Atom Factory Announces First Smashd Labs Accelerator Class

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Atom Factory, Troy Carter’s talent management and media company, has announced the six companies participating in its inaugural Smashd Labs accelerator program.

Atom Factory runs the accelerator out of its Culver City offices. The 10-week program provides participating companies with a $50,000 convertible note, office space and mentorship in exchange for a 3 percent equity stake. Companies in the program range from early to late stage.

Carter, founder of Atom Factory, has managed musicians Lady Gaga, John Legend and Meghan Trainor as well as invested, via his AF Square, in tech companies Uber, Spotify and Warby Parker.

Though companies in the accelerator skew towards music startups, the program includes entertainment and e-commerce companies as well, said Suzy Ryoo, Atom Factory’s venture partner and vice president of technology and innovation.

“We don’t necessarily want to classify ourselves as a music accelerator,” she said. “Music is our heritage … but in terms of tech and investments we have over 75 investments and a handful are music investments.”

Local members of the class include Westwood’s Enrou, an online apparel and clothing company that donates a portion of its profits to charity, and University Park’s Trackfire, a soon-to-be-launched software program that recommends independent artists to listeners.

Other participating companies include event merchandise online retailer Sidestep of New York, e-commerce and entertainment company Throne of New York and Prone, a New York company that places tablets in Uber and Lyft cars. Out-of-town companies will be sending select executives to participate in the program.

Dutch file transfer company WeTransfer will also be sending an executive, though its participation will be structured differently.

Technology reporter Garrett Reim can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @garrettreim for the latest in L.A. tech news.

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