Stage TEN, changio, SlimCut Media, PerceptivSHIFT, MBLOK and Tunestars join the four-month accelerator program, with Vubble and One Story accepted as affiliate companies
Toronto, November 6, 2014 – The Canadian Film Centre (CFC), together with Corus Entertainment and Shaw Media, announced today the six companies selected to participate in the fourth cohort of ideaBOOST, Canada’s only digital entertainment accelerator for companies focused on developing technologies and content platforms for the media and entertainment industry.
Set to begin on Monday, November 10, 2014, ideaBOOST cohort four received a record number of submissions from companies all over Canada. A panel of industry jurors reviewed and ranked the companies and narrowed the number of entrants down to 11 finalists.
“The breadth of companies we selected to be a part of the ideaBOOST portfolio speaks volumes about the talent and innovation that Canadians are bringing to the global digital entertainment industry,” said Ana Serrano, Chief Digital Officer, CFC. “From robotic computer vision hardware solutions, to real time cloud-based production platforms for next generation news, these companies will redefine how we make, store, pay for and discover media and entertainment in the next decade.”
ideaBOOST identifies the most promising companies that are developing next-generation technologies and products for the entertainment industry, and provides the support necessary for them to scale or become market- or investor-ready in today’s competitive media market. Through an intensive four-month program, ideaBOOST offers entrepreneurs access to global mentorship and valuable insights in product development, audience acquisition, financial modeling, pitch and packaging, $15,000 in capital, and the potential for direct investments from Corus Entertainment and Shaw Media, among other investors. Graduating companies are considered eligible to join the ideaBOOST Portfolio program, which provides further opportunities for the startups to secure corporate partnerships or equity investment.
The fall 2014 ideaBOOST cohort is comprised of the following companies, selected out of a record number of applicants:
1. Stage TEN: a platform to create professional, live and interactive content; it is a TV control room web app that can preview, switch and mix live video feeds from any web-connected camera with pre-produced segments.
2. changio: the first next-generation coalition virtual currency media rewards program that has been created with in-store, second screen, on-the-go, social, location-aware, mobile technologies.
3. SlimCut Media: a platform for publishers to engage, better understand, and monetize their audiences.
4. PerceptivSHIFT: the SHIFT is a vision-guided camera motion control system to enable dynamic cinematography.
5. MBLOK: a smart memory device that aims to personalize VPN and Cloud for offline access.
6. Tune Stars: a game-changing new music app that is lined up to disrupt the way fans, artists and the industry connect online for music.
Out of the 11 companies shortlisted, two will also join ideaBOOST as affiliate companies who will receive support and mentorship to prepare them to potentially become full-fledged participants in the next ideaBOOST cohort. These two companies are:
1. Vubble: a unique discovery platform that brings users the best video they need to see now and shows them video they didn’t know they needed to see.
2. OneStory: a platform to create and share video interviews.
Since its inception in 2012, ideaBOOST has accepted 19 early-stage startups and SMEs into their portfolio, including Bubl Technology, the creators of the Bublcam – the only fully spherical consumer camera in the world, whose current collaboration with Google allows anyone with a Bublcam to upload spherical photos directly to Google Maps, StreetView and Google+; ApprenticeA Productions, the largest online video production company in Canada with more than 280,880 subscribers on their network, and the founders of Canada’s first YouTube festival Buffer Festival; AsapSCIENCE, a leading YouTube channel with more than 2,800,000 subscribers, who partnered with the CBC last winter for a series of Olympic-related shorts, and plan to release an AsapSCIENCE book in March (Simon and Shuster, 2014); and RAUR by Instaradio, an app to live stream and record audio from a mobile phone, which has received two rounds of seed funding from three investors to date; among many other successful companies.
Through the generous support of founding partners Corus Entertainment and Shaw Media, ideaBOOST has provided these 19 participants with $15,000 towards development costs, $15,000 of in-kind services and key program benefits, such as access to top mentors in the digital entertainment industry, hands-on support to build customized business strategies, the necessary tools to engage the market and pitching tips on how to attract angel and institutional investments.
About CFC
CFC accelerates the careers of the brightest talent in film, television, screen acting, music, and digital media. A charitable organization, CFC is committed to promoting and investing in Canada’s diverse talent; providing exhibition, financial, and distribution opportunities, and fostering industry collaborations and creative partnerships. CFC makes a significant cultural and economic contribution to Canada by launching the country’s most creative ideas and voices to the world. For more details, visit cfccreates.com.
About CFC Media Lab
Created in 1997, the Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab (CFC Media Lab) provides a unique training, research and production think-tank environment for digital media content developers, and practitioners, as well as acceleration programs and services for start-ups and SMEs in digital entertainment. An internationally acclaimed and award-winning facility, CFC Media Lab participating developers and start-ups emerge as leaders in the world of digital media, produce innovative projects, and sustain 21st century companies. www.cfccreates.com.
About ideaBOOST
ideaBOOST is a business accelerator with a difference – a bootcamp for companies that want to navigate an entertainment ecosystem that has been radically disrupted by new technologies and demanding audience expectations. Companies selected to participate in ideaBOOST get the budget, tools, training, and mentorship designed to help bring their product to market and improve their chances of success with audiences, investors, and partners. ideaBOOST is an initiative of the CFC Media Lab, with founding partners Corus Entertainment, Google and Shaw Media. www.ideaboost.ca
