Billboard FutureSound Conference Next Month In San Francisco

Billboard is set to put on its second annual
FutureSound conference in San Francisco next month, taking place November 15^th
and 16^th from the Terra event center. FutureSound focuses on defining problems and finding actionable
solutions in the areas of entrepreneurship, music licensing, as well as
leveraging the social web in the digital music marketplace. New to this year’s
conference is an “Innovators Showcase” – a
music startup competition in association with Loeb & Loeb LLP that will
provide a unique opportunity for digital music startups to pitch their company
or product to a panel of high
profile judges and in front of conference attendees.

The Innovators Showcase will include judges Larry Marcus (Managing Director of
Walden Ventures Capital), David Kusek (Managing
Partner at Digital Cowboys), Brian Zisk
(Executive Producer at SF MusicTech), and YiPing
Ho (Senior Director of Digital Strategy & Business Development at
Warner Music Group). Eligible startups must be pre-revenue with a working demo
or prototype to present that is in some fashion directed at the music industry.

In addition to the Innovators Showcase, the
two-day FutureSound program will discuss the latest innovations and
technologies driving the convergence of the digital and music industries. Topics
will include finding solutions to the ongoing debate between rightsholders and
developers about innovation in regards to the Internet and copyrights, the
economics of digital music, music and the social web, and new technologies,
business models and content strategies.

Confirmed speakers include a Keynote
with Don Was (CEO
at Blue Note Records), as well as presentations from Nic Adler (owner of The Roxy), Vince Bannon (VP of Entertainment Partnerships & Development
for Getty Images), Ted Cohen (Managing Partner at TAG Strategic), Jason
Feinberg (VP of Digital Strategy for Epitaph), artist Zoe Keating, Hany Nada (Founding Partner of GVC Capital), Ian Rogers (CEO of Topspin), Marc Ruxin (Founder of
Tastemaker X), Ashley Simon (Manager of Media Partnerships at Foursquare), Emily White (Co-Founder of Whitesmith Entertainment), and Bill Wilson (VP Digital Strategy &
Business Development for digitalmusic.org). More speakers and the
complete schedule will be announced as the event draws nearer. 

Hypebot's Hisham Dahud will be in attendance during FutureSound to provide live coverage of the two-day event, so be sure to follow @Hypebot on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest. 

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