News Corp Launches Innovation Program ‘News Bolt’

News Corp Australia is calling on all of its 8,000 employees nationwide to share big, disruptive ideas as part of a new innovation program – ‘News Bolt’ – launched in partnership with Slingshot Accelerator.

Sponsored by executive chairman of News Corp Australasia, Michael Miller, and led by general manager of mergers and acquisitions and strategy, Richard Skimin, News Bolt aims to harness the creativity, innovation and imagination of its employees to drive future success.

Miller said: “Creativity, bold thinking, and innovation is deep within the heart of News Corp, and cultivating this is what this program is all about. With a history of entrepreneurialism, taking risks and innovating for success, we believe in thinking creatively, and challenging the status quo.

“Our people are the key to our future success. Our leadership, our talent and increasing collaboration is exciting, as it is facilitating innovative thinking from a passionate team of people.

“We are working in exciting times in our industry and in our business, a time of enormous opportunity and potential. We do what no other company in Australia can do and we will continue to invest in our company, to innovate and push the boundaries of what we think we know, and what we think we can do.

“We are committed to working smarter, to growing our businesses now and into the future, through creative collaboration and reinvention.”

Ben Hutt, chief program director of Slingshot Accelerator (above, middle right) said: “We are delighted to be working with News Corp, a company that has always been a leader and innovator.

“News Bolt is designed to create real, long-lasting impacts on News Corp’s operations, far beyond simply finding new, smarter tech. It’s about facilitating growth through big ideas and potential new business ventures by gaining access to and collaborating with an entrepreneurial community.

“It’s also about re-energising the creativity and inspiration within News Corp’s talent pool, drawing out ideas and solutions, and in doing so, helping people rediscover their passion for what they do and what News Corp stands for.”

Working with Slingshot and the next generation of entrepreneurs, News Corp aims to harness the agility and innovation of Startups to drive commercial outcomes at pace and at scale.

In ‘the relentless pursuit of the next big ideas’, News Corp will be utilising Town Halls, showcases, ‘innovation sprints’, workshops, mentoring and pitch days to select the top ideas for acceleration through to a disruptive Startup, entrepreneurial environment to produce working prototypes.

These validated prototypes will be presented by Miller and the winning employees to the News Corporation board in New York later this year, for endorsement.

While News Bolt is an internal program, external mentors and Startups will be engaged around the country, to inspire and guide News Corp applicants in how to think and how to work like an entrepreneur.

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