NEW YORK—Former executives from Vizrt and Disguise announced today the launch of Emergent, an AI- and data-driven technology and services company that will offer AI-enabled content creation solutions, interactive experiences, and immersive creative services to the media and entertainment industry. The company will make its public debut at IBC2025, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam.

“Emergent was founded on the belief that the future of media lies in intelligent content—driven by AI, informed by context, and delivered at the right moment to the right audience,” Emergent CEO Grig Mindlin said. “Our tools and services solve the complexity behind today’s production environments, giving creators, producers, and technologists the power to move faster, think smarter, and tell unforgettable stories.”

The company offers two product/service offerings:

Emergent Solutions will deliver enterprise-grade AI-enhanced solutions for media production, sports and news events, and immersive environments. Solutions is designed to reduce production costs, accelerate workflows and turn fragmented data into clear, real-time intelligence, the company said, by automating tedious tasks or enhancing audience engagement through personalized content.

Emergent Studio is a team of designers, technologists, and storytellers that provides creative and integration services to bring AI-powered content workflows and visualization to life. The multidisciplinary team helps customers design, deploy and scale creative projects and AI solutions, from strategic consulting and concept design, to installation and managed services.

The founding team includes:

• Grig Mindlin, CEO, a media-tech founder with two successful exits and leadership stops at Vizrt, Acision, Polygon Labs (acquired by Disguise), and Disguise. He is known for driving innovation that scales—and teams that love the work.
• David Jorba, CBO, a media tech executive with extensive experience in business development, growing revenue, and scaling global SaaS and services businesses. His leadership roles brought commercial success to Vizrt, TVU Networks, as a partner at Polygon Labs, and Disguise—driving go-to-market strategy, and international expansion.
• Miguel Yabrudes, CCO, an Emmy Award–winning creative leader behind groundbreaking visualization and creative technology projects for the Olympics, World Cup, and major broadcasters. He has held executive roles at Disguise, Polygon Labs (co-founder), and Vizrt, blending storytelling and innovation to shape the future of live media.
• Wilson Li, CTO, a technology architect with over 15 years of experience designing cloud-native platforms, AI pipelines, and large-scale data simulation systems. Formerly Head of Engineering and partner at Polygon Labs, he previously led advanced R&D initiatives at Vizrt, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

“The market is demanding smarter, faster, and more efficient content solutions, and Emergent is built to meet that challenge head-on,” said David Jorba, Chief Business & Strategy Officer at Emergent. “Our team understands the challenges of modern production and that's why we’re focused on empowering media organizations with the tools, strategies, and services to build the creative power they need to compete and thrive.”

At IBC, Emergent execs will be in Stand 1.D29 with one of their partners, ROE Visual.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech has announced  that the 10 companies in the fourth class of its program for startups have secured 15 pilots, partnerships, and commercial  deals.  

Over the past six months, 28 entrepreneurs  have engaged with SportsTech’s prestigious partner consortium, which includes: NBC Sports,  NBC Sports Next, Sky Sports, Comcast Spectacor, GOLF, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, Premier  League, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, USA Cycling, and the recently added partner  the University of Notre Dame. 

The announced deals for the program's fourth class builds on SportsTech’s legacy of connecting early-stage  companies with some of the world’s top sports brands. Since the first class debuted in 2021,  alumni have achieved 159 pilots, partnerships, and commercial deals with consortium partners. 

The 2024 SportsTech program is formally coming to a conclusion at the RALLY Innovation  Conference starting August 27 and running through August 28 in Indianapolis. The conference will feature  several SportsTech leaders, including alumni and experts from Xfinity, NASCAR, Notre Dame,  and NBC, and offer founders an opportunity to showcase their capabilities to a global audience. 

