Music industry accelerator Grow Music celebrates its first cohort graduation and announces new 2025 programme

26 March 2025 - Press release

- Launched by the BPI in partnership with London & Partners, Grow Music is a scale-up and growth programme for new technologies, innovations and ideas to support the music industry in collaboration with leading music industry partners
- 26 UK-based music or music-adjacent technology companies graduated as part of the programme’s first cohort, while a number of music industry executives from under-represented backgrounds received angel investing training
- Outputs from the programme have been immediate, with new jobs created, new products launched and new partnerships forged across the cohort
- Following the programme, 8 companies showcased their products at a Grow Music Gala at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios
- Newly-announced 2025 programme will run from Summer – Autumn

The BPI, the trade association for the UK’s record companies and labels and the representative voice of British recorded music, in partnership with business growth agency London & Partners, today celebrates the culmination of the inaugural Grow Music business support and investor school programme, a first-of-its-kind programme for the UK music industry, and announces the launch of a new programme for 2025.

As part of Grow Music, 26 UK-based companies with music or music adjacent technologies at the heart of their product were selected to take part in a 12-week business support programme. Designed by the BPI, Anthony David King and Abbey Road REDD, the programme was structured to grow and test their business and ideas, providing unparalleled access to the beating heart of the UK recorded and live music industry. Modules included making fruitful connections, routes to investment and understanding the music industry alongside in-person mentoring, networking and pitch events.

This first-of-its-kind programme brought together the leadership and expertise of BPI’s Innovation department, along with key delivery partners Anthony David King, Abbey Road REDD, and Andy Ayim, to make space for a greater understanding of the power and value of music technology, and investment opportunities in technologies that are adjacent to the music industry.

The following companies graduated from Grow Music 2024: A Step FWD; Area Noir; Bandshare; CastRooms; Certi.Fi; CWorks; Everyone’s A Singer; Ellevate; Gigmate; Happaning; Hawkr; Neuron Wellness t/a Holidity; Hootenanny; Human Native AI; Kolt (previously Eckofide), Music Video Marketplace; Newnorm Ltd; RTSixty; Saarey; Setmixer; TenWest; Tickets for Good; Un:hurd; Viktrs; Volumetric Video

While the programme’s impact will be demonstrated and felt over time, a number of key developments have already been reported across the first cohort. 20 new jobs have been created, 9 companies have reported increases in revenue, and 21 companies have launched new products or services as a result of the programme. Following support and encouragement from the Grow Music team, cohort companies have reported being nominated for major industry awards, refining their investment pitches, and striking new strategic partnerships.

Following the programme, 8 companies were selected to present at a Grow Music Gala Showcase on Tuesday 25th March 2025, to an audience of music industry executives, press, investors and funders at the iconic Abbey Road Studios: CastRooms, Happaning, Hootenany, Human Native AI, Music Video Marketplace, Saarey Music, Viktrs and Un:hurd.

Alongside the business support programme, Grow Music delivered a bespoke online five-week Angel Investing School to develop and educate experienced professionals from all backgrounds on the opportunities of investing at the intersection of music and technology, introducing new angel investors ready to help shape the future of early-stage innovation in the music industry. The school was run by Angel Investing School creator, Andy Ayim MBE, who has trained over 600 new angel investors across over 30 countries including the US, Singapore, Nigeria and Moldova and supported by Abbey Road REDD in mentorship.

Grow Music was launched out of BPI’s new Insight & Innovation department. Acting as 'A&R for technology for the music industry’, BPI Insight & Innovation works with over 130 global start-ups and scale-ups who are interested in testing, piloting and bringing their ideas to the UK music industry.

Grow Music is also pleased to announce that a new programme will be launched in 2025, which will provide a host of opportunities to a new cohort of innovative companies working at the intersection of music and technology. The programme will run from Summer through to Autumn and will be open to companies who are trading or registered with a London address.
Grow Music 2025 will feature leading industry experts from all aspects of the music industry and the tech & innovation space.

To find out more about the programme’s minimum requirements and request an expression of interest form, visit https://www.growmusic.uk/

Quotes

BPI’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Jo Twist OBE said:
“We were proud and honoured to be selected to deliver Grow Music, funded by London & Partners. Together with Abbey Road REDD, Measure of Music, UK Black Tech, Angel Investing School and Anthony David King, we have built something with real impact and potential. There have been some incredible outcomes already from the first cohort: a host of companies have developed entirely new products and services to directly support the music industry, while a number of new, full-time and permanent jobs have been created and protected. 

Technology has an incredible power to support and amplify human creativity, when harnessed correctly and responsibly. We look forward to continuing our work on Grow Music in 2025, and are excited for the new innovations, ideas and talent that will be supported in this year's programme."

BPI’s Director of Insight & Innovation Leon Neville said:
"It's been a joy to bring the worlds of music and technology together through the inaugural Grow Music business support programme and Angel Investing School, and to see so many impressive developments come out of the first cohort already. We are grateful to all of our partners for their support, to all of the participants for their dedication, and to the many mentors who provided their time and invaluable guidance. 
 
We're delighted to be working with a new cohort of exciting and innovative companies in 2025, and to be working with London & Partners and our delivery partners to help provide even more entrepreneurs with unparalleled access to the UK's dynamic music industry."

Janet Coyle CBE, Managing Director of Grow London at London & Partners said: 
“We are incredibly proud to be delivering Grow Music for a second time with BPI and Abbey Road REDD – a testament to the success of the programme and the incredible work our partners have done to make support London’s most innovative music technology entrepreneurs. London is a global centre for music, technology, and business growth. Grow Music was created in recognition of this and to provide the support needed for the next generation of music technology companies to thrive.”

Abbey Road Managing Director Sally Davies said:
"Abbey Road has always been a home of innovation, with groundbreaking advancements that have changed the evolution of sound. Today, we continue that work through Abbey Road REDD, where we look to support innovation now and in the future. We are proud to partner with our friends at the BPI on the Grow Music project, highlighting the many brilliant founders who are bringing new possibilities to the artists we serve." 

Angel Investing School Creator Andy Ayim MBE said:
"I am thrilled to continue partnering with Grow Music through the Angel Investing School to empower early-stage founders in the music industry. By focusing on storytelling, investment readiness, and mentorship, we aim to equip these innovators with the tools and confidence to scale their ideas and make a lasting impact. This collaboration underscores the importance of fostering a supportive inclusive ecosystem for music-led startups to thrive."

Faraan Irfan, Founder and CEO of Saarey, said:
"The Grow Music program turned out to be very well conceived and very well structured. REDD introduced us to great mentors, invited valuable speakers and tailored the sessions and events to what we needed as members of the music business community. The individualised feedback, the doors it has opened and the exposure we've received has been invaluable in helping to build our music business. To top it all, the fact we start and end at Abbey Road makes it very special."

Loraa White, Founder and CEO of Music Video Marketplace, said:
“Abbey Road REDD has been an incredible force in shaping our journey. Their mentorship and pitch refinement workshops gave us the confidence and clarity to present our vision effectively, opening up new investment opportunities. As the only Irish Music Tech participant in the Grow Music Programme, we gained invaluable industry access and connections that would have otherwise been out of reach.”