Disney CEO Bob Iger wants to breathe some new life in the 91 year old company with the help of start-ups. Disney is launching its accelerator program, with 10 start-ups receiving up to $120, 000 and mentorship from Disney executives and entrepreneurs, according to CNBC. Bob Iger says investing in these start-ups can help Disney “change with the times, and being introduced to new, young talent … it’s a great thing.”
Among the companies that received funding were Twigate, which publishes custom children’s books and will integrate Disney’s characters into its products, Sphero, a robotic toy company, is partnering with the Star Wars franchise for a new toy. Even though partnerships may develop, Iger didn’t require executives to make deals with these start-ups or offer to buy them. Iger comented, “We didn’t want an obligation to skew the relationship in any way. We wanted them to feel free to take advantage of the vast resources of this company … without the sense they had to sell to us. We thought that would be limiting in nature.”
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