New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The
Music Business Association (Music Biz) will put the focus squarely on entrepreneurs at its
Music Startup Academy event on Tuesday, May 12, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel during the annual
Music Biz 2015 conference.
The Academy will feature a variety of sessions aimed at teaching aspiring startups, app developers, and entrepreneurs everything they need to know about creating and maintaining legal and sustainable music businesses, including a keynote address from Shawn Yeager of Back Porch Group and Endorsee as well as panels on music licensing, selecting APIs, and securing business development deals. It will end with the popular Elevator Pitch Shark Tank, in which companies will have the chance to pitch their products to a panel of music industry experts and receive valuable feedback that they can use in their real-life meetings with artists, managers, record labels, and other potential partners. Those who would like to present at the
Shark Tank must fill out this form [https://musicbiz.wufoo.com/forms/nashville-elevator-pitch-shark-tank] and set up a profile on
Music Biz's
Music Startup Network [https://musicbiz.org/music-startup-network] to be considered.
"Game-changing ideas can come from anywhere, and we're thrilled to bring the
Music Startup Academy to Nashville to empower local innovators who may have the next big thing in music floating around in their head," said
James Donio, President of
Music Biz. "With licensing and copyright issues, partnership contracts, and all manner of other complications, it can be easy for potential innovators to turn their attention away from the music business and focus on something else. We need to address these complications head-on so our industry can continue to evolve, and the
Music Startup Academy will aim to do just that."
Admission to the
Music Startup Academy is included in the registration price for the full
Music Biz 2015 [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/music-biz-2015-tickets-13707669007] event. Tickets can also be purchased separately on EventBrite [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/music-startup-academy-nashville-tickets-15633406941] for $79.
The currently confirmed agenda for the
Music Startup Academy is below.
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome & Introduction to
Music Biz's Startup Services
·
Nicole Hennessey,
Music Biz
9:10 AM - 9:30 AM
Keynote Presentation: Customers Before Code
To build a music tech product that sells and a startup that wins, founders must first deeply understand their market and the customers they intend to sell to. What do they want and need? What problems do they need solved or jobs do they need done? How much would they pay for something that does the job better? How many of them are there and how will you reach them? Until you can answer these questions, it's not yet time to code. In his talk, Shawn Yeager, partner with music tech venture-builder Back Porch Group and co-founder of Endorsee, will address how to turn a shiny object into a salable product, applying principles from Lean Startup and Evidence-Based Entrepreneurship.
· Shawn Yeager, Back Porch Group / Endorsee
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
The Licensing Vortex Explained: How to Get Your Startup Service Rightsholder-Approved
Need or want to use music for your app or game? The landscape to license downloads, streaming, radio, video, and games is complicated at best. This session will take attendees through various rights for recorded music and underlying composition, as well as where and how to obtain licenses.
· Bryan Friedman, Rithm
· Kyle Pierce, 7digital
· Stephen Relph, TheOverflow
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
What Can Build vs. Buy API Services Do for Me?
Join us as we review the depth of API services available for any startup seeking to establish a new business model in music and enter the market quickly and affordably, outsourcing the "heavy lifting" involved in building an enterprise-class music business.
· Moderator: Shachar Oren, Neurotic Media
· Chris Webb, GhostTunes
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
How to Get the Best Biz Dev Deal and Work with
Artists and Managers to Make the Most of It
After we help you determine if you need content or access to get your new music product up and running, we'll get you ready for your meeting with the biz dev folks, making sure you know the answers to the important questions that they will be looking for you to answer. We'll give you pointers to hone your pitch and discuss how aligning with an artist can help take your startup or app to the next level.
· Cameo Carlson, Borman Entertainment
· Jon Vanhala, Thesis Ventures
2:00 PM - 3:25 PM
Elevator Pitch Shark Tank
Now that we've taught you all about meeting with the label's biz dev folks and marketing your products, it's your turn to incorporate what you've learned and pitch our team of experts on your product. The team and the audience will critique your pitch, offering constructive tips that everyone in the room can carry with them as they take their products and their pitches to the next level. After you register for the event, sign up to pitch your idea/company by completing the short form linked here [https://musicbiz.wufoo.com/forms/nashville-elevator-pitch-shark-tank] as well as your profile on our
Music Startup Network [https://musicbiz.org/music-startup-network]. Please complete as much detail as possible on the profile. Profiles without robust information will not be awarded a pitch slot. Slots (3-5 minutes in length) are limited, so please complete the forms as soon as possible. You will be contacted 2 weeks before the event with pitch details.
·
Elizabeth Chan, Merry Bright Music
· Tony Grotticelli, Universal
Music Group Nashville
· Dave Kusek, New Artist Model/Digital Cowboys Consulting
· Shachar Oren, Neurotic Media
· Shawn Yeager, Back Porch Group/Endorsee
Music Biz 2015, which will be held in Nashville for the first time in Association history on May 12-14, is the music industry's premier event, giving the commerce and content sectors a place to meet with trading partners, network with new companies, and learn about new trends and products impacting the music business. Registration is available now. For more information or to sign up for the conference, visit https://musicbiz2015.com.
About the
Music Business Association
The
Music Business Association (Music Biz) is a membership organization that advances and promotes music commerce - a community committed to the full spectrum of monetization models in the industry. It provides common ground by offering thought leadership, resources and unparalleled networking opportunities, all geared to the specific needs of its membership. By leveraging the legacy of the former
National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) and its hub for digital initiatives, digitalmusic.org,
Music Biz brings a unique perspective and valuable insight into the trends and changes that innovation brings. Today, we put our collective experience to work across all delivery models: physical, digital, mobile and more.
Music Biz and its members are committed to building the future of music commerce - together.
To apply for press access to
Music Biz 2015, fill out the form at https://musicbiz.wufoo.com/forms/music-biz-2015-editorial-press-application.
