There was a day of innovation that included some incredible technology used to tell stories at the Walt Disney Studios Lot earlier this week. The 2025 Disney Accelerator Demo Day was on November 5th. It showcased innovation in immersive experiences and storytelling formats from the four growth-stage companies participating in this year’s program: Animaj, DramaBox, Haddy, and LIMINAL Space.
Throughout the day of demonstrations, Disney executives and founders from the 2025 companies discussed how strategic collaborations could use cutting-edge technologies to enhance storytelling and experiences across The Walt Disney Company. This was an event that showcased the vision for these collaborations. There were both virtual and physical demonstrations. They ranged from multiplatform children’s entertainment to vertical microdramas, and from large-scale 3D printing to immersive holographic displays. Below is a look at what the four demonstrations encompassed.
Next-generation media company Animaj shared its vision for developing digital-first global franchises to captivate kids across platforms. Animaj empowers artists to leverage AI to accelerate production workflows while ensuring creators drive the storytelling and quality. In connection with the Disney Accelerator, Animaj is exploring opportunities with Disney Branded Television and Disney Television Studios to co-develop a new crop of vibrant shorts for multiplatform distribution.
DramaBox, a global leader in vertical, short-form entertainment, shared how the microdrama format opens up new content models and possibilities for episodic storytelling. At Demo Day, DramaBox founders previewed and Disney Publishing shared that they are in discussions to adapt a series of young adult fantasy novels into original microdramas for Disney media platforms. Additionally, DramaBox and Disney Music are exploring the dramatic adaptation of albums into vertical video shorts.
AI-powered industrial 3D-printing factory Haddy showcased how technology can quickly transform spaces for attractions and resorts, or mutable backdrops for TV, film, and theater production. Haddy’s fabrication approach and technology allows for durable, custom pieces to be fabricated quickly, affordably, and at scale, enabling designers to imagine and re-imagine spaces and experiences more easily. Haddy also offers environmental benefits in terms of waste reduction and resource efficiency because their creations can be melted down and used to produce new objects. Haddy is collaborating with Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development to explore the creation of select props and set pieces for Disney Parks. In connection with its participation in the Disney Accelerator program, Haddy is also exploring new applications for its technology and approaches across the company.
LIMINAL Space, a developer of groundbreaking holographic 3D LED displays, shared a live demo of its modular “Ghost Tile” and“Spirit Tile” technologies. The tiles can transform any environment into a state-of-the-art immersive experience where guests can step into a story or world aided only by lightweight polarized glasses. At Demo Day, LIMINAL Space showcased its collaboration with Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to bring Marvel Studios’ Rocket Racoon to life, combining ILM’s markerless mocap technology with spatial LED displays from LIMINAL Space. The collaboration enabled a high-fidelity, real-time rendering of Rocket to interact with guests live on the Walt Disney Studios Lot. In addition to this demonstration with ILM, LIMINAL Space is exploring potential applications with Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development and Disney Experiences to create new experiences and enhance existing attractions.
The participants of the Disney Accelerator program continue as part of an ongoing legacy of innovative companies that have partnered with Disney to bring stories to life and enrich digital and physical experiences for fans.
“Walt Disney always embraced the latest technologies to propel new ways of storytelling, and the company thrived by regularly working hand-in-hand with others who shared a vision of creating a brighter tomorrow. The Disney Accelerator is a modern extension of that spirit, bringing together bold entrepreneurs and Disney teams to explore new ideas and emerging technologies and businesses as they shape the future of entertainment. Every year, we are inspired by the ingenuity and passion of our Accelerator participants as they work alongside Disney’s brilliant creatives. Together, they build on Disney’s legacy of innovation and collaboration to delight the young at heart across the globe,” said Bonnie Rosen, General Manager, Disney Accelerator.
The Disney Accelerator serves to help move forward innovative collaborations between groundbreaking companies and Disney teams. This is the 11th year of the program. Through the years, it has grown into a vital engine for creative and technical leadership as it engages with visionary founders from around the world to build strategic business initiatives with Disney. During its 11-year run, it has had over 60 global companies participate. This includes Epic Games, Eleven Labs, Kahoot!, and Attentive. These have led to new collaborations and continued to help advance Disney’s commitment to innovation.
For more information about the Disney Accelerator program, visit DisneyAccelerator.com.