“The 10 enterprise-ready companies selected for this year’s cohort, chosen out of a pool of 1,500  applicants, have gone above and beyond to exceed the expectations of Comcast NBCUniversal  SportsTech and our partners,” said Jenna Kurath, vice president of startup partnerships and  head of Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech. “Over the past six months, they have excelled at  forming meaningful partnerships and striving to make a lasting impact in the world of sports – and  beyond. I am proud of their continued achievements and impressed with their potential for growth and scale, based on the business value they are providing to our SportsTech consortium  partners.”  

Through exclusive strategic engagement with partners, including during opportunities at  NASCAR’s Daytona International Speedway, Universal Studios Florida, the Arnold Palmer  Invitational, and SportsTech’s annual Combine conference in Charlotte, N.C., founders are able to  go behind the scenes and identify how to align their technology solutions to partners' operational  needs. 

These experiences enhance SportsTech’s customized curriculum, which strategically aligns  advisors with companies to refine their enterprise approaches, learn to adapt within evolving and  emerging marketplaces, and achieve successful business outcomes.

Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech also released some highlights of the program and the participants: 

• Aquimo, INC - Mesa, Ariz. Aquimo drives value to brands, sports teams, and media through massive multiplayer mobile skill sports games that integrate the motion of users’ phones and let millions play on any TV or live stream broadcast – with no download required. Aquimo piloted a custom-built mobile game for Comcast employees to enjoy during the Olympic  Games. Accessible exclusively on X1 and played by nearly 60% of employees with eligible  devices, the gamified living room experience challenged them to claim the spot atop the media  podium – with an X1 leaderboard integration and branded prizes. 
• Dizplai - Manchester, United Kingdom. Dizplai is a media experience company that enables real-time audience engagement for live  news, sports, and entertainment, turning broadcasts into immersive two-way experiences by  seamlessly integrating social media, messaging apps, user-generated content, and sports data  with dynamic graphics. Dizplai has earned a commercial agreement extension with Sky Sports to continue turning live  broadcasts into interactive experiences like the Viewer’s Verdict Scorecard for boxing, and to  support future interactivity needs. Up next are active pilots with NASCAR’s YouTube Live in-car  camera stream via contextual and promotional overlays and an NBC Local initiative for local news  feedback. 
• Fobi AI - Vancouver, Canada. The Fobi Mobile Wallet Pass platform helps organizations open new marketing channels and  deliver exceptional customer experiences using the native mobile wallet functionality available on  every smartphone. Through a partnership with Comcast Spectacor, Fobi is supporting the 2024 Flyers Community  Caravan with mobile wallet credentialing, which runs July to September 2024. Fobi is leveraging  its advanced wallet pass technology to optimize event management and enhance fan  experiences. 
• KYMIRA - Reading, United Kingdom. KYMIRA enhances performance and recovery through smart infrared-emitting garments that  boost circulation, reduce soreness, and accelerate healing while also addressing chronic illness,  mitigating injury risk, improving sleep, and providing unprecedented health insights. As a result of SportsTech, the Philadelphia Flyers’ players, coaches and staff can be spotted  wearing Kymira's infrared-infused apparel that boost circulation, reduce soreness, and accelerate  the healing process for athletes, which could be a true gamechanger for both players and sports  staff. 
