Techstars Music Announces New Cohort and Strategic Partnership

Techstars Music revealed today the addition of 11 innovative companies to its program. This announcement coincides with a new partnership forged with Quality Control, a prominent media company and record label based in Atlanta.

Understanding the Techstars Ecosystem

Despite often being referenced as a single entity, Techstars comprises over 40 distinct accelerator programs. Each program operates with a unique focus and manages its own portfolio of startups.

Many programs are geographically centered, such as Techstars Boulder, Boston, and Los Angeles. Others concentrate on particular sectors or industries, including areas like sports technology, the space industry, and now, specifically, the music industry.

The Scope of Techstars Music’s Investment

The focus of Techstars Music extends beyond companies directly involved in music creation or artist-facing applications. As Managing Director Bob Moczydlowsky explained, the program invests in businesses that address challenges within the music ecosystem.

They seek companies developing solutions to problems faced by the music industry as a whole, rather than simply investing in music companies themselves.

Examples from the Techstars Music Portfolio

Previous investments demonstrate this approach. Endel, for example, creates “personalized soundscapes” designed to enhance focus and promote quicker sleep.

Another portfolio company, Blink Identity, is developing facial recognition technology as a replacement for traditional paper or digital concert tickets, aiming to streamline venue entry.

These examples illustrate Techstars Music’s commitment to supporting companies that are innovating in the broader music technology landscape.

The companies participating in the 2021 program, listed alphabetically:

555 Comic specializes in the creation of “virtual characters” and utilizes these characters to deliver narratives via social media platforms. This allows a single artist to embody multiple distinct “personas,” with each genre explored represented by a unique character possessing an evolving history. (Notably, the pronunciation of the number five in Japanese resembles “Go,” influencing the company’s name, a playful reference to “Go Go Go!”)

BlackOakTV operates as a subscription-based, on-demand video service dedicated to showcasing content created by Black artists. A monthly subscription currently costs $4.99, and applications are available across most prominent platforms.

Creative Futures Collective is a networking and mentorship initiative focused on identifying and supporting the next generation of creative industry leaders from underrepresented communities. The program connects these individuals with employment opportunities and paid internships.

Fave is a social networking platform designed to facilitate connections between artists and their most dedicated “superfans.” It also enables these fans to compete for rewards offered directly by the artist.

HappsNow provides a completely customizable, white-labeled ticketing solution, granting artists and venues greater control over the ticketing experience.

Holotch enables the capture of volumetric 3D video using readily available technology, allowing for live streaming. This technology allows audiences to experience an artist’s performance in a virtually immersive way, as if the artist were performing live in their own home through augmented reality “holograms.”

Music Tech Works offers a streamlined catalog and workflow solution for determining song ownership and securing the necessary licenses for usage.

Rares is an investment platform focused on shares of highly sought-after sneakers, including game-worn items, rare releases, and those not widely available to the public.

Remetrik is a software platform designed to consolidate and simplify the often complex accounting processes associated with music royalties, providing transparency and ease of use.

Volta Audio LTD empowers artists to create immersive mixed reality live experiences by transforming their music into interactive environments. Artist Imogen Heap has been actively testing this tool during recent performances, a sample of which is included above.

Westcott Multimedia is an automated advertising platform that identifies events related to a music catalog – such as an artist’s birthday or a song’s appearance in a viral video – and constructs marketing campaigns accordingly.

In addition to announcing its latest class, Techstars Music has also revealed a partnership with Quality Control, the media company behind Quality Control Music, renowned for representing artists like Migos, Lil Yachty, and Lil Baby. Quality Control will function as a “member” company within Techstars Music, similar to a limited partner, providing investment, assisting in company evaluation, and offering mentorship to participating companies.

Existing members of Techstars Music include Amazon Music, AVEX, Bill Silva Entertainment, Concord, Peloton, Entertainment One, Right Hand Music Group, Royalty Exchange, Sony, and Warner Music Group.

Moczydlowsky shared that companies graduating from Techstars Music have collectively raised over $105 million since the program’s inception in 2017. The current class has already secured over $3 million in funding prior to their demo day in May.