While the entertainment juggernaut barely called out NFTs in their 2022 Accelerator Participants announcement, the companies included in their announcement are a strong signal for where Disney will place their bets moving forward. Disney made waves over the last year by embracing popular NFT marketplace VeVe, allowing collectors access to Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney NFTs via mobile devices. The announcement from Disney that includes web3 companies Flickplay, Lockerverse, and Polygon shows that Disney is taking this opportunity seriously.
“For nearly a century, Disney has been at the forefront of leveraging technology to build the entertainment experiences of the future,” said Bonnie Rosen, General Manager of the Disney Accelerator program. “The Disney Accelerator is thrilled to be part of that legacy, and with our newest class of companies, we look forward to furthering our commitment to innovation and continuing to bring magical experiences to Disney audiences and guests for the next 100 years.”
The companies selected for the 2022 Disney Accelerator program include:
- Flickplay: Flickplay is a Web3 social app that enables users to discover NFTs tied to real-world locations that they can experience and share via AR.
- Inworld: Inworld allows users to create interactive, AI-driven characters for immersive experiences.
- Lockerverse: Lockerverse is a Web3 platform that empowers creators and brands to tell culture-defining stories and deliver unique access and experiences.
- Obsess: Obsess is an experiential e-commerce platform that enables brands to create immersive 3D virtual stores on their websites and on metaverse platforms.
- Polygon: Polygon is a scalable blockchain network that allows developers and enterprises to build Web3 experiences.
- Red 6: Red 6 is an AR company that has created a patented headset and interface that works outdo
Today, The Walt Disney Company announced the six companies that will be joining the 2022 Disney Accelerator, a business development program designed to accelerate the growth of innovative companies from around the world. This year’s Disney Accelerator class is focused on building the future of immersive experiences and specializes in technologies such as augmented reality (AR), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and artificial intelligence (AI) characters.
Polygon (Matic) Soars
While many of the cryptocurrencies have seen massive capitulation during the recent market downturn, Matic has stayed relatively stable vs. almost every other coin. The recent announcement about Polygon being included in the Disney accelerator is a massive endorsement for the project and sent the project up as much as 20% after the announcement. Polygon has been vocal about their goal of democratizing web3 and increasing accessibility of blockchains for almost every entertainment medium including web3 gaming, music, collectibles and other categories.