Are You the Next Steve Jobs? A New Reality TV Show Might Be Looking for You Simon Cowell and will.i.am are at the helm of a new show searching for the next great tech leader.
By Jason Fell
Tech entrepreneurs in the U.K. might want to get their prototypes in order and business pitches ready. A new reality TV show could be the platform they need to make it big.
American rapper will.i.am, who's also a voice coach on TV program The Voice UK, and Simon Cowell, the brash music executive who has served as a judge on American Idol and The X Factor, are said to be collaborating on a new reality TV show that will search for the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.
At a recent tech conference in London, will.i.am reportedly said, "We're working on a project called X Factor for Tech -- and it's going to be out of this world. … Singing and performance create a couple of jobs. But this will create lots."
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While details about the project are scarce, there are assumptions that the show could be similar to Shark Tank or its U.K. counterpart Dragon's Den -- except specifically for entrepreneurs in technology. Both shows feature a panel of angel investors who judge startups based on their business pitches and invest in the projects they like best.
Cowell and will.i.am are no rookies when it comes to business and technology. Cowell is the founder and co-owner of television and music production company Syco Entertainment, which produces The X Factor, America's Got Talent and Britain's Got Talent. Last year, will.i.am was named director of creative innovation at tech giant Intel, where he collaborates on the creation of new devices, such as laptops, smart phones and tablets.
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Would you pitch your business idea to a show like Shark Tank? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below.
