capital along
with mentor support from top Disney executives, entrepreneurs,
investors and other notable business leaders from the entertainment
and technology communities.
In 2014, Disney launched its first Disney Accelerator with
companies focused on a range of products including connected toys,
mobile video, STEM applications, social media, advertising
technology and more. Disney continues to work with many of the
alumni from the inaugural class, which included Choremonster,
Codarica, Jogg, Naritiv, Sidelines, Smart Toy, SnowShoe, Sphero,
Twigtale and TYFFON.
The 2014 Disney Accelerator class reached a number of
significant milestones during the program. SnowShoe secured $2.2
million in seed financing; ChoreMonster and Codarica both launched
mobile apps; Sphero introduced its new Ollie product and Smart Toy
was acquired by Cartwheel Kids, a Los Angeles-based manufacturer of
children’s products.
“The Disney Accelerator was born of Disney’s long term
commitment to innovation and its position at the intersection of
technology and entertainment,” said Kevin Mayer, Disney’s Executive
Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Business Development. “The
2014 Disney Accelerator demonstrated that pairing Disney’s creative
and business talent with entrepreneurs can produce an energizing
and valuable exchange of ideas and promote tremendous innovation.
We look forward to working with a new group of start-ups in the
months to come.”
For more information, please go to
www.DisneyAccelerator.com.
About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and
affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment
and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks,
parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and
interactive. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of
$48.8 billion in its Fiscal Year 2014.
About Techstars
The massive Techstars interconnected network of over 3,000
successful entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and corporate
partners help the most promising startups do more faster. With 15
programs worldwide, our mentorship-driven accelerators fund the
best companies in the most entrepreneurial communities. Since 2006,
80% of the 500 companies from almost 40 Techstars programs have
received funding, representing approximately $2.5 billion in market
capitalization. For more information, visit www.techstars.com.
The Walt Disney CompanyCarrie
Davis818-931-3270Carrie.Davis@disney.com
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