Feb 19, 2024,01:27pm EST
Actress and singer Bridgit Mendler, renowned for her roles in Disney Channel’s “Good Luck Charlie” and “Lemonade Mouth,” is stepping into the role of CEO with her satellite data startup, Northwood Space.
Here are the key details:
- Mendler announced on Monday that she will lead Northwood Space, a startup aimed at creating ground stations that connect and transmit data to satellites from Earth.
- The startup intends to establish a “data highway” between Earth and space, focusing on the rapid development and deployment of ground stations to accommodate the increasing volume of data in the space industry.
- Northwood Space has secured $6.3 million in initial funding, with support from investors such as Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and Also Capital.
- Mendler’s interest in space law, nurtured during her time at the Federal Communications Commission’s Space Bureau in 2022, inspired the creation of Northwood Space, a concept developed during the Covid-19 pandemic in collaboration with her husband and co-founder, engineer Griffin Cleverly.
- The startup plans to conduct its first satellite connection test later this year.
In her words: “Space is getting easier along so many different dimensions but still the actual exercise of sending data to and from space is difficult,” Mendler told CNBC.
Noteworthy: The satellite count in space is on the rise, with the U.S. Government Accountability Office projecting that the number of satellites orbiting Earth could reach 58,000 by 2030. Despite this surge in space activity, ground infrastructure has seen little change since the 1960s, posing challenges for data transmission.
Background: Mendler gained prominence through her roles in Disney Channel productions and has also enjoyed success as a musician. She pursued higher education at the University of Southern California and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a master’s degree and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. Additionally, she is studying law at Harvard University and has been actively involved in Harvard’s space society.
Fans anticipated Mendler’s announcement, speculating about new music, but were surprised by her venture into satellite data technology. Mendler’s pivot from entertainment to academia has garnered admiration, and her music, such as “Hurricane,” has been popular on platforms like TikTok.
Mendler’s response to a fan’s query about new music following the Northwood Space announcement was met with humor, suggesting “ever heard of satellite radio?”