Pop music and tech startups have a lot in common: Both often feature a meteoric rise to fame and subsequent crash. In both cases, it helps if your frontman is a little bit crazy… You get the idea. Simon Cowell, godfather of American Idol, The X-Factor, and articulately making adults cry, has noticed the similarities too. Mr. Cowell and Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am are producing a new reality show in the U.K. that will pick out and support the world’s next tech entrepreneur.
Creatively codenamed “The X Factor for Tech”, the show will likely include a massive talent search similar to Cowell’s past shows. That said, few details about the show’s format, casting or release timetable have come to light. As with American Idol and The X Factor, the personal story of each contestant and their start-up will play a pivotal role in building storylines for the show, based the little bit of information will.i.am told The Sun:
“Singing and performance create a couple of jobs. But this will create lots…It’s about getting in touch with youth and giving them a platform to express themselves — whether that’s in science or mathematics.”
Whatever this show is, it’s not exactly an innovative idea. Fans of Friday night TV are probably already familiar with Shark Tank, a reality show on ABC where entrepreneurs of all kinds pitch their ideas to a panel of investors. There’s currently no word on whether this new show, whatever it’s called, will come to the U.S. That said, if you can’t imagine Larry Page, Josh Topolsky, and Simon Cowell tearing start-up ideas to shreds on national television, you just aren’t trying hard enough.
(The Sun via TechCrunch)
- Maybe the guy who hacked The X-Factor will show up?
- Didn’t somebody already have this idea?
- You know what’s better than Reality TV? Dream TV!
