Disney Accelerator adds five new collaborations. Last updated: 2026/11/03 at 2:39 PM Get Theme Park News in Your Inbox Discover more Get Park Tickets Theme Park Disney Accelerator showcased robotics, filmmaking and guest-planning projects at the Walt Disney Studios lot on November 3, 2026. The technology collaboration program's Demo Day featured five companies working with Disney teams. The teams collaborated over four months. The program is in its 12th year. Since its start, it has welcomed more than 60 companies worldwide. Robots and guest planning. FieldAI is exploring robots that could support parking operations across complex terrain and unpredictable weather. Its collaborators include Disney Experiences Technology and Walt Disney Imagineering R&D. The research also explores how situational awareness and navigation could inform future character-based robotic experiences in Disney parks. Physical Intelligence is working with Imagineering on adaptable robots for repetitive backstage tasks. One practical example involves handling and arranging 3D glasses for cleaning between shows. The teams are exploring assistance that could let Cast Members focus on guest interactions. Simile's work with Walt Disney World focuses on understanding how guests plan their visits. Its research covers product names, descriptions and the broader digital experience. Advanced analytics and decision-support tools could help Disney teams evaluate ideas and refine concepts earlier in development. Filmmaking and returning projects. Promise demonstrated hybrid filmmaking that blends live-action production with generative creative workflows. Attendees watched an actor perform in a grey box production environment. An artist then demonstrated how that performance could move into different story environments. Promise's collaboration with Walt Disney Studios explores AI-enabled filmmaking techniques while protecting creative integrity and craft. OpenArt announced a collaboration with Disney Music Group focused on visual concepts for lyric videos. Its tools help creative teams explore ideas inspired by a song's themes, mood and emotional tone. Teams can generate and evaluate multiple concepts in hours rather than weeks. Returning 2025 participant Haddy demonstrated 3D-printed set pieces and prototypes fabricated with Walt Disney Imagineering. Its exhibit included a replica of a prop canoe currently installed in Jungle Cruise at Disneyland Resort. A King Louie throne currently featured at Shanghai Disney Resort also appeared, alongside rock facades and themed light fixtures. Another returning company, Animaj, demonstrated its artist-led, AI-powered animation workflow, FlipMove. Starting with an artist's sketched animatic, it builds staged 3D shots and accelerates layout, director retakes and in-betweening. Creative teams retain full creative control while reviewing and revising their work. FlipMove is in production use on Ozzy Fox, which Animaj co-developed with Disney Jr. over nine months. Following the show's YouTube launch, the companies are already producing Season 2.

OpenArt AI hires former Salesforce Global Head of Brand and Creative Scott Larson as company nears $200M ARR. After helping transform Salesforce into a global B2B powerhouse, Larson joins OpenArt as Vice President of Brand Marketing & Creative to scale its brand amid rapid growth OpenArt grows from $0 to close to $200M ARR in less than two years, increases headcount 300%, expands leadership team, and builds on momentum with Disney Accelerator selection and launch of Director offering OpenArt AI, the all-in-one AI creative platform and AI video generator that is changing the way visual stories are told for over 8 million monthly active users, today announced the appointment of Scott Larson, the former Global Head of Brand and Creative at Salesforce, as Vice President of Brand Marketing & Creative. Larson joins OpenArt after helping lead Salesforce's transformation into one of the world's most recognized B2B brands, overseeing global brand and creative initiatives during a period of significant growth and innovation, including the company's push into AI. Prior to Salesforce, Larson held creative leadership roles at Facebook and has worked on campaigns and brand initiatives spanning iconic brands including Nike, Gatorade, Levi's, Major League Baseball, and Call of Duty. The appointment reflects OpenArt's continued investment in leadership as the company scales rapidly across both consumer and enterprise markets. Larson joins OpenArt during a period of significant company growth that has seen the business grow from $0 to close to $200 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in less than two years, with the company on track to pass $250 million by the end of the year. This comes as OpenArt has increased headcount by 300%, from 20 to 80 employees over the past year, earned selection into the 2026 Disney Accelerator program, launched Director this summer, the company's breakthrough storytelling platform that introduced "vibe directing" to creators, marketers, filmmakers, and enterprises worldwide, and unveiled OpenArt Arena, a first-of-its-kind benchmark designed to help creatives evaluate and compare the rapidly expanding universe of AI video and image models. Additionally, OpenArt was recently ranked No. 12 on Andreessen Horowitz's Top 50 Consumer AI Apps by Monthly Revenue list, placing the company among the highest-grossing consumer AI platforms in the market. "OpenArt has reached an incredibly exciting inflection point," said Coco Mao, CEO and Co-Founder of OpenArt. "We have grown from an idea into a platform used by millions of creators, while rapidly expanding our business, team, and product offerings. As we enter our next phase of growth, we wanted a leader who understands how to build iconic brands, tell compelling stories, and help define entirely new categories. Scott's experience helping elevate Salesforce into one of the world's leading B2B brands makes him uniquely positioned to help tell the OpenArt story on a global scale." Larson brings more than two decades of experience building and scaling some of the world's most recognizable brands. During his tenure at Salesforce, he helped oversee global brand and creative strategy as the company strengthened its position as a leader in enterprise software and artificial intelligence. He also played a key role in shaping the creative vision behind Dreamforce, Salesforce's flagship annual event, and helped expand the company's presence at major industry gatherings including Cannes Lions, while driving global campaigns that contributed to Salesforce's rise as one of the most respected B2B brands in the world. Prior to Salesforce, Larson held senior creative leadership positions at Facebook and spent more than two decades helping brands connect with consumers through breakthrough storytelling and marketing. His experience spans a range of globally recognized organizations and brands, including Nike, Gatorade, Levi's, Major League Baseball, and Call of Duty. "I've spent my career helping tell stories about products. Now I get to work on a product that helps people tell stories," said Larson. "I was already using OpenArt before joining the company and saw firsthand how transformative the platform can be for creators. As I evaluated my next opportunity, OpenArt stood out because of the product, the team, and the incredible momentum behind the business. The opportunity to help shape the brand behind one of the most exciting companies in AI was impossible to pass up." Larson's appointment is the latest example of OpenArt's continued investment in leadership as the company scales. Earlier this year, former Google executive, OpenArt advisor, investor, and board member Raj Gajwani joined the company as Chief Business Officer to help build and scale the company's growing enterprise and business operations. About OpenArt OpenArt is an AI creative platform used by more than 8 million monthly active users to bring visual stories to life. Founded by former Google engineers Coco Mao and John Qiao and headquartered in San Francisco, OpenArt has grown from $0 to close to $200 million ARR in less than two years. In 2026, the company was selected for the Disney Accelerator program, launched Director, a breakthrough storytelling tool that enables users to create cinematic-quality videos through conversation alone, and introduced OpenArt Arena, a first-of-its-kind benchmark designed to help creatives evaluate AI video and image models. Posted In:

OpenArt, an AI platform that turns text prompts into videos, images, and music, has hired former Salesforce and Meta marketer Scott Larson as vice president of brand marketing. Larson says he wants to make it "as close to a household name as a creative AI can be." The company says it is on track to pass $250 million in annual recurring revenue by the end of 2026. It has grown from 20 to 80 employees over the past year and now has 8 million monthly users. OpenArt recently launched Director, a tool that turns a described idea, visual style, and narrative arc into videos of up to five minutes. A cinema and billboard campaign promoted it, aiming to spark a "vibe directing" craze. Earlier this year, OpenArt hired former Google executive Raj Gajwani as chief business officer.