ASCAP Lab Showcases Promising Music Startups

ASCAP Announces Immersive Music Studio Challenge Competitors

ASCAP, a leading performance rights organization, has announced the four initial startups and university initiatives selected to participate in its Immersive Music Studio Challenge. This 12-week program represents a collaboration between ASCAP Lab and NYC Media Lab (NYCML).

Participating teams will receive financial grants and be provided with essential development resources to further their projects. Furthermore, these innovators will have the opportunity to present their work at the forthcoming ASCAP Experience event.

A Diverse Range of Music Industry Solutions

The selected group demonstrates a broad spectrum of approaches to addressing challenges within the music sector. Certain teams have already formulated strategies for commercial application, while others are focused on research and development through the program itself.

Initial planning stages haven't necessarily included detailed commercialization plans for all participants.

Insights from the Founding Teams

Discussions were held with the teams leading these projects to gain a comprehensive understanding of their objectives and methodologies. These conversations provided valuable insight into the innovative work being undertaken.

The challenge aims to foster creativity and provide a platform for emerging technologies in the music landscape.

Here's a breakdown of what the program offers:

• Financial Support: Grants are provided to help teams cover development costs.
• Resource Access: Participants gain access to valuable tools and expertise.
• Showcase Opportunity: The ASCAP Experience provides a prominent platform for demonstration.

ASCAP’s commitment to innovation is evident through this initiative, supporting the next generation of music technology developers.

Boomy

Who comprises the founding team?

Boomy was established in 2019 by Alex Jae Mitchell, a seasoned music entrepreneur, and Matthew Cohen Santorelli, a veteran of the music industry.

Product Description & Market Challenges

The creation of music traditionally demands significant skill, time, and access to resources that are unavailable to many. Boomy addresses this by offering an AI-driven music automation platform.

This platform enables users to instantly and easily create and distribute music, even without prior musical experience. Currently, over 200,000 individuals utilize Boomy for music creation and release, with 85% being first-time music creators.

Commercialization & Revenue Model

Boomy facilitates the release of user-generated albums to over 40 streaming platforms and digital retailers globally.

These include prominent services such as Spotify, TikTok, YouTube, and Apple Music, all offered at no cost to the user. Creators retain 80% of the royalties earned, while Boomy utilizes the remaining 20% to sustain the free service.

Funding Information

In 2019, Boomy completed the Boost VC accelerator program.

Subsequent funding rounds have been secured from venture capital firms and specialized music funds, though a formal announcement regarding the total amount raised has not yet been made.

Key takeaway: Boomy democratizes music creation, making it accessible to a wider audience through AI and a unique royalty-sharing model.

MiSynth

Who comprises the founding team?

The origins of MiSynth can be traced back to a class project. It initially took shape as a conceptual business plan developed by Senaida Ng during her freshman year. The course, titled “Are Friends Electric?”, was led by professor Errol Kolosine.

Following the course's completion, Ng pursued the concept further. She collaborated closely with Kolosine to transform the idea into a tangible reality.

To bolster the research and development efforts, Ng enlisted the expertise of Sinem Eriksen, a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. Guidance was also provided by researchers from the NYU Music and Audio Research Lab (MARL), specifically Pablo Ripollés and Elena Georgieva.

Product Description and Market Need

Could you detail your product and the issues it aims to resolve?

MiSynth represents a groundbreaking music software plugin. It empowers musicians, songwriters, and producers to realize the sounds they envision.

The software functions by translating data acquired from brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) into playable MIDI instruments. This effectively closes the gap between creative imagination and musical expression.

The MiSynth team firmly believes in universal artistic potential. They are dedicated to providing tools that enable anyone to create music.

Instead of dedicating extensive time to sound design and synth replication, MiSynth aims to make music creation more accessible and streamlined.

Commercialization Strategy

Are there plans for commercial release? If so, what are they? What revenue models are being considered?

Yes, the team intends to continue refining the prototype and conducting further testing following the ASCAP NYCML Challenge.

The anticipated launch date for the software is August 2024. MiSynth will be distributed as a plugin compatible with a wide range of digital audio workstations (DAWs).

These include popular options such as Logic Pro X, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, FL Studio, Cubase, and Reason.

Customers will have the option to purchase a license through a one-time payment or a monthly subscription. The subscription will continue until the full license price is paid.

Funding Status

What is the current funding situation?

Established in December 2020, MiSynth is a relatively young company.

The team plans to actively pursue funding through various avenues. These include investments, research grants, and participation in challenges like the ASCAP NYCML Challenge, to support ongoing development.

The Slashers

The core team behind this venture consists of Devin Kenny and William Leon.

Devin Kenny is a multifaceted artist, working across disciplines like writing, music, and visual arts, and also serves as an independent curator based in New York City.

William Leon is an AR/VR developer and currently holds a teaching fellow position at Cornell Tech.

The two founders initially connected through the \Art Fellowship program at Cornell Tech in 2020.

Product Description & Market Need

The product, known as Otherwards, delivers a unique mixed reality experience centered around album listening.

It integrates music with interactive 3D elements and utilizes geolocation technology.

This combination crafts an immersive and exploratory album experience, blending elements of music, gaming, and real-world interaction for the user.

Commercialization & Revenue

Currently, there are no immediate plans for commercialization.

The team is focused on refining the application’s development tools and conducting thorough customer research.

Exploration of potential revenue streams is ongoing, but no specific models have been identified at this stage.

Funding Status

This project is newly initiated, and as such, no external funding has been secured to date.

The founders are presently self-funding the initial development and research phases.

Dot Dot

Who comprises the founding team?

The team is made up of Kate Stevenson, Elizabeth Perez, Chris White, and Jacques Foottit.

Can you detail your product? What market deficiencies are you aiming to resolve?

Social is a leading-edge online event platform designed to facilitate easy interaction and conversation among users. It allows exploration of virtual environments featuring games and live performances.

A key objective was to replicate the spontaneous social interactions and opportunities for building genuine connections that occur in real-life, particularly within the context of events and live shows, but in a remote, virtual setting.

Each virtual world incorporates proximity-based audio, live-streamed avatars, visually appealing customizable graphics, and distinct branding possibilities.

The platform offers features such as video content display, social livestream hosting, engaging challenges, and game packages.

These elements are intended to foster connection through playful exploration and create memorable experiences for attendees and audience members.

What are your commercialization plans? Have revenue models been identified?

Social is currently utilized commercially for a variety of applications, including product launches, conferences, team-building activities, art exhibitions, and performances.

Revenue is generated through ticketing sales, donation features, and sponsorship packages.

Current commercial clients span industries such as fashion, beauty, media, technology, and finance.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered perceptions of virtual communication and experiences.

A significant shift in behavior, typically requiring over a decade, occurred within just twelve months.

This has created a demonstrable market for virtual engagement, presenting an opportunity to explore hybrid approaches for audience engagement as we transition beyond the pandemic.

What is the current funding status?

Currently, funding is derived from white-labeled development work for event companies and brands.

Social is experiencing organic growth driven by user needs, pilot programs with physical venues, artists, and dedicated communities.