“High-calibre,” “inspiring,” “creative” and “exciting” were just some of the words used to describe this year’s spring Cohort by the evening’s presenters.

“Congratulations to all of the companies who entered – the quality was exceptional,” The CFC’s Chief Digital Officer Ana Serano said.

Here’s a look at the new class:

• Motion Panels 
  an authoring tool that animates graphic novels, cartoon strips and story books for movile devices
• Instaradio
  a simple and powerful way to live stream and record audio that can be listened to on any device
• Bemused Network
  a community-based discovery service for entertainment and events
• Lightning Platform
  a cloud-based platform that tracks and targets user actions to aid product and service development
• Wondereur
  an app that brings storytelling to e-tailing, beginning with contemporary artists
• AlertTV
  an online system that enables producers to target and engage audiences using multi-platform strategies to measure success
  

These six new companies will each receive $15,000 in seed capital for their project as well as mentorship from thought leaders in the technology, business, marketing, media and product communities. In addition, ideaBOOST’s founding partners, Shaw Media, Corus Entertainment and Google, will offer strategic guidance as well as the potential for investment.

The work is just about to begin for these startups: the ideaBOOST 2013 Spring Cohort starts May 21.

“This year’s entrants were all of such a high calibre, that we’ll also be launching ideaBOOST’s first Affiliate Program, enabling all of the companies who made it to the shortlist to participate in a select number of ideaBOOST sessions, peer-to-peer learning and strategic assessment modules” Serano said, describing the new program.

Here’s a look at the shortlist of companies included in this new Affiliate Program:

• Circles 
• DADS 
• Hello Cool World
• Stickeration
• CineApp
• Bundle
• IndiLoop 
• Space Janitors
• nPulse 

Congratulations again to all of the startups that entered, and to this year’s 2013 Spring Cohort!

Be sure to stay tuned for updates on this exciting group of companies, as well as the ideaBOOST program.

Reel Asian is Canada’s largest and longest-running showcase dedicated to contemporary Asian cinema. Reel Asian is currently looking for new work by and about East, South-East, and South Asians. Annually, the festival attracts thousands of attendees to eight exciting days of screenings, industry events, and galas.

Please visit www.reelasian.com for complete submission guidelines.

Final Deadline ($20 Submission Fee): July 2, 2013

Recently, we told you all about Ondi Timoner’s A Total Disruption and how we’re proud to be involved in it.  In case you missed that announcement be sure to check it out.  As a small update, A Total Disruption still needs your help!  Please visit their kickstarter page and pick up one of the amazing perks!

Also, A Total Disruption is now featuring an amazing video with ideaBOOST alumnus, Mitchell Moffit, and his webseries AsapSCIENCE.

Congratulations to the Shortlisted Products for making it through, however, there is still one more round of selection to go! Stay tuned for the announcement of the finalists on May 15, 2013.

Check out the products at ideaboost.ca!

… If they reach their goal on Kickstarter! 

CFC Media Lab has offered to co-produce a unique creation from A Total Disruption: The first-ever online course to bring lean startup techniques to the entertainment industry, alongside a behind the scenes glimpse at the greatest emerging platforms for funding and distribution. The catch is – we will only co-produce this project if A Total Disruption makes its goal on Kickstarter.

This is where you come in; please support and share this kickstarter campaign with your social networks to help A Total Disruption reach its goal and in turn ensure we green-light our co-production!

Watch this video to learn more about why we are doing this, and why you should be involved.

We Need Your BOOSTs!

Have Your Say – BOOST Your Favourite Companies Today!

ideaBOOST is back! A business accelerator with a difference, ideaBOOST is a bootcamp for companies who want to navigate the entertainment ecosystem. Just 8 lucky finalists will be given the budget, tools, training, and mentorship to bring their product to market and to take their company to the next level – and we need your help to choose them!

BOOST an Idea.

Help the most deserving company win a spot in the program by giving it a BOOST and sharing with your friends. Check out our entries now.

