Former Disney Star Bridgit Mendler Ventures into Space Industry with Northwood Space Startup
Former Disney Channel actress Bridgit Mendler, best known for her roles in “Good Luck Charlie” and “Wizards of Waverly Place,” has embarked on a new journey as the co-founder and CEO of Northwood Space, a startup that has secured over $6.3 million in funding, including contributions from notable investors like Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Andreessen Horowitz.
After wrapping up her Disney career, Mendler pursued higher education, obtaining a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a law degree from Harvard. Now, at 31 years old, she is venturing into the space industry.
Mendler unveiled her latest endeavour on X, urging her followers to “expect the unexpected.” She also shared personal news of adopting a four-year-old boy.
Northwood Space aims to establish “a data highway between Earth and space,” Mendler explained in an interview with CNBC. The startup plans to develop satellite ground stations that prioritize rapid production and deployment flexibility.
The ultimate goal is to revolutionize the satellite industry by offering mass-produced ground stations, or teleports, which can be rented on-demand. This approach addresses a significant bottleneck in the space sector, where satellite operators often face lengthy delays in acquiring antennas, crucial for transmitting vast amounts of data from space.
Venture capital and private equity firms, including BoxGroup, Also Capital, and Humba Ventures, have expressed interest in Northwood’s innovative concept.
The name “Northwood” pays homage to a lake in New Hampshire, where Mendler experimented with antenna-building during the pandemic, receiving data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites.
Mendler’s husband, Griffin Cleverly, serves as Northwood’s chief technology officer, while Shaurya Luthra leads software development. Both Cleverly and Luthra previously worked together as engineers at Lockheed Martin.
Northwood Space is set to conduct its inaugural test with a spacecraft in orbit later this year, marking a significant milestone in Mendler’s venture into the cosmos.
