We are celebrating our 10th epsiode with Bradley Orford‑Hall who left high finance at JP Morgan to follow his passion for music and the creative economy.In this episode, the former Spotify strategist with a background from Cambridge shares how his experiences shaped his view on building in music and technology. We look at the shift from content scarcity to abundance and how AI is democratizing global music production as he explains why startups must leverage industry networks and relationships to gain traction in a relationship‑driven market.This is a thoughtful conversation on making music a sustainable and strategic business.Find out more about xRave here - https://www.xraveventures.com/Join the conversation and learn how thoughtful founders are shaping music’s next chapter.Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more raw stories and creative lessons._____________________________________________________________Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Startups00:00 Welcome and Intro03:59 Pivot From Banking to Music08:16 Investing in Creative Innovation10:26 Navigating AI and Abundance19:10 Raising Capital for Startups22:19 Power of Industry Networks26:19 Strategy for Future Investments

Can AI and artistry coexist?

Sourabh Pateriya joins us to discuss his journey from a metal band in India to the product teams at Spotify and Samsung. Now leading Soundverse AI, he explains how to build technology that respects creators through ethical AI modeling and licensed samples.

This episode covers the discipline of global entrepreneurship, the hard lessons of fundraising, and why true innovation requires a "healer" mindset over a "painkiller" approach. Simple, honest, and global.

👉 Listen if you're building in music, tech, or anywhere in between.

Join the conversation and learn how thoughtful founders are shaping music’s next chapter.

Subscribe to our channel for more raw stories and creative lessons.

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Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Startups

Branding isn't selling out, it’s getting clear.

In this episode, brand strategist, Orwell McGubbins, shares how music creators and startup founders can build brands that reflect real value, not just visuals.

Understand how to move from assumptions to clarity, define your audience, and craft messaging that connects.

If you’re building in music, tech, or creative business, this conversation will help you turn your work into a brand that resonates, and grows.

Join the conversation and learn how thoughtful founders are shaping music’s next chapter.Subscribe to our channel for more raw stories and creative lessons._____________________________________________________________Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Startups

In a market often dominated by film music and traditional distributors, Himay Kumbhani, co-founder of the direct-to-fan platform, Engage Music, shares the challenging journey of creating a platform designed to put money back into the hands of independent artists. Learn how the co-founders in the dynamic world of Indian music technology who are also musicians themselves, found their mission after the pandemic revealed that touring revenue was not a sustainable model.If you're a music creator, indie founder, or just curious about building something real from scratch, this one’s for you.Join the conversation and learn how thoughtful founders are shaping music’s next chapter.Subscribe to our channel for more raw stories and creative lessons.__________________________________________________________________________Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Startups

This is an engaging conversation with Jeff Bacon, a British expat in Spain who turned his struggle to learn Spanish into the foundation for a music-powered language learning startup.

Jeff, a former hip-hop artist and long-time music tech operator, shares the journey behind founding Slang, an early-stage app that helps people learn languages through music. Drawing from personal experience, Jeff explains how traditional language methods often lack real-life context, and how music naturally offers access to slang, culture, and emotional nuance.

We look at the origins of the idea, his approach to licensing and product design, the challenges of building from scratch, and why music isn’t just a soundtrack, it’s a learning tool.If you’re building in music, edtech, or anywhere culture meets product, this one’s for you.

Join the conversation and learn how thoughtful founders are shaping music’s next chapter.Subscribe to our channel for more raw stories and creative lessons.

More about the company: www.slanguage.music

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Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Startups

What does it take to build a music tech startup without investors?

Maxime FREMY shares how he built FEST, a global festival platform, with a team of four and no outside funding.

He talks about the mindset behind bootstrapping a startup, how to keep product and growth steady, and what changes when real users start paying. It's a calm, honest look at building tools for the music industry from the ground up.

For anyone building quietly, selling early, or choosing focus over funding, this one’s worth your time.

Join the conversation and learn how thoughtful founders are shaping music’s next chapter.

Subscribe to Sound of Startups for more raw stories and creative lessons.

Watch this space for more exclusive series from this exclusive ongoing series for #MusicTech Slush, created under the Amplitude × Slush Music Accelerator Program, highlighting founders building the future of music technology.

More about the company: https://www.aani.dev/

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Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Startups

Curiosity can grow into something real.

Finnish researcher and founder of Aani, Raimundo Gonzalez, PhD, shares his journey developing a deep-tech audio intelligence startup at Aalto University Startup Center.

He talks about shaping research for real-world use, learning practicality beyond academia, and creating technology that helps devices understand sound.

The conversation also explores teamwork, accelerators, and the mindset needed in music tech and deep-tech entrepreneurship.

Listen for calm, practical insight made for founders shaping ideas in sound and technology.

Join the conversation and learn how thoughtful founders are shaping music’s next chapter.

Subscribe to Sound of Startups for more raw stories and creative lessons.

Watch this space for more exclusive series from this exclusive ongoing series for #MusicTech Slush, created under the Amplitude × Slush Music Accelerator Program, highlighting founders building the future of music technology.

More about the company: https://www.aani.dev/

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Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Startups

Behind every algorithm are people trying to understand music better.

Dr. Janek Meyn, Co-Founder & CEO at AIDAR, built an AI that listens for talent but learns from humans.

In this episode, he reflects on the craft of A&R, the value of specific problem-solving, and the power of community in the music-tech world.

Join the conversation and learn how thoughtful founders are shaping music’s next chapter.

Subscribe to Sound of Startups for more raw stories and creative lessons.

Watch this space for more exclusive series from this exclusive ongoing series for #MusicTech Slush, created under the Amplitude × Slush Music Accelerator Program, highlighting founders building the future of music technology.

More about the company: https://www.aidar.ai/

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Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Startups