US-headquartered media and entertainment conglomerate Walt Disney Company has opened applications for the 2020 edition of its Disney Accelerator initiative, TechCrunch has reported.
The three-month accelerator was established in 2014 and on this occasion will admit 10 growth-stage media and entertainment technology developers in sectors including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, e-commerce, data analytics, robotics and frontier technology.
Applications will close on April 3, 2020 and the scheme will run from July to October. Participants will receive funding in addition to office space in Disney’s creative studio complex in Glendale, California.
Graduates from earlier batches of the accelerator include video game developer Epic Games and programmable robot manufacturer Sphero.
David Min, vice-president of corporate innovation for Walt Disney Company, said: “We created the Disney Accelerator six years ago to explore the incredible innovation that could occur between Walt Disney Company and companies working on the forefront of technology.
“Not only has the Disney Accelerator become the premier and longest-running media and entertainment accelerator in the industry, but the program has also launched a number of products, experiences and cutting-edge technologies.”