Disney frequently uses cutting-edge technology for its films and theme parks in order to bring stories to life for fans. But how does Disney find all of this fancy new tech?

You’ve probably already heard of Disney’s Imagineers, who create much of the magic that you’ll see in the theme parks. But did you know that Disney also works with other companies to find the next big invention that could impact the entertainment industry? Now, Disney has announced more companies that it’s going to partner with, and these companies can give you an insight as to what Disney is focusing on right now.

The Walt Disney Company recently hosted its 2022 Disney Accelerator Demo Day. This event showcased “the six companies in this year’s Disney Accelerator program that are focused on helping build the future of immersive experiences.” The Accelerator program is a business development program that works with companies from around the world.

The companies that Disney worked with in 2022 focused mainly on augmented reality, NFTs, and artificial intelligence virtual characters.

During the event, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said, “Since that day when Mickey first whistled on the big screen, The Walt Disney Company has used technology to invent and reinvent nearly every aspect of entertainment, all in an effort to bring our audiences closer to the story.” He went on to say, “Today, the Walt Disney Company is once again transforming entertainment by combining extraordinary storytelling with innovative technology to create an even larger, more connected, and more magical Disney universe for families and friends around the world.”

The general manager of the Disney Accelerator program, Bonnie Rosen, said, “We hope that Demo Day is just the beginning of our relationship with these companies, and we can’t wait to see the amazing things we could build together for Disney fans.” Here’s a look at the 6 companies that Disney is working with:

Flickplay: Flickplay is a Web3 social app that enables users to discover digital collectibles tied to real-world locations that they can experience and share via AR. Flickplay is in conversations with Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing (CPGP) to create and deliver digital collectible activations within physical locations across the United States.

Inworld AI: Inworld allows users to create interactive, AI-driven characters for immersive experiences. Today, Inworld announced that it is in conversations with ILMxLAB, Lucasfilm’s immersive storytelling studio, to build developer tools for creating characters at scale in immersive worlds. Additionally, Inworld is exploring the development of an AI personality for Disney Star’s DisneyStarverse platform. At today’s Demo Day, Inworld demonstrated a ‘Droid Maker’ prototype that the company created in collaboration with ILMxLAB.

Lockerverse: Lockerverse is a community platform that empowers creators and brands to tell culture-defining stories and deliver unique access and experiences. Lockerverse is working with ESPN to launch a free NFT of the Celebration Bowl Trophy, to be exclusively first offered at the Celebration Bowl on December 17 in Atlanta.

Obsess: Obsess is an experiential e-commerce platform that enables brands to create immersive 3D virtual stores on their websites and on Web3 platforms. In early October, Obsess launched the Disney Music Emporium virtual experience, an immersive online store celebrating the wonder of Disney music. Obsess is also in conversations with Disneyland Resort and shopDisney to create a special retail experience.

Polygon: Polygon is a business layer for blockchain technology that allows developers and enterprises to build Web3 experiences. Polygon is working with Disney on developing a proof of concept for exclusive digital collectibles to recognize Disney employees during special occasions.

Red 6: Red 6 is an AR company that has created a patented headset and interface that works outdoors in dynamic, high-performance environments. Walt Disney Imagineering and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) are exploring opportunities to bring this technology into our story-driven environments for next generation experiences of the future.

Some companies that have previously worked with Disney also attended the event to showcase their technology. Here’s a look at those companies:

Attentive: Attentive is a comprehensive mobile messaging platform that allows retail and e-commerce brands to connect directly with consumers through personalized communication experiences. This summer, Attentive launched an opt-in experience to provide Disney guests a seamless opportunity to communicate with Disney Theatrical Productions via SMS and email through www.aladdinthemusical.com.

CAMP: CAMP creates experiential retail stores and online media destinations for the whole family. CAMP launched two collaborations with Disney this year, “Disney’s Mickey and Friends x CAMP: An Extra Big Adventure”, now in Dallas, while New York City families are enjoying the magical “Disney Encanto x CAMP” at its flagship store this holiday season. These immersive and interactive collaborations travel to other CAMP locations every few months.

Miko: Miko creates adorable robots that are playful learning companions for children across 140+ countries and utilized by parents, educators and technologists. Earlier this year, Miko collaborated with Disney Publishing to launch animated storybooks featuring characters from the worlds of Disney and Pixar on its Miko 3 robot.

We’ll keep watching to see how Disney utilizes this innovative tech in the future! Keep following DFB for more updates on all the latest Disney news.

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The post “A More Magical Disney Universe”: Check Out the New Tech Disney Is Working On! first appeared on the disney food blog.