Music Tech

Music Tech Startup Finalists named in ASCAP Lab, Music Ally contests

Two of the top startup contests focused on music have named their 2024 music tech startup finalists.

Music Ally SI:X is an annual showcase, contest and mentorship program for early-stage music-tech startups.

This week they announced 21 music tech startup finalists for its 2024 edition. The winners will be announced in January.

Music Ally SI:X 2024 Music Tech Startup Finalists

  • Aiode, whose virtual AI musicians will accompany human artists
  • Alloy Sync Distro, which is building a new sync-metadata format
  • Ampy, which helps artists sell to superfans and tap into analytics
  • Camb.ai, from the field of ‘voice LLMs’ putting AI to various audio uses
  • China Music Audit, which is chasing down missing royalties in China
  • Different Breed, a disabled-run startup serving disabled concertgoers
  • Equa.ls, whose app gets people to curate music (and possibly earn money)
  • Foreplai, a pay-per-play streaming service due to launch in 2025
  • Hangout, a reinvention of famous social-music service Turntable.fm
  • Human Native AI, a platform to fuel ethical licensing for AI training
  • Maia Universe, which wants to deliver ‘frictionless’ sync licensing
  • Memory Tracks, supporting people with ADHD and medication adherence
  • Musikind, which helps people with dementia to sing with family and friends
  • Overtune, an inventive music-creation app with a dash of AI included
  • Rescape Innovation, treating pain and anxiety with music and virtual reality
  • Setmixer, which is recording concerts in multi-track studio quality
  • SoundLabs AI, founded by trance legend BT to help artists clone their voices
  • Synkii, a clever service for piano teachers to hold online video lessons
  • Vinil, which is building a system for consent and control in the AI world
  • Voice-Swap, founded by DJ Fresh, also to enable ethical voice-cloning
  • Vollou, putting a Shazam-style app to use for accurate PRO reporting

The ASCAP Lab, ASCAP’s innovation initiative, has announced the 2024 cohort for its AI and the Business of Music Challenge. 

Launched in 2020, the annual ASCAP Lab Challenge is an accelerator program, operated in partnership with the NYC Media Lab led by the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, that provides selected startups and university teams with mentorship and small grants to develop and expand upon their emerging technologies during the 12-week program.

2024 ASCAP Lab Challenge teams

  • CRESQA: An AI social media content assistant designed for songwriters and musicians that automates the process of social media strategy development and helps generate fully personalized post ideas and schedules for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, Facebook and more. https://cresqa.com/
  • Music Tomorrow: Analytics tools that monitor and boost artists’ algorithmic performance on streaming platforms, using AI for advanced audience insights and automation that improve an artist’s content discoverability, listener engagement and team efficiency. https://www.music-tomorrow.com/
  • RoEx: AI-driven tools for multitrack mixing, mastering, audio cleanup and quality control, designed to streamline and enhance the last steps of the creative process by delivering a professional and balanced mix with ease. http://www.roexaudio.com
  • SoundSafe.ai: Robust, state-of-the-art audio watermarking using AI to enhance security, reporting and the detection of real-time piracy and/or audio deepfakes. http://www.SoundSafe.ai
  • Wavelets AI: Tools for artists, labels, copyright holders, content distributors and DSPs that help reduce IP infringement by detecting AI vocals in music. https://wavelets.ai/

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.

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