The Dodgers and R/GA Ventures today named 10 chosen companies to be part of their Accelerator program aimed at developing emerging companies operating in “the intersection of sports, technology, entertainment and media.” The pair in the spring announced plans to create the L.A. Dodgers Accelerator program and went through an extended review process with more than 600 applicants from 34 countries. Each of the chosen companies will each receive $120,000 in funding and workspace with R/GA in L.A., and will also present at an invite-only demo day at Dodger Stadium in November. The chosen companies are:
* Appetitze -- a point-of-sale, mobile ordering and inventory management system for live events.
* Doorstat -- a proprietary technology solution for understanding foot traffic, customer demographics and customer behavior.
* FieldLevel -- a private social network for sports recruiting.
* FocusMotion -- analysis of data generated through wearable technology.
* Kinduct -- Software solutions for measuring health, fitness and human performance.
* LeagueApps -- Software platform for local sports organizers.
* ProDay -- A mobile application aiding training for professional athletes.
* SidePrize -- A product for facilitating side challenges in fantasy sports leagues.
* Swish Analytics -- Algorithmic and prediction tools for daily fantasy sports players.
* Yezno -- Polling and debating for sports fans.
MENTORING WITH THE STARS: Program mentors for the L.A. Dodgers Accelerator will include senior leaders from the club’s ownership group Guggenheim Partners, including Dodgers Chair Mark Walter and co-Owners Magic Johnson and Peter Guber, MLB President of Business & Media Bob Bowman, Lakers Exec VP/Business Operations Jeanie Buss, AEG Sports COO Kelly Cheeseman, Hawks CEO Steve Koonin and Time Warner Cable Exec VP and Chief Video & Content Officer Melinda Witmer, among many others. Because the companies are at varying levels of development, the focus of the effort is not single-handedly about building them toward a seed or Series A funding round, similar to a traditional accelerator, but rather using the foundation and resources of the Dodgers and R/GA to conduct tests and develop prototype products, build sales and sign partnerships. “This program includes companies that have already established category leadership and are rapidly scaling operations, as well as earlier-stage companies with innovative ideas and visionary founders,” Dodgers CFO and Guggenheim Baseball Management Managing Dir Tucker Kain said in a statement. “All of the companies will benefit greatly from the network and expertise the Dodgers and its ownership can provide.”
