THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY INVITES APPLICATIONS FROM INNOVATIVE GROWTH-STAGE COMPANIES FOR 2022 DISNEY ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

BURBANK, Calif., April 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Walt Disney Company announced today that it is accepting applications for the 2022 Disney Accelerator, a business development program designed to accelerate the growth of innovative companies from around the world. The program, now in its seventh year, is expected to begin in July and conclude with a Demo Day in the fall. Applications are due by May 13, 2022.

Building on Disney's near century-long history of leveraging technology to deliver unparalleled storytelling and immersive experiences to audiences around the globe, the 2022 Disney Accelerator is open to growth-stage companies with a vision for making an impact on the future of technology and entertainment. Participants will be connected with the creativity, imagination and expertise of Disney and receive exceptional mentorship and guidance from the Company's leadership team. For this year's program, the Disney Accelerator team is interested in companies innovating in: artificial intelligence (AI), data and analytics, immersive experiences, machine learning (ML), personalization, robotics, sports tech, and web3.

"The Disney Accelerator introduces us to visionary companies that are leading innovators in their respective industries," said Bonnie Rosen, General Manager of Disney Accelerator. "We are looking forward to this year's program and can't wait to connect with the next generation of talent that will help us make bold decisions and identify new opportunities for innovation at The Walt Disney Company." 

Since the launch of Disney Accelerator in 2014, numerous companies that have been part of the program continue to collaborate with various divisions of the Company while making great strides in their industries, including:

• CAMP, the Family Experience Company, participated in the 2021 Disney Accelerator program and just announced its newest themed experience: "Mickey & Friends x CAMP: An Extra Big Adventure," which will debut on May 28th at CAMP's 5th Avenue flagship store. This interactive, larger-than-life collaboration is the first of several Disney-themed experiences that CAMP will launch in 2022 and will travel to other CAMP locations later this year and beyond.
• Mojo Vision, a company that is developing the first augmented reality smart contact lens, participated in the 2021 Disney Accelerator program, and just announced its new prototype of Mojo Lens, which incorporates numerous industry-first features, including the world's smallest and densest dynamic display, low-latency communication, and an eye-controlled user interface.
• Kahoot!, the global learning and engagement platform company, participated in the 2017 Disney Accelerator program. Since then, Kahoot! has collaborated with Disney Publishing Worldwide to create engaging Disney, Marvel and Star Wars learning content.
• Epic Games, developer of Unreal Engine, was a participant in the 2017 Disney Accelerator and has since worked with numerous divisions of the Company, including Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Walt Disney Imagineering.

The Disney Accelerator team is looking forward to hearing from innovative companies around the world. For more information and to apply for participation in the 2022 Disney Accelerator program, visit https://DisneyAccelerator.com.

Contacts:

Kirsten Underwood
Disney Accelerator Communications
Kirsten.Underwood@disney.com 

Colby Colodner
Corporate Communications
Colby.B.Colodner@disney.com 

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SOURCE Walt Disney Company