Reminder: DiME Tomorrow!
Just a reminder to those of you in the Bay area that tomorrow brings us the first ever Diversity in Media & Entertainment event, in the historic uptown arts & entertainment district of Oakland, CA. DiME 2008 takes place at Sweet's Ballroom from 10am to 4pm, is entirely non-profit and will see benefits donated to a series of worth charities.
DiME is the brainchild of Incubate Group, which "funds, develops and produces original cross-media entertainment properties for children, families and adults in a variety of formats." Moreover, Incubate's Ten Letters of Interest actively support truly diverse or diversity-based enterprises.
It's been said that Incubate was in talks to fund a new lesbian oriented online game & interactive fiction experience that has a Hollywood studio connection - so if you're nearby, please show up tomorrow and support a great cause: diversity in media!
Read on to see some of the great work Incubate Group is doing.
Incubation Venture Partners in Process of Raising $20 Million Fund
Azcatl Seed Capital Fund Would Provide Early Capital to Diverse Creators
of New Original Games, Toys, Web, TV and Graphic Novels
SAN FRANCISCO, California (February 25, 2008) -- Incubation Venture Partners LLC, the venture capital arm of Incubate Group Corp., announces that it is in the process of forming its first fund with qualified accredited investors, the Azcatl Seed Capital Fund I, a potential $20 million dollar venture capital fund to finance development of original creative properties, including video games, toys, television and graphic novels. The management of the fund has currently signed ten Letters of Interest and is actively exploring funding a variety of opportunities in the entertainment industry. The Azcatl Seed Capital Fund will support early stage development of new cross-media or transmedia entertainment properties by making equity investments directly into production companies or into intellectual property holding companies owned by creators. Incubate Group actively works with each creator before, during and after funding, assisting them to maximize each property's potential.
The Azcatl Seed Capital Fund derives its name from an Aztec myth about a little red ant
who played his part to save the world. According to the story, Quetzalcoatl created humanity but forgot to create a way to feed them. He searched fruitlessly for a way to feed his creation, and eventually discovered something amazing: a little red ant effortlessly carrying a kernel of corn ten times bigger than his tiny body. After much negotiation, Quetzalcoatl convinced the ant to show him the ant's secret stockpile and found an endless supply of food, thereby saving humanity.
"Access to capital for creators seems to be the largest issue facing the media industry today," said Peter Leahy, CEO of Incubate Group Corp, "and this is especially an issue for African-American, women, Latino and other diverse creators. By providing both venture capital funding and access to cutting-edge business development tools, we plan to reduce risk and better support creators in making the best creative and business decisions in the earliest stages of production."
The backers of the Azcatl Seed Capital Fund will be looking to support products and
brands in underserved markets and thereby capture the opportunity to develop original market leading franchises. To that end, Incubate has identified market opportunities for new children and family-oriented properties as well as those developed for adults. Investment opportunities the fund managers are currently reviewing include electronic games, television, webisodes, movies, collectible card games, hobby games, graphic novels, books, licensed products, toys, music and online websites and communities.
"Azcatl Seed Capital Fund will actively support innovation in design, business models and
content," said Peter Leahy. "How people get their media is changing. With innovations like video on the internet, digital distribution via Xbox Live and convenient web browsing on the iPhone, people can increasingly access their favorite media anywhere and on demand. We believe our model of venture capital funding--linked with strong professional services provided in part by veteran fellow creators and artists--is a powerful approach. We also anticipate raising a second fund for expansioncapital to support those companies that graduate out of Azcatl Seed Capital Fund I."
Incubate Group provides creators with the resources they need to be successful--including business development, marketing, production, PR, licensing, art direction, product design and development, and technology--to support and sustain each creative property it funds. Incubate is working with both top and emerging talent in the entertainment industry, including several women and minority-owned production companies.
About Azcatl Seed Capital Fund
Azcatl Seed Capital Fund I is a limited liability company that is in the process of raising a $20 million seed and early stage fund with qualified accredited investors to support new and original cross-media entertainment properties. Incubation Venture Partners LLC will be the fund manager for Azcatl Seed Capital Fund I, and is the venture capital arm of Incubate Group Corp.
More information about Incubation Venture Partners and the Azcatl can be found at
www.incubationpartners.com
tiny dancer
Posted to Hot Stuff, Miscellany on 28 March 2008
Other stuff like this: azcatl seed capital fund, dime 2008, diversity, diversity in media, incubate group
