The Walt Disney Company has announced a new three-month mentorship and seed-stage investment program for startups called Disney Accelerator.
The program will be based in Los Angeles and is powered by Techstars. Michael D. Abrams, Disney’s senior vice president, Innovation, is overseeing the project.
Ten startup companies will be selected to participate in the program and will receives $120,000 in investment capital to develop their ideas in addition to receiving mentorship support from Disney executives.
The mentors include Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of the The Walt Disney Company, plus leaders from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, ABC, ESPN, and Walt Disney Imagineering. Other mentors include leaders from the entertainment industry, venture capitalists, and Techstar investors and executives.
“Disney has always been defined by innovation, leveraging the technology required to build the future of entertainment,” said Kevin A. Mayer, executive vice president, Corporate Strategy and Business Development, The Walt Disney Company. “Disney Accelerator offers a unique collaboration between some of the best creative minds in the entertainment industry and the modern-day visionaries who are starting businesses on the strength of exciting new ideas.”
Disney Accelerator participants will have access to Disney resources including stories, characters, and technology. The program is scheduled to start June 30 and concludes in September with an Investor Demo Day.
Startups interested in the program can visit www.disneyaccelerator.com for more details. Applications are being accepted until April 16.
