Many companies have jumped into Web3 and Metaverse, and Disney is the latest major company to use its vast resources and expertise to bring the new Internet frontier to life. As the convergence of virtual 3D worlds, AR, VR and blockchain technologies, Web3 promises to bring new services and arenas that will provide exciting experiences for the average consumer and a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors. But for Web3 to truly take off and reach its potential, it needs compelling reasons why people want to jump in, and Disney’s accelerator program can give a boost.
Disney Accelerator is an annual investment and consulting program that helps technologically innovative companies, and this year Disney is focusing on Web3 and Metaverse. The program takes place over the summer each year and concludes with a demonstration event in October, focusing on entertainment technology, providing investment capital, access to space at the Disney Collaborative Campus in Los Angeles, and advice from Disney executives and corporate executives in entertainment and technology. Two notable companies that have participated in the Disney Accelerator program are Epic Games, the developers of Unreal Engine and Fortnite, and Hanson Robotics, specialists in human facial animatronics.
In an official press release, Disney announced six companies selected for this year’s Disney Accelerator, all of which have their hands in Web3, Internet and Metaverse in one way or another, spanning the fields of AR, AI, NFT games, virtual shopping and blockchain . Disney has been making major contributions to entertainment for almost a century, and sees long-term value in Web3. This is not Disney’s first expression of interest in Web3 and Metaverse, but so far it has not taken any major action against the development. The Disney Accelerator program is a powerful setting for any company to move forward.
The future is Web 3.0
The six contestants selected for this year’s Disney Accelerator program are Flickplay, Inworld, Lockerverse, Obsess, Red6 and Polygon, all of which are technology companies spanning multiple niches across the Web3 and Metaverse frontiers. They range from startups still in “growth mode“to technology companies that are contracted by the United States Air Force, but all have their hands in technology related to Web3. None of the companies appear to have overlapping specialties, and are each focused on a specific element or experience of Web3.
Flickplay is a Web3 AR company focusing on NFTs (called “Fliker“) that can be discovered or purchased by users through augmented reality in the real world. Inworld’s software allows users to create interactive AI-powered characters that generate their own dialogue for games, Metaverse and business applications. Obsess is a B2B service that creates virtual retail stores for companies, providing a new yet familiar experience for shoppers. Polygon is a blockchain and Web3 scaling solution for the Ethereum network, offering faster transaction speeds and far lower costs than the Ethereum core network. Lockerverse is described as “a Web3 platform that gives creators and brands the opportunity to tell culture-defining stories and deliver unique access and experiences“but no additional information (or even a website) can be found. Finally, Red6 is the developer of the Airbourne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS), an advanced AR headset and interface designed for the United States Air Force to train new pilots.
With such a broad list of technology companies participating in this year’s Disney Accelerator program, it can be assumed that Web3 is about to see even more innovation and progress. If all goes well, stores in Metaverse, AR / VR products and Web3 / NFT games can become more interesting, immersive and accessible, providing new experiences and entertainment aimed at a family-friendly audience. Nothing adopts adoption in the same way that children annoy their parents to buy new things, and that is one thing Disney is better than most entertainment companies.
Source: Disney
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