Disney Channel star in huge career U-turn as they become a Space startup CEO

20 February 2024 , 16:16

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Bridgit is becoming a Space startup CEO

Disney Channel star Bridgit Mendler has added a rather unexpected new role to her repertoire after becoming the CEO of a Space startup.

The television personality took to her X account to announce the news to her followers on Monday confirming that she will be the CEO of Northwood Space - a company looking to create a "data highway between earth and space." Brigit, 31, wrote: "We are designing shared ground infrastructure from first principles to expand access to Space.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us, but that’s the fun part." She also revealed how the company has already received $6.3million (£5million) in funding for the project. She then made a second announcement to her followers, confirming that she is a mum to a four-year-old boy.

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Fans will recognise Bridgit from Good Luck Charlie (Disney Channel via Getty Images)

She posted: "The other news I wanted to share is I’m a mama to a sweet 4yo boy. Started fostering in 2021 adopted near Christmas of 2022. I’m so lucky - being a parent is the biggest gift and most defining experience there is. That’s my news for now folks."

Former child star admits she is 'unemployed' after nearly 20 years off Disney

She told CNBC how she "completely fell in love with space law" while she was working at the Federal Communications Commission's Space Bureau. She said: "Space is getting easier along so many different dimensions, but still, the actual exercise of sending data to and from Space is difficult. You have difficulty finding an access point for contacting your satellite."

Bridgit worked there back in 2022 and according to her LinkedIn page has previously studied at the University of Southern California, MIT and Harvard. The highly accomplished multi-hyphenate says she came up with the idea for the startup during the COVID-19 pandemic while spending time with her family in New Hampshire.

The star is embarking upon a new career in space tech (Getty Images North America)

She said: "While everybody else was making their sourdough starters, we were building antennas out of random crap we could find at Home Depot … and receiving data from [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] satellites."

According to the CNBC Griffin Cleverly - Bridgit's husband - is set to be the startup's chief technology officer. The pair wed in October 2019 and she told Extra in November 2019: "It was magical. There was a great sunset, and there was actually even this dude who built a sandcastle behind us while we were getting married - in his board shorts, constructing this beautiful, amazing sandcastle. While we are doing our vows, I could just see him in my eye line."

Ayeesha Walsh