Microsoft's 'Kinect Accelerator': Turning Hacks into Startups

Who could have thought that a game console was going to impact entrepreneurship? What were simple fun hacks into the technology are now being made into businesses, and Microsoft is leading this movement.

Microsoft recently launched the Kinect Accelerator, which will help 10 Kinect-based startups form businesses. With a rigorous application process, Microsoft will pick 10 finalists to enter a 3 month incubation program on the spring of 2012, held in Seattle and co-operated by TechStars, a famous accelerator that has worked with hundreds of startups.

Participants will get $20,000 to help develop their business. TechStars, in turn, will receive 6% equity in common stock that does not include special rights or board seats, letting full control to the founders. Microsoft realized that its product turned out to be larger than the company has intended, labeling it "The Kinect Effect". Finally Microsoft is showing some signs of innovation.

We also recommend watching: "BlablabLabs: Kinect Hack Prints Out Your Mini-You Model" and "Kinect Project Natal: Milo, the Virtual Boy".

Microsoft's 'Kinect Accelerators': Turning Hacks into Startups 

Kinect was originally known by the code name Project Natal, is a motion sensing input device by Microsoft for the Xbox 360 video game console. Based around a webcam-style add-on peripheral for the Xbox 360 console, it enables users to control and interact with the Xbox 360 without the need to touch a game controller, through a natural user interfaceusing gestures and spoken commands.