• Mantis.AI - Sao Paulo, Brazil. Mantis.AI is an AI media-tech company transforming raw footage and noisy data into organized  video assets and actionable intelligence. Based on early proof of concept success with Sky, Mantis.AI is proving their AI-driven content  management, highlight creation, and distribution of sports content at scale, as part of an active  long-term selection process. The NBCU Local news and sports production teams in the Bay Area  are currently scoping a proof of concept to discover how their AI can deliver efficiency gains by  offloading manual, repetitive tasks to free up time to concentrate on creative journalistic pursuits. 
• Mobii Systems - Ontario, Canada. Mobii Systems’ Microblock Technology revolutionizes the way video streams are synchronized,  encoded, and distributed in real-time globally, delivering new user experiences at the live edge. Ensuring minimal latency and seamless synchronization without compromising streaming quality  is crucial for streaming services such as Peacock, where a proof of concept is currently underway.  Up next for Mobii are multiple proofs of concept with the NBC Regional Sports Network team to  prove out low latency in remote production environments, as well as other pilots with SportsTech’s  partners. 
• Plantiga - Vancouver, Canada. Plantiga helps teams and athletes reduce time lost to injury with in-shoe sensors and AI, enabling  asymmetry and load monitoring on-court, on-field, on-ice - anywhere. Working with the Premier League performance team, Plantiga is meeting with its football clubs  and FIFA, which governs all facets of the game. Up next, a Sports Performance pilot with Notre  Dame, and NASCAR teams are piloting Plantiga’s in-sole technology; all to bring lab-grade  athlete measurement data to the field/court/ice of play.  
• StellarAlgo - Calgary, Canada. StellarAlgo applies deep data insights and machine learning to turn sports fans into avid  customers, enabling true precision marketing by identifying the right opportunities for the right  fans at the right time. StellarAlgo is supporting the Premier League, its clubs, and its broadcast partners in two pilots to  help them develop the most actionable fan insights to drive engagement, tune-in, and revenues. 
• ZATAP - Winterthur, Switzerland. ZATAP is a platform for creating direct-to-customer connections for brands through “phygital”  products: tapping the product with a smartphone allows the customer to unlock engaging digital  experiences while enabling brands to build sophisticated customer profiles. ZATAP and NBC Sports GOLF are scoping a pilot tied to its SmartPlay technology within GolfNow  and GolfPass. For the 10K+ golf course properties that use the NBC GOLF’s platforms, a myriad  of exclusive digital offers can be linked to physical golf gear to create a virtual clubhouse  experience. ZATAP is also deeply integrated into the music and artist industry as they tie digital  experiences to record sales, tour merchandise, and concert goers. 
• Zoomph - Reston, Va. Zoomph provides partnership insights and analytics that help sports and entertainment brands,  media, leagues, teams, and athletes analyze social and broadcast content and track trends and  competition in real-time. Zoomph is working on extending its commercial agreements with Xfinity with the goal of an  expanded and unified measurement platform to rigorously track the return on investment on  Xfinity brand sponsorship investments.  

