A proposal to enable artists to present live, geographically restricted events to their global fanbase has secured $1.5 million in seed funding for Los Angeles-based startup Moment House.

The funding was provided by prominent figures within the Los Angeles entertainment and investment communities, notably Scooter Braun, Troy Carter, Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew, and Jared Leto. Jack Conte, CEO of Patreon, and Jess Lee, a partner at Sequoia Capital, were also involved in this funding round.

Forerunner Ventures spearheaded the investment, with Kirsten Green, the firm’s well-known founder and managing partner, leading the charge. The round also attracted participation from Kevin Mayer, formerly CEO of TikTok; David Krane of GV; Aaron Levie, founder of Box; Matthew Ball, a leading expert in tech, media, and entertainment; and product specialist Eugene Wei.

The company was established by Arjun Mehta, Shray Bansal, and Nigel Egrari, building upon their collaborative efforts during their time at USC and the USC Jimmy Iovine & Dr. Dre Academy for the Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation. 

Moment House positions itself as the most straightforward platform for artists to develop and offer online events to their audiences.

The company’s initial venture into live entertainment will feature a geo-fenced, location-based tour for musician Yungblud. Additional ticketed events with Kygo, blackbear, Kaytranada, Denzel Curry, and Ruel are also planned, according to the company.

The company’s offering of secure ticketing, merchandise integration, and worldwide payment processing is particularly appealing to musicians—as these capabilities collectively translate into increased revenue.

Artists performing on the platform retain all ticket sales revenue, while Moment House generates income by applying a small charge to attendees.

According to a statement from co-founder Arjun Mehta, the company’s technology and service were conceived not as a reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, but as a means of enhancing the live concert experience through a complementary online offering.

“Moment House is giving artists the tools to create digital experiences that are both genuine and captivating,” stated Leto in a press release. “I was attracted to their distinctive, design-focused strategy because that’s precisely what’s required to establish a new market segment.”