MUSIC & TECH SPRINGBOARD PROGRAMME

In 2020, BPI and Music Ally launched The Music & Tech Springboard Programme, a new initiative designed to bring the music and tech startup communities closer together.

About The Music & Tech Springboard Programme: Springboard began as a free series of videos aimed at emerging start-ups looking to operate in the music industry. We found some of the most influential and high profile experts across various fields, from rights and licensing specialists, to self-releasing artists, to offer you tips and advice. Discover what the music industry really does, how it works, and how your startup could provide solutions.

What we offer: In addition to our free videos, the BPI was interested in building a community of fresh, emerging music tech startups. So, if you're a tech startup that's less than five years old or with fewer than 20 employees, and who wants to find innovative solutions to real industry problems, we can help you with practical steps. The Music + Tech Springboard programme is now accepting applications from startups wishing to benefit from:

A BPI Springboard membership, which offers startups access to all of the BPI’s resources – from market intelligence, to free training courses and access to networking events.
In addition, Music & Tech Springboard members can benefit from a range of insight sessions, tailored advice and guidance, opportunities to pitch your ideas to panels of record labels and VC investors*, and to keep BPI members informed of your product.

We are also working continually to refine and improve our offer to tech startups, creating a community that can really make a difference to your business and ours.

In order to qualify, companies must operate in the music and tech space and meet either an age (not older than 5 years) or size (no larger than 20 employees) criterion. Both UK and overseas applications are welcome. Record labels are not eligible to apply to Springboard.

Keep scrolling to watch our free video series.

*we cannot guarantee any investment or business deals on the back of these sessions, but they are still valuable opportunities to share your proposals with major labels and VC investors.

The Music & Tech Springboard Programme Episode Guide

Episode One: Return of the Labels

Universal Music's Glenn Cooper, Sony Music's Victoria Cruz, and Warner Music's Scott Cohen open the second series of the Music & Tech Springboard Programme video series, and give their perspective on the changes they’ve witnessed in the past 18 months.

Episode Three: Working with Indies & Self-Releasing Artists

One Media IP's Alice Dyson, Motive Unknown's Darren Hemmings, and Emma McGann, Self-Releasing Artist & Livestreamer focus on the vibrant independent and grassroots scene.

Episode Two: Focus on Classical

LSO Live’s Becky Lees, Signum Records' Steven Long, and Decca's Tom Lewis take a close look at the classical sector, with its unique challenges and opportunities, offering different but complementary perspectives from both iconic major labels, and pioneering indie labels.

Episode Four: Funding

Supernode Global's Gina King, Angel Investor Goran Andersson, Ascension Ventures' Nico Albanese, and Innovate UK's Tom Fiddian highlight the opportunities in the funding space.

Watch the first episode of the Music & Tech Springboard Programme, featuring BPI CEO Geoff Taylor, and Music Ally CEO Paul Brindley, as they introduce the series, and offer some initial tips for startups on how best to approach and work with the music industry.

Episode Two: Labels

Universal Music's Glenn Cooper, Sony Music's Victoria Cruz, PIAS' Adrian Pope, and Warner Music's Scott Cohen offer startups advice from their label perspectives.

Episode Five: Advisors

Eleven Advisory managing director Cliff Fluet and independent consultant Becky Brook offer lessons learned from their work connecting startups and music rights holders.

Episode Eight: Startups

Startups explain what they've learned from working with the music industry, including Jaak's Vaughn McKenzie-Landell, MelodyVR's Jo McNally, Landmrk's Tom Nield, and ClicknClear's Chantal Epp.

Episode Three: Legal

Law firm Reed Smith partners Gregor Pryor and Sophie Goossens talk through some of the legal issues that music startups can face – and how to tackle them.

Episode Six: Accelerators

Abbey Road MD Isabel Garvey and Marathon Artists chairman Paul-René Albertini explain how music/tech accelerators and incubators work, and what they look for in startups.

"We shouldn't think the music industry is simply there, and then there is technology on the other side. It's at the heart of it, it's in the middle of it" - Paul-René Albertini

Episode Four: Licensing

PPL's chief licensing officer Jez Bell and PRS for Music head of online Nick Edwards take you through the help available for startups seeking music licensing deals.

Episode Seven: Media

Music Ally's editor Stuart Dredge talks about how he finds and writes about music-tech startups, and offers thoughts on how they can best deal with journalists.

If you're a music-related tech startup that's less than five years old or with fewer than 20 employees, we want to help you with practical steps. As such we are offering you the following:

- A BPI Springboard membership, which offers startups access to all of the BPI’s resources – from market intelligence, to free training courses and access to networking events.