BURBANK, Calif.—Warner Bros. Discovery and Acme Innovation have named the startups that will participate in its new accelerator program Collider On The Lot, which provides entrepreneurs with connections to investors, executive-level education, and the opportunity to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery and Acme. 

WBD and Acme said that startup companies, ranging from media platforms to software developers and digital marketplaces, had already demonstrated innovative, future-forward strategies for engaging fans and elevating digital experiences across the industry during the program’s kickoff event in September 2023 on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank, Calif. 

The participating startups were selected from hundreds of applicants for Collider On The Lot program. The participants described themselves as follows:  

• Feature is leading a transformative shift in the media landscape, leveraging blockchain and proprietary technologies to revolutionize content marketing, engagement, and loyalty. As a next-generation media platform, Feature’s Smart Content converts passive viewers into engaged fans. By connecting creators and brands to their audiences, Feature is increasing marketing returns and creating deeper customer relationships. To learn more about their technology and projects, visit feature.io.
• Flawless is a leading technology company pioneering the generative AI revolution in film and entertainment. Flawless empowers storytellers to achieve their visions by providing groundbreaking post-production tools, trained entirely upon legitimately sourced data, within a breakthrough rights management system that guarantees artist consent and compensation. Honored among TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions, Flawless is the world’s first platform offering responsible, cinema-quality GenAI tools at scale all while protecting the rights and interests of creative talent in front of and behind the camera. For more information on Flawless and demonstrations of its technologies, visit flawlessai.com.
• Flickplay is the destination to buy digital toys and discover games and social experiences connected to them. Leveraging their mix-reality commerce and community platform, Flickplay is partnering with some of the biggest entertainment platforms in the world to commercialize digital toys, and empower fans to engage with their favorite characters in their everyday experiences. Redefining play time with their digital toys, and connecting communities of fans all around the world. For more information, please visit flickplay.co.
• Fr0ntierX’s software provides enterprises with intelligent data. The proprietary verification suites–including data, identity, and interaction–utilize blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to ensure information is verified, secure, and auditable. These analytics improve business logic and allow for more profitable and strategic decision making. For more information, please visit fr0ntierx.com.
• Hexagram creates worlds, developing experiences and technology to bring interactive narratives and characters to life at a level of detail never before thought possible. Their proprietary world platform has already found partners and customers in branded media and some of the biggest names in entertainment and technology. For more information, please visit hexagram.io.
• INFLUENCE by The London Fund enables creators and IP holders to generate venture returns by transforming media to equity. Through its proprietary ECHO CHAMBER (TM) technology, INFLUENCE (r) created the world's first fifth generation media channel with over 270 billion potential impressions. For more information, please visit thelondonfund.com.
• Inworld provides a suite of tools that enable AI-powered gameplay. Inworld NPCs exhibit complex and lifelike behaviors, increasing player engagement and immersion. Distinct character personalities can be configured in minutes. AI NPCs express personalities through multimodal AI designed to mimic the full range of human expressions. For more information, please visit inworld.ai.
• Koobrik is an innovative automated development tool that revolutionizes the way producers, studio executives, and talent representatives interact with film/TV scripts, books and the associated data. Koobrik streamlines screenplay data management to ensure that all creative data is captured, enabling entertainment executives to read more scripts, discoverstories they want to produce, and keep pace with the ever-evolving speed of the culture. For more information, please visit koobrik.com.
• Mod.io is the leading user-generated content (UGC) solution for game studios and publishers, pioneering official UGC support across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobile, and VR. Since launching in 2018, mod.io has gone live in more than 160 games, and powers millions of UGC installs daily. Mod.io offers an automated, scalable, easy-to-implement platform for studios seeking to harness UGC in their game. The results are long-term player engagement, and a pathway to creator economies. For more information, please visit mod.io.
• Mojito, through their APIs, helps brands increase engagement, acquire new customers, and increase revenue. Mojito powers this with Web3 tech that’s invisible to, and seamless for, end customers. For more information, please visit getmojito.com.
• New Canvas is an award-winning, next-generation media company that produces and publishes immersive entertainment for digital-first audiences with an unapologetic focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for the Metaverse. New Canvas is focused on developing content and formats to help drive mainstream adoption of immersive media. For more information, please visit newcanvas.co.
• Quivr is a decentralized social network that gives users access to authentic communities while owning their real online identities. For more information, please visit quivr.com.
• Reveel is a payment solution for the collaboration economy. Their revenue share protocol & on-chain account infrastructure allows brands to automate accounting operations, facilitating payouts to creators, collaborators & partners. For more information, please visit r3vl.xyz.

“Collider On The Lot underscores our commitment to fostering the next generation of visionaries,” said Bruce Campbell, chief revenue and strategy officer at Warner Bros. Discovery. “We're looking forward to the unparalleled growth and advancements this program will provide for both Warner Bros. Discovery and companies announced here today.”

Moving forward, the official cohort will be guided by Acme Innovation and have the opportunity to collaborate with Warner Bros. Discovery to develop future approaches to creating transformative digital experiences, empowering new storytelling formats and content production opportunities, and engage fans of iconic IP and brands across multiple platforms, the companies said. 

“We're exploring innovative approaches that will lead to long-term, lasting changes in what this business looks like,” said Mark Ross, CEO of Acme Innovation. “There is a tidal wave of technological disruption happening, and we have a golden opportunity to determine how to implement these new technologies in a responsible and thoughtful manner.”

For more information on these 13 standout companies please visit www.collideronthelot.com.

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Warner Bros. Discovery and the venture fund Acme Innovation are launching “Collider On The Lot,” a two-month, in-person and virtual accelerator program for media, entertainment, and emerging technology companies. 

