Earlier this year, Bridgit Mendler surprised her fans when she announced that she was heading a new space data startup called Northwood Space. With Northwood, the former Disney star and singer is taking aim at an overlooked but critical part of space infrastructure: ground stations. She’s coming to TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 on October 28-30 in San Francisco to share her insight in this area of space technology.
Ground stations are the critical communication points for satellites to communicate with Earth. These massive antennas are how data is transmitted from the spacecraft to operators, whether that’s information on the health status of the satellite or the data it’s collected in orbit. The number and capacity of ground stations are a pressing bottleneck facing the industry; however, Northwood hit the ground running with around $6 million in funding from top-tier investors, including Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and Also Capital.
Before adding space startup CEO to her résumé, Mendler was known for her appearances on Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “Good Luck Charlie.” After leaving the big screen, she turned to making pop music before going on to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Law School. She founded Northwood last year with her two co-founders.
Mendler will be joining us live on the Space Stage at Disrupt 2024. Get your ticket here to be a part of this engaging conversation with her. Save up to $600 if you register before August 24.