Drinks brand Red Bull has launched a new scheme to promote music technology start-ups in the UK.
The Red Bull Amplifier is open to everybody with great ideas to “make music experiences better” from hackers to startups ready to find their market.
The company said it will not invest or take partial ownership of any business that gets involved in the program. Instead, they’re offering access to artists and audience which is exactly what many music tech startups need.
The campaign has gone live accompanied by a video featuring Dave Haynes from Soundcloud, Ghostpoet, Asi Sharabi from Sidekick Studios and David Bartot from Red Bull talking about the pitfalls of starting a business in the music industry, and how Red Bull can help amp up their customer base.
The call is out for creative and cutting-edge startups that might just change the face of music to apply to the programme via www.redbullamplifier.com.
The deadline to submit to Amplifer is the 22nd April.
Submissions will be screened by the initiative’s panel of experts from the music and technology worlds including the Mercury-nominated Ghostpoet; former hip-hop mag editor and Red Bull Music Academy’s own Davide Bortot; Venturebeat’s Ciara Byrne; and SoundCloud’s Dave Haynes.
The top applicants will be shortlisted and invited to meet with the panel to discuss their ideas. Those businesses that can most benefit from the project will then work with Red Bull to build a mutually beneficial promotional partnership.
Dave Haynes, SoundCloud, said: “Sometimes it’s not enough to get a small amount of funding or the accolades that some startup accelerators provide. What counts for early stage music startups is exposure to a critical mass of potential new users. Through their networks and the Red Bull Media House, I’m excited to see what new and innovative products and services Red Bull can help put in front of millions of discerning music fans and top artists.”