Those companies selected to participate will collaborate with WBD and Acme Innovation to develop innovative and future-forward approaches to improve production processes and enhance digital experiences, the companies said. 

“Collider On The Lot is an exciting way for WBD to engage with companies creating promising new technologies and solutions that can help bring us closer to viewers and deliver our content in even more compelling ways,” said Bruce Campbell, chief revenue and strategy officer for Warner Bros. Discovery. “This deeply immersive program allows us to build relationships with the next generation of innovators at the ground level and collaborate on new ideas and technologies that will benefit both our company and media landscape overall.”  

Collider On The Lot is scheduled to start this September with a four-day, in-person event at WBD offices in Burbank. Entrepreneurs will hear from and meet with executives from across the enterprise, as well as notable investors and subject matter experts, to gain a deeper understanding of the current media landscape. Participants will have six weeks of virtual bootcamp, culminating in a demo day for WBD executives and Acme investors. 

“At Acme Innovation, we believe that the best way to future-proof a company is to build the future. We’re grateful to Bruce and the WBD team for their partnership, and for the opportunity to bring together this class of brilliant entrepreneurs,” said Acme Innovation CEO Mark Ross. 

Interested companies can learn more and apply to participate in Collider On The Lot at www.collideronthelot.com.  

PHILADELPHIA, Penn.—Comcast has selected 12 startups to participate in the fifth Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator program. 

The 12 companies, which were chosen from hundreds of applicants from over 30 countries, were identified for their potential to revolutionize industries across the core focus areas of the accelerator, including Connected Living, Immersive and Inclusive Experiences, and Smart, Sustainable Enterprise, Comcast said. 

Founders of the startups will participate in a immersive 12-week program run out of the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia. 

One-half (50%) of selected companies are led by at least one founder who self-identifies as a person of color or racial/ethnic minority in their home country while one-third (33%) are led by a woman or gender diverse founder.

“Through LIFT Labs, Comcast collaborates directly with startups at the forefront of new technologies in connectivity, media, and entertainment, with a curated, comprehensive and engaging program,” said Danielle Cohn, vice president, startup engagement and head of LIFT Labs. “During the accelerator, and beyond, these founders will have unmatched opportunities to develop their emerging businesses and gain access to industry leaders and experts. For the past five years, it’s been amazing to watch how these startups continue to cultivate a growth mindset and inspire our innovative teams, and I look forward to seeing what emerges from this remarkable cohort of 2022.”

Since the first class in 2018, 43 companies have completed the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator and raised over $115 million. In addition, more than 70% have secured proofs of concepts, pilots, or commercial deals with Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky.

Comcast reported that more than 100 experts and industry leaders from across Comcast NBCUniversal and Sky will mentor this year’s startups. Advisors include leaders from the Xfinity technology, product, and experience teams; the NBC and Telemundo broadcast stations; NBCUniversal cable networks; Universal Studios; Universal Theme Parks; DreamWorks Animation; Comcast Business; Comcast Ventures; Strategic Development; and Sky; as well as mentors from Techstars’ expansive global network.

Joining these mentors are Cohn, Luke Butler, executive director, startup engagement, and KJ Singh, managing director, Techstars, who will lead the 2022 accelerator program. They will guide the startups through workshops on business model development, pilot and proof of concept development, fundraising, marketing, interacting with the media, and KPI setting.

“Techstars is excited to continue our successful partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs and work in tandem to support this year’s class of innovative startups,” said Singh. “Over the course of our long-standing relationship, we have created robust programming that provides companies with the skills and connections they need to succeed.”