Think You’ve Got What it Takes?

Then enter now because the ideaBOOST application portal closes TODAY!

ideaBOOST is in the News. 

Check out the coverage about our inaugural Launch Pad event and the exciting companies at the Globe and Mail and The Huffington Post!

You are officially invited to the OCAD University Digital Futures Graduate Exhibition.

We are extremely happy to be extending this invitation to all of the members of our community for the inaugural launch of the first graduate exhibit, please do RSVP now as space is limited.  If you are not able to attend the Opening Reception you are welcome to see the exhibition on display April 17 – 19 from 10am – 5pm at 49 McCaul Street.

When
Opening Reception: Tuesday April 16 at 6:30
Exhibition: April 17 – 19, 10am – 5pm

Where
49 McCaul Street, Toronto, M5T 1V7

RSVP
xtension@ocadu.ca

The Digital Futures Initiative is offered in partnership with the CFC Media Lab.

Applications are now open for all industry pass holders to participate in the Business Model Canvas Workshops at Hot Docs with the Astound Initiative.

Registered delegates can apply via the Online Community.
Application Deadline: April 19, 2013

CFC Media Lab and facilitators will walk participants through creating a “business model canvas” for their documentary projects. Using the Alexander Osterwalder method and the work of his book Business Model Generation, the CFC Media Lab team will lead 16 participants in a series of exercises to help each project identify their various business models.

To Apply:
Applicants will be required to provide the materials listed below. Projects will be pre-selected by CFC Media Lab and Hot Docs staff.
A) Describe the project for which you are currently trying to figure out a business model (1 page)
B) Describe what you think an appropriate business for this project may be (1/2 page)

About The ASTOUND Initiative
The ASTOUND Initiative is a phased, systematic initiative that seeks to encourage private investment in Ontario’s creative industries. Phase one includes professional intensives and research in business modeling, and audience engagement, and an event framework that introduces private investors with content creators and companies. Led by CFC Media Lab, Hot Docs and OCADu, ASTOUND also includes participation from a host of tertiary partners: Achilles Media, CMPA, Interactive Ontario, MaRS Discovery District, Nordicity, Seneca College, Summerwood Group Inc., University of Waterloo -Stratford Campus, TIFF, Wesley Clover International, and WIFT-T.

We would like to send a special congratulations out to all of the amazing participants of the first cohort of ideaBOOST.  If you are interested in learning more about their products please read about them here: http://ideaboost.ca/program/current-cohort.  Also, feel free to check out our amazing photos from the ideaBOOST Launch Pad on our flickr page.

Now that the program has officially concluded we wanted to send out a little update to let you know that three of these companies need YOUR support:

Phantom Compass’s Rollers of the Realm is hoping to be green-lit on Steam Greenlight, if you would love to play an RPG style pinball game be sure to support them by clicking the YES button below their video.      

Ramen Party is raising funds on indiegogo, their perks are adorable so be sure to donate now!  

YOUR TASK // SHOOT THINGS is also raising funds on indiegogo, if you’re a fan of YAMANTAKA // SONIC TITAN be sure to support the development of their new app!  

Do you have a product that you would like to submit to ideaBOOST?  If so, we are now accepting applications for our next cohort and we invite you to apply online. Also, feel free to browse and BOOST all of the existing products that have been submitted!

Follow along on twitter to keep up with all of the #ideaBOOST fun!

The Summer Sessions is a talent development network and the residencies are intended for early career artists, meaning the artist is under 35 years of age and/or graduated no more than 5 years before the time of applying.

The duration of a residency is roughly 8 weeks in the period between June 1st and September 30th.

As an artist you can apply by submitting a video, in which you briefly explain your project, the support you need and why you should be a part of the Summer Sessions before the deadline.

The idea behind this residency program is that local sponsors support young artists from their country to go abroad and develop a work at a host institute. Each Summer Sessions artist commits him/herself to the production of a presentable residency output. As an artist you can only apply if one of the partners in the talent development network is based in their country of residence.