All of the 11 startup tech companies completing this year’s Comcast NBCU Lift Labs Accelerator have been selected to work with various units of Comcast, NBCUniversal or Sky on pilot programs or proofs of concepts.
It marks the first time all of the startups have gotten work through the accelerator. In all, 24 partnerships have been set up, with more in the works.
The accelerator program gives managers of the startups opportunities to get mentoring and advice from industry leaders and a chance to showcase their innovations to hundreds of potential investors and customers.
“We were thrilled to see the collaboration between this year’s class and leaders from across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky, leading to opportunities to experiment with new technologies in real world situations,” said Sam Schwartz, chief business development officer, Comcast. “The Lift Labs Accelerator not only helps founders grow their startups but also serves as a valuable testing ground for businesses at Comcast to identify partnerships that could further benefit the company and the customers we serve through innovation. We are excited about the potential for the startups to revolutionize sectors that are aligned with Comcast’s goals.”
The companies participating in this year’s accelerator are:
-- -- Eino, New York, a pioneer in AI solutions for consumer and enterprise network management. It offers a cloud-based platform for automated and efficient capacity planning and orchestration.
-- Fade Technology, San Francisco, connects IP and advertising content to commerce on OTT, SVOD, FAST streaming services, and digital publishing platforms allowing viewers to make in-video purchases directly.
-- Imaginario, London, 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.
-- Kosmi, Reykjavik, enables users to build their own virtual space where they can hang out, watch videos, play games, chat, and create together online.
-- Kyd Lab, New York, a blockchain-enabled event ticketing platform that unlocks long term loyalty, resale revenue for live event hosts and ensures buyers get authentic resale tickets.
-- Lluna, Philadelphia, offers technology that serves as the TeamOS for employers, combining personal operating profiles and smart dashboards to increase connection, effectiveness, and productivity for individuals, teams, and companies.
-- Mtion, Toronto, connects streamers with their fans through shared 3D experiences.
-- Neon Wild, Miami, transforms any child into a custom avatar as the star of immersive stories and games.
-- NNext, New York, 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.
-- Parallux, New York makes it easy for brands and creators to design, build, and host 3D virtual spaces in the metaverse.
-- Visura, New York, is a marketplace for publishers to license visual content from freelancers.
A 12th company, Collectiv.TV, was selected for the program but stepped away before it was over.
“Being a solo founder is very hard. Being a solo founder with 2 kids under 3 years old (6 weeks and 2.5 years) is beyond human. There's just not enough hours in a day to be the best father, husband and founder,” said L.P. Gauthier, founder and CEO of Collectiv.TV. “Since I don't want to compromise on my family, I've taken the decision to stop my entrepreneurship journey. I believe it's the best choice for my family and for my health.”
Since the first class in 2018, 54 companies have completed the Comcast NBCUniversal Lift Labs Accelerator and raised over $125 million combined.
“This year’s class has made immense progress in such a short amount of time,” said Luke Butler, executive director, startup engagement, Comcast. “This is the first year in the history of the accelerator that every single company in the cohort has announced pilots, proofs of concepts, and partnerships with our business – a true testament to the connections these founders have made during the program and the engagement from leaders across Comcast NBCUniversal.” ■