 The 2022 class of the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator includes these companies:  

• Collectiv.TV. Collectiv.TV's platform helps creators and content owners to distribute and monetize their content on free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST). Founder: Louis-Philippe Gauthier (CEO) | Montréal, Canada.
• eino. The pioneer in AI solutions for consumer and enterprise network management, eino offers a cloud-based platform for automated and efficient capacity planning and orchestration. Founder: Payman Samadi (CEO) | New York, N.Y.
• Fade. Fade Technology connects IP and Advertising content to commerce on OTT, SVOD, FAST streaming services, and digital publishing platforms allowing viewers to make in-video purchase directly. Founders: Lori Marion (CEO) & Michelle Perkins | San Francisco, Calif.
• Imaginario. Imaginario is an AI-powered platform and API that identifies specific moments in video and audio in seconds, allowing content marketers and creators to discover, find, and clip content faster. Founders: Jose M. Puga (CEO) & Abdelhak Loukkal | London, U.K.
• Kosmi. Kosmi enables users to build their own virtual space where they can hang out, watch videos, play games, chat, and create together online. Founders: Haukur Rósinkranz (CEO) & Jim Rand | Reykjavik, Iceland. 
• Kyd Labs. KYD is a blockchain-enabled event ticketing platform that unlocks long term loyalty, resale revenue for live event hosts and ensures buyers get authentic resale tickets. Founders: Ahmed Nimale (CEO) & David Barrick | New York, N.Y.
• Lluna. LLUNA's technology is the TeamOS for modern employers, combining personal operating profiles and smart dashboards to increase connection, effectiveness, and productivity for individuals, teams, and companies. Founders: Jess Podgajny (CEO) & Aaron Kamholtz | Philadelphia, Penn.
• Mtion. Mtion connects streamers with their fans through shared 3D experiences. Founder: Jeremy Hartmann (CEO) | Toronto, Canada
• Neon Wild. Neon Wild transforms any child into a custom avatar as the star of immersive stories and games. Founders: Matt Weckel (CEO), Stephanie Reaves, Matthew Kellough, and Carlos Ramos | Miami, Fla.
• NNext. NNext is an open-source, vector search database tailored for ML apps that stores the useful intermediate outputs of ML applications not captured by current database solutions. Founder: Peter Njenga (CEO) | New York, N.Y.
• Parallux. Parallux makes it easy for brands and creators to design, build, and host 3D virtual spaces in the metaverse. Founders: Gabe Zetter (CEO) & Kris Layng | New York, N.Y.
• Visura. Visura is a marketplace for publishers to license visual content from freelancers. Founder: Adriana Letorney (CEO) | New York, N.Y.

PHILADELPHIA—Comcast is now accepting applications from global startups in connectivity, media, and entertainment for the fifth class of the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator, powered by Techstars.

This year, the company is looking to mentor and invest in startups developing world-class technologies and products in the program’s core focus areas: Connected Living; Immersive and Inclusive Experiences; and Smart, Sustainable Enterprise, the company said. 

Founders can apply through May 11, 2022, for the program, which begins in August 2022 in Philadelphia.

Since the start of the LIFT Labs Accelerator in 2018, 43 alumni companies have raised a combined $96 million. In addition, 72% of LIFT Labs accelerator startups have secured proofs of concepts, pilots, or commercial deals with Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky, as a result of the mentorship they received in the program. 

This includes alumni like AfroLandTV, which worked closely with the Xfinity and NBCUniversal teams during the accelerator and now distributes their content to millions of households through Xumo, X1, and Peacock. 

Another alumni of the program, Introvoke, now powers virtual events for several teams at Comcast. Thinker Tinker, an alumnus from the first LIFT Labs accelerator, developed a children’s toy and app platform based on the Trolls animated movie franchise in partnership with DreamWorks Animation. 

In addition, LootLocker is working with G4, NBCUniversal and Game Jolt on a 2022 Game Jam focused on the next generation of game developers and creators.

The 2022 accelerator is planned to take place primarily at the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia. Danielle Cohn, vice president of startup engagement and head of LIFT Labs; Luke Butler, executive director of startup engagement, Comcast NBCUniversal; and KJ Singh, managing director, Techstars; will lead the program and work closely with the startups over the accelerator’s 12 weeks. 

