Wall Street Journal To Promote Startups In New Web Series

Along with the other Monday presentations at Digital Content Newfronts, the Wall Street Journal gave its pitch. The leading news publication discussed partnerships with companies like the New York Stock Exchange and announced a new web series, Start-Up of the Year, where noted entrepreneurs and celebrities will join fans in determining the best start-up out of 25 contestants.

Start-Up of the Year will be a five-month long documentary that follows each of the 25 start-ups as they develop their ideas and business plans. Along the way, they’ll receive help from big names such as Sir Richard Branson, will.i.am, Ray Kurzweil, and MC Hammer (because why not). Once the series has concluded, WSJ editors will decide the winner, with viewer votes as a consideration.

Start-Up of the Year will debut June 24 on WSJ Live, the publication’s multi-platform video service. WSJ Live averages 20 million streams a month and complements the WSJ Digital Network YouTube Original Channel.

Dow Jones CEO Lex Fenwick also discussed the publication’s global reach:

“We can get you to people that own Apple, GE, and IBM. Our content travels the world. Most people only care about the politics or sports of their own town or country. However, business news, finance, luxury, the stuff that we write about, travels extremely well. We have started to open international sites in places like China, Japan, Turkey, Germany, and soon, Brazil.”

Look for WSJ to continue globetrotting in the upcoming year while also using programs like Start-Up of the Year to shine its spotlight on the innovative work being done here in America.