Creating Genius Magazine Summer Issue | Page 22

e m e r g i n g Disney Accelerator Disney boldly asks the best and brightest entertainment and new media teams around the world: How big can you dream? The ultimate creative and entrepreneurial spirit, Disney’s famous quote “do or do not, there is no try,” is pasted onto every inspired and sleep deprived founder’s coffee mug. Turning big dreams into reality was Disney’s calling in life, and this accelerator continues that vision today. 10 companies over 13 weeks are offered $120,000 each and a profusion of advisors from The Walt Disney Company, ESPN, ABC, Marvel, LucasFilm, Pixar and more. Alumni include Coda Rica, a new take on seriously fun games that teach kids to code, and Naritiv, a marketing and analytics platform for content on sites such as Snapchat. Extreme Tech Challenge It isn't every new accelerator that counts CES President Gary Shapiro as a project partner, nor Sir Richard Brandon as a confidant. Add his private island, which serves as the ultimate outdoor co-working space for mentors and influencers who made the coveted top 3 finalist list, and you may just forget about the 1800 other tech applicants you just raced to get a seat at the table. Born of a social consciousness which runs deeply within each thread of founding company Mai Tai Global, XTC co-founder Susi Tai echoed the groups mantra when she stated, “We want to leave things better than we found them." Designed to fue