Founders will also collaborate with mentors and product experts from across Comcast NBCUniversal’s businesses, including the Xfinity teams; NBC and Telemundo; Sky; Universal Studios; Universal Parks and Resorts; DreamWorks Animation; Illumination; Comcast Business; and Comcast Spectacor; as well as mentors from Techstars’ global network.

Techstars has invested in more than 2,900 companies with a combined market cap of more than $179B. 

“Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs has been a beacon for our organization since it began five years ago, lighting the way for how we engage and collaborate with startups from around the world who are at the forefront of building new technologies in connectivity, media, and entertainment,” said Cohn. “In addition to supporting founders, LIFT Labs also complements an innovation infrastructure that encourages our employees to think creatively and enhances our perspective of the future, which leads to further benefits for our company, our communities, and our customers. The past four programs have been incredible, and I can’t wait to see what’s on the innovation horizon for our fifth class.”

Over the next several months, LIFT Labs and Techstars will recruit in six cities, offering interested founders the opportunity to meet program leaders and alumni at office hours and networking events. Tour cities include: Miami (3/23), Atlanta (3/24-25), Los Angeles (3/29), Chicago (3/31), Philadelphia (4/20), New York City (4/21), with additional events planned for London and Tel Aviv. 

All event information and registration can be found on the LIFT Labs website at lift.comcast.com/events.

ATLANTA—The competitive sports market has a new resource aimed specifically at sports technology startups, as Comcast NBCUniversal has announced the launch of its SportsTech global accelerator program open to startups from around the world.

SportsTech will partner with NBCU’s NBC Sports, Golf Channel and Sky Sports brands, as well as with NASCAR and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard and USA Swimming organizations to provide resources and relationships for the startups. All partners will also serve on an advisory committee tasked with influencing the innovation priorities of SportsTech.

The startups that participate in SportsTech will have access to an international consortium of advisors, a custom sports tech curriculum shaped by industry experts and investment capital. The partners, meanwhile, will get early exposure to emerging sports tech trends and technologies and insight into how they can benefit their businesses.

There will be specific areas of focus for SportsTech as it gets underway, including sports media & entertainment; fan & player engagement; venue & event innovation; fantasy sports & betting; eSports; business of sports; and technologies designed for players and coaches.

“SportsTech will provide the curriculum and platform for founders to develop their ideas while obtaining mentorship from leaders in multiple sports, enabling them to further deploy their technologies to dramatically improve sports experiences for athletes and audiences alike,” said Jenna Kurath, vice president of Startup Partner Development, Comcast Cable.

Interested startups can apply for SportsTech between now and May 15, with the initial three-month program beginning in August in Atlanta. Ten companies will be selected and the program will be directed by Boomtown Accelerators.

For more information on the SportsTech program, visit www.comcastsportstech.com. 

The National Association of Broadcasters has chosen five startup finalists for its PILOT Pitch Prize Competition, a live business-plan pitch event that will take place at NAB Show New York next month.

The first-year competition gives early-stage startups the chance to present business plans to support the operational efficiency, audience engagement, measurement, content distribution or enhanced user experience plans for broadcast and digital media operations. The five finalists will receive individual mentoring from angel investors at the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business leading up to their pitch.

The three winners will receive a $50,000 Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) contract to help with further business development, brand recognition and market awareness, and also have the opportunity to showcase their work at the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 6-11.

“We have had a tremendous response to the PILOT Pitch Prize competition and I’m delighted with the diversity of our five finalists and their work in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing work flows, content security, news accuracy, and Next-Gen TV,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Sam Matheny. “Innovators and attendees alike will learn from and enjoy the live and engaging pitch presentations and feedback from a seasoned panel of media executive judges.”

These media executives will select the three winners:

• Roger Keating - Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer for Hearst Television;
• Michele Laven – President, Strategic Partnerships Group for iHeartMedia;
• Mike Chapman - Managing Director of Accenture Strategy;
• Lora Dennis - Senior Vice President of Digital Media for NBC Owned Television Stations; and
• Tim Clarke - Vice President of Content and Audience for Cox Media Group.

