????大約在2012年年底的時候，科技行業掀起了加速器項目熱潮。自Y孵化器（Y Combinator）成功催生熱門企業Airbnb和Dropbox之后，上千個初創公司加速器項目在美國如雨后春筍般涌現出來。這些項目成為了年輕初創企業的訓練營，而學費便是公司的一小部分股權。但是問題在于，對初創企業真正有幫助的加速器項目究竟有多少？

????無論如何，企業界還是希望創業行動包含加速器。商業巨頭包括耐克（Nike）、卡夫食品（Kraft，現已更名為億滋國際——譯注）和微軟（Microsoft）都創建了相應的加速器項目，為的是從具有創新精神的青年創業主那里吸取靈感，同時在這一過程中向他們提供資源。我們姑且稱之為潛移默化的創新吧。現在，加速器大軍中又出現了一家新面孔：迪斯尼公司（Disney）宣布推出自己的加速器項目，項目總部將位于洛杉磯。

????迪斯尼企業策略和業務開發執行副總裁凱文?梅耶說：“我們意識到，最好的點子不可能都誕生于公司內部。我們吸納的對象是那些具有新穎點子的人，否則，這些點子根本不可能進入行業的視線。”

????為此，迪斯尼選擇了與加速器項目最知名運營商之一的TechStars開展合作，后者所運營的加速器項目已經遍及7個城市。TechStars之前也與其他公司合作過，例如它曾與卡普蘭（Kaplan）、巴克萊銀行（Barclays）、Sprint 、R/GA和耐克就加速器項目開展過合作。【然而，耐克數字體育創新高級總監里奇?恩格博格（在《衛報》（Guardian）去年召開的Activate New York會議上稱，耐克2014年的項目可能會采取不同的形式。】

????對于獲選進入項目的10家左右的企業，迪斯尼將向每一家豪擲12萬美元，同時還可另外提供10萬美元的可兌換債券。借助這個交易，迪斯尼將持有這些公司6%的股權，具體持股比例會隨著企業是否舉債而變化。（相比之下，大多數加速器提供的資金都少于5萬美元。加入Y孵化器的企業之前可從Y孵化器合伙投資人YCVC那里獲得6位數的初創資金，但是YCVC去年將注資數額下調到了8萬美元。）

????迪斯尼董事長兼首席執行官鮑勃?伊格將擔任迪斯尼加速器初創公司的導師，同樣，迪斯尼很多部門的高管也會擔此重任。導師的部分工作就是幫助年輕的初創企業了解迪斯尼這樣的大型公司。如果創業主們打算與大型傳媒公司合作，這是他們的必修課。梅耶說：“游泳池很大，我覺得一不小心的話就容易溺水。”

????任何與迪斯尼業務有關的初創企業都可以提交申請，而且沒有發展階段的限制。梅耶說，迪斯尼唯一不缺的東西就是劇本。

????梅耶負責掌管迪斯尼的并購和投資活動。過去的8年中，迪斯尼公司開展了約50筆收購交易，包括收購初創企業Tapulous和Playdom。他表示，迪斯尼將考慮投資和收購加速器項目中的初創企業。迪斯尼希望從投資中獲得回報的意圖十分明顯，但它最感興趣的還是初創企業帶來的活力和創新思維。梅耶說：“活力和創新思維本身就會為公司帶來財務收益，盡管這些衡量起來有一定的難度。”

????迪斯尼內部已成立了幾支專注于創新的團隊。迪斯尼互動實驗室（Disney Interactive Labs）為公司打造數字產品，Disney Imagineering負責設計和開發工作，同時與大學開展合作。迪斯尼企業研發工作室同時也是一個創新中心。除此之外，這家公司還于一年前舉辦了一個“開發人員日”活動。期間，各位創始人競相向迪斯尼高管諫言獻策。最終，迪斯尼投資了其中的三家公司。

????梅耶表示，加速器項目是“開發人員日”活動的延續。加速器項目將于6月30日開始，申請截止日期為4月16日。（財富中文網）

????譯者：翔

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????Sometime around late 2012, the tech world hit peak accelerator. Following the success of Y Combinator, which spawned breakout hits Airbnb and Dropbox, thousands of startup accelerator programs sprung up across the country. These programs act as a boot camp for young startups in exchange for a small chunk of equity, but it is questionable how many of them really help.

????No matter, corporations want in on the startup action. Conglomerates from Nike (NKE) and Kraft (KRFT) to Microsoft (MSFT) have created programs as a way to learn from innovative young founders while providing them resources in the process. Call it innovation by osmosis. Add another one to the list today: Disney has announced its own accelerator, to be based in Los Angeles.

????"We realized that not all of the best thinking can possibly come from inside the enterprise," says Kevin Mayer, EVP of corporate strategy and business development at Disney. "We're bringing in folks with fresh points of view that wouldn't otherwise be in our sphere."

????To do this, Disney paired up with TechStars, one of the most well-known accelerator operators, with programs in seven cities. TechStars has set a precedent for corporate partnerships, working with Kaplan, Barclays, Sprint, R/GA, and Nike for their accelerators. (However, the Nike program may take a different form in 2014, according to Ricky Engelberg, senior director of innovation for digital sport, speaking at Guardian's Activate New york conference last year.)

????Disney (DIS) will invest a generous $120,000 to each of the 10 or so startups it chooses for the program, with an option for another $100,000 in convertible debt. The deal gives Disney a 6% stake in the companies, which can fluctuate depending on whether they take the debt. (For context, most accelerators offer less than $50,000. Participation in Y Combinator previously offered startups six-figure sums via Y Combinator's partner investors, YCVC, but YCVC lowered its offer to $80,000 in the last year.)

????Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger will act as a mentor to the Disney Accelerator startups, as will top Disney executives across its many divisions. Part of the mentors' jobs will be to help the young startups navigate a large corporation like Disney, which is something they need to learn if they plan to work with big media companies. "It's a big swimming pool and you can drown, I guess, if you're not careful," Mayer said.

????Disney seeks applications from any startup related to any of Disney's businesses, at any stage. The only thing it doesn't want is scripts, Mayer said.

????Mayer leads Disney's M&A and investment activity. The company has done around 50 acquisitions over the last eight years, including startups like Tapulous and Playdom. Disney will consider investments and acquisitions of the startups in the accelerator, he said. The company obviously hopes to see a return on its investment, but is most interested in the injection of energy and fresh thinking that startups bring. "That in itself will provide a financial return to the company, though it's less easily measurable," he said.

????Disney already has a few in-house teams focused on innovation. Disney Interactive Labs builds digital products for the company, Disney Imagineering does design and development work and partners with universities. And Disney's corporate R&D lab also serves as a center of innovation. Beyond that, the company hosted a developer day a year ago, where founders pitched ideas to Disney executives. Disney ended up investing in three of those companies.

????This program is an extension of the developer day, Mayer says. The accelerator starts on June 30, and applications are open until April 16.

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