Music AI startup Hook raises $3m in seed round led by Point72 Ventures, Edgar Bronfman Jr.’s Waverley Capital and joined by Three Six Zero and Avex

New York-headquartered music AI expertise startup Hook has raised $3 million in a Seed funding spherical led by Waverley Capital, co-founded by former Warner Music Group CEO and Chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr., and Steve Cohen’s Point72 Ventures. 

Different notable traders within the spherical included Three Six Zero, led by Mark Gillespie, and Japanese leisure large Avex.

Hook describes itself as a music expertise platform that’s “innovating the way in which music is expressed on social media.” The corporate says it makes use of synthetic intelligence “to empower anybody to remix and remake their favourite songs.”

The startup is led by founder and CEO Gaurav Sharma, previously Chief Working Officer of Indian music streaming platform, JioSaavn. Hook’s Chief Product Officer Simmi Singh launched and expanded client and creator merchandise at Spotify and JioSaavn, whereas Chief Monetary Officer Manav Choksi has helped startups increase greater than $250 million from notable enterprise capitals like Andreessen Horowitz (aka a16z).

The platform plans to launch a closed beta later this yr.

Hook says the funding will permit it to hurry up the event of its music platform, which employs AI-powered music results, enabling customers to remix their songs “rapidly, simply and legally”.

Hook plans to accomplice with artists and file labels to develop new expertise that may open up contemporary income streams for the trade, the startup stated.

The corporate’s website provides a preview of its expertise, showcasing a text-to-music generator. This device permits customers to enter particular prompts, producing sounds that they will subsequently combine.

“Fan-created remixes on social media are serving to drive music discovery, re-discovery and virality — however the way in which it’s taking place doesn’t help rights holders.”

Gaurav Sharma, Hook

“Fan-created remixes on social media are serving to drive music discovery, re-discovery and virality — however the way in which it’s taking place doesn’t help rights holders,” stated Hook founder and CEO Gaurav Sharma.

 “Hook solves this downside by leveraging AI to let social media customers specific themselves creatively with music, whereas rewarding artists and rights holders on the identical time.

“We’re humbled by Point72 Ventures, Edgar and the complete Waverley workforce, and the unimaginable group of music trade traders which have chosen to help us. Not too long ago there’s been a number of dialogue round AI’s position throughout the music trade. We’re proud to say that we’re constructed by the trade and supported by the trade.”

Ishan Sinha, Principal at Point72 Ventures, stated: “We expect the music trade is uniquely positioned to leverage cutting-edge expertise reminiscent of generative AI.”

“But, it’s important to ascertain safeguards for artists, producers, and file labels. We consider the workforce at Hook is effectively positioned to merge innovation with prioritizing trade stakeholders. We’re thrilled to hitch them on this journey ahead.”

“Hook provides music followers the flexibility to place their very own stamp on their favourite songs, it empowers artists to develop their viewers and offers labels and different rights holders an avenue to a model new stream of income.”

Edgar Bronfman, Jr., Waverley Capital

Point72 Ventures has additionally invested in music, movie and tv administration firm Vary Media Companions.

In the meantime, Edgar Bronfman, Jr. Co-Founder, Chairman and Normal Associate of Waverley Capital, stated: “Hook provides music followers the flexibility to place their very own stamp on their favourite songs, it empowers artists to develop their viewers and offers labels and different rights holders an avenue to a model new stream of income.”

---

Hook’s attraction to traders comes at a time when the music trade continues to embrace AI. In August, Daouda Leonard, supervisor of Grimes and founding father of Los Angeles-based AI growth studio CreateSafe, stated generative AI is ready to “revolutionize the music enterprise.”

“It provides great potential for artists to discover their creativity and obtain help from expertise, whereas additionally offering useful help to groups of their decision-making processes,” Leonard said.

Not too long ago, the Impartial Music Publishers Worldwide Discussion board, which represents impartial music publishers worldwide, published a set of what they name “moral rules” for AI builders. 

Music Enterprise Worldwide