Bridgit Mendler, a former Disney Channel star known for her roles in Good Luck Charlie and Wizards of Waverly Place, is now the CEO of a Los Angeles-based startup called Northwood Space.
The actress-turned-CEO co-founded Northwood along with her husband, Griffin Cleverly, and engineer Shaurya Luthra in October 2023. The startup has recently secured $6.3 million in funding, as announced by Mendler on X (formerly Twitter).
Northwood Space’s mission is to build “a data highway between earth and space.” Mendler envisions “designing shared ground infrastructure from first principles to expand access to space,” as she stated in her announcement.
Mendler’s interest in space was sparked during her academic pursuits. After graduating from the University of Southern California in 2016, she went on to pursue a master’s and doctorate of philosophy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2020 and 2024, respectively, and a doctorate of law from Harvard Law School in 2024. This led her to spend time at the Federal Communications Commission’s new Space Bureau, where she discovered her passion for space law.
Mendler expressed her excitement about venturing into space communications, emphasizing the challenges of sending and receiving data to and from space. Her co-founders, Cleverly and Luthra, also have experience in space-related industries.
The former Disney star is also known for her music career and has not released new music since 2017. However, she remains a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, making a significant shift from acting to leading a technology startup. This news has brought attention to the growing presence of Hollywood figures in the tech and space industry.
