Former Disney channel star Bridgit Mendler raises $30 million for tech startup
Bridgit Mendler, once known as the cheerful Teddy Duncan on Disney Channel's Good Luck Charlie, has taken a surprising and remarkable leap from television into the world of aerospace.
The 31-year-old actress-turned-entrepreneur is now the CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space, a startup aiming to overhaul the way satellite communications are built and accessed.
After earning a law degree from Harvard, Mendler stepped far beyond the entertainment sphere to launch Northwood Space, which is based in El Segundo, California.
The company's mission?
To construct a 'data highway between Earth and space,' as Mendler described it in a recent interview.
According to CNBC, the company has just raised $30 million in seed funding, backed by top venture capital firms including Founders Fund and Andreessen Horowitz.
Northwood Space's focus is revolutionary: mass production of satellite ground stations.
Traditionally, these stations—which are essential for relaying data between Earth and satellites—have been expensive, custom-built, and few in number.
Northwood Space intends to disrupt that model by creating standardised ground stations that can be mass-produced.
The aim is to bring scalable, affordable, and flexible space infrastructure to governments and businesses that manage satellite constellations.
Mendler explained the vision with clarity: they want to build 'factories for ground stations,' which would make this infrastructure more accessible to a wider range of users. The company's first ground station is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2024.
The recent $30 million funding round is a major step forward for Northwood. The capital will be used to grow the team, refine the startup's technologies, and begin production and deployment of their ground station networks.
The round was led by Founders Fund and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with participation from Also Capital, BoxGroup, and Humba Ventures.
Despite Mendler's fame, insiders stress that the success of Northwood Space isn't just a product of celebrity spotlight.
Her leadership and deep technical interest are said to be driving the company's momentum in a competitive and highly technical field.
What might have looked like a novelty venture to some is now being recognised as a serious industry player.
Bridgit Mendler's story stands as a bold counter to conventional expectations around celebrities and their careers. It highlights how passion, education, and vision can open doors to new sectors—even space.
As Northwood Space continues to grow, its work could redefine the way satellite communications are built and operated, with Mendler at the helm of it all.
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