[Read:NAB Launches Third Annual PILOT Innovation Challenge]

The PILOT Pitch Prize finalists are:

Airwavz.TV

Airwavz.tv designed the first digital TV antenna and receiver that enables smartphone users to receive live television broadcast programming directly from TV towers – even in areas without cell, internet, Wi-Fi or satellite service.

nedl

nedl allows radio listeners to search live audio with Speech-to-Text software and directs to a station’s live stream. nedl is live on Amazon Alexa.

Our.News

Our.News is a non-partisan fact-checking resource that provides validated background information on news publishers and determines the public’s view of the reliability of news articles, publishers, and journalists.

PolyPort

PolyPort offers complete digital asset management, tracking, and IP protection through security and encryption algorithms for content owners.

Teamium

Teamium is a cloud-based media production management platform that provides visual collaboration and business process tools that are designed with the latest digital technologies for video production teams.

The event will take place Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. during NAB Show New York at the Javits Convention Center. Click here to register for the show. 

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LONDON — Broadcasters from around the world will have a chance have their business challenges solved by professionals from international startups and scale-ups during the 2018 IBC Show at the Rai in Amsterdam next month. 

On Sept. 18, "Speed dating with startups at IBC," organized by IBC2018 and Dutch-based MediaMatters, will host 15-20 startups and scale-ups eager to pitch their business solutions to an audience of broadcast executives and leaders from content and publishing companies. After the pitch stage, media executives can meet with startup and scale-up owners individually and possibly strike deals.

“Media companies are looking for new and innovative ways to push their businesses forward and startups are looking for partners to enable them to grow,” said Bert Kok, co-founder of MediaMatters in a press release. “Bringing them together at such an established, global forum like IBC2018 enables startups and scale-ups to connect with the right contacts with the aim to establish fruitful partnerships and to work together on new products and services that improve existing processes.”

[Read: Mixed Reality Lab Demo To Go Immersive At IBC 2018]

MediaMatters specializes in matching up big media companies who need innovative business solutions with "later-stage startups and scale-ups." The organization will help select for the speed dating event and shave down the list startup and scale-up participants to between 15 to 20. Media companies that want to take part in the speed dating event can order tickets at the Eventbrite website. Startups and scale-ups looking to participate can apply on the MediaMatters website. "Speed dating with startups at IBC"  will take place in the Topaz Lounge.

The 2018 IBC Show will take place Sept. 13-17.  

WASHINGTON—Startup companies in the early stage of their existence with their eyes set on the broadcast market take note; you could receive $50,000 from NAB’s PILOT innovation initiative.

PILOT announced March 7 a competition for such companies to receive seed money and support if their technology offerings are helpful to broadcasters and their digital media operations, especially when it comes to operational efficiency, audience engagement, measurement, content distribution or enhanced user experience.

Entries in the PILOT Pitch Prize will be judged on an entrant’s ability to solve “a well-defined problem for a significant market in a differentiate way,” according to a PILOT announcement. To be considered, companies must show initial progress with their product, a potential revenue model or customer base, a realistic plan for growth, credible financials and the right team to scale.

“PILOT Pitch Prize is our latest approach to support budding startups by providing a vehicle to attain early-stage financial support, executive mentoring and valuable industry exposure,” said NAB CTO Sam Matheny in a press release announcing the contest.

The deadline for application submission is April 30. Five finalists will be named in June. Three winners will be chosen at the live pitch event, Oct. 17-18, during the NAB Show New York, at Javits Center in New York City.

Finalists will receive individual mentoring leading up to their live pitch. Winners will receive a Simple Agreement for Future Equity contract, including $50,000, brand recognition and the opportunity to participate at the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

The first 100 applicants completing a qualified application will receive a complimentary pass to NAB Show New York.

Contest rules are available online, and additional information is available by sending an email to pitch@nabpilot.org.