Since launching the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator in 2021, the communications and media giant has been broadly searching for startups to invest in, benefit from financially and operationally, and help develop. Ta.
This year's startup class, announced Thursday, shows how the program has grown. Of the 10 companies selected to participate, eight are based outside the United States, including four in Canada, two in the United Kingdom, and one each in Brazil and Switzerland. Comcast received applications from more than 1,500 companies from 52 countries, up from about 930 companies from 40 countries last year.
Jenna Klas, vice president of startup partnerships and head of the accelerator, attributes the increased interest, especially overseas, to the success of companies that have participated in the SportsTech accelerator thus far. She also cited the presence and influence of the Premier League, the main English soccer league, which was launched last year as a partner in the program.
Other partners in the program are NBC Sports. Sky Sports; the golf division of NBC Sports Group (including Golf Channel); NBC SportsNext; Comcast Spectacor (owner of the Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia); PGA Tour. WWE; Nascar; US Ski and Snowboard. American Cycling; and American Swimming. These organizations help decide which startups join the program, and their executives serve as mentors and advisors to the companies. You can also invest in or enter into partnership agreements with companies that are developing the right technology for your business.
Each of the 10 startups will receive a total of $50,000 from Comcast and Boomtown, the company that works with the startups to identify and run the accelerator. In return, Comcast and Boomtown will receive equity in the startup.
“We have some contribution to the game and their success,” Klas said. “I think it helps hold us accountable.”
Unlike other accelerators that target companies that are still in the idea stage and only have a concept, the startups participating in this year's Comcast program are all developing technology and bringing products to market.
For example, Zoomh Inc. is a data analytics company in Reston, Virginia that raised a Series A funding round last year and has already partnered with Comcast. And StellarAlgo, a data analytics company based in Calgary, Canada, signed a deal with the NBA last year that saw the league take an equity stake in the startup. The deal gives all 30 NBA franchises access to StellarAlgo's platform.
Aquimo Inc., a Mesa, Arizona-based developer of mobile sports games, is another U.S.-based company selected for the accelerator. The other Canadian company is Fobi AI, an artificial intelligence/data company. Mobii Systems, a video streaming technology company. Plantiga is a company that has developed a sensor that is placed in the insole of sneakers to measure an athlete's workload and performance.
The remaining four startups selected are Dizplai, a British company that provides live graphics to broadcasters and sports organizations; Kymira is a British company that uses infrared technology in sportswear. Mantis AI is a Brazil-based company that uses artificial intelligence to organize raw footage and data. Zatap is a Switzerland-based company that uses blockchain technology to enable people to authenticate and transact products through their smartphones.
The Comcast Accelerator kicks off in Florida on March 4, and during that week startup founders will have access to Universal Studios, Daytona International Speedway, and the Arnold Palmer Invitational PGA Tour event. They will learn about how these venues and events operate and incorporate technology, and hear from and interact with NBC and league executives.
Over the next six months, startups will continue to work on their products and business strategies with the guidance of mentors from select partner organizations. The program will conclude with the Rally Startup Conference in Indianapolis on August 27th and 28th. There, the founders will share what they've learned and how technology has evolved to help companies and leagues run more efficiently, engage more deeply with fans and consumers, and generate revenue. There is sex. Additional income.
“(The program) is less fixed and more focused on, 'You're going to graduate from this program and be able to raise a lot of money,'” Klass said. Told. “We are working seriously in terms of having the opportunity to win commercial contracts. The revenue that comes in will help us build a sustainable business. You will have a real, sustainable product and market. We're really finding the right fit for them. This reduces the risk of the initial investment. Our North Star is really that commercial deal and working with them in terms of building a sustainable business that can grow over the long term. We’re more collaborative.”
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