On-demand vinyl platform, elasticStage, raises £3.5m in total with the latest closing of its seed round

15 August 2022 - Press release

 

• Music industry pros back British tech startup with investment from Paul Epworth (Adele), Dan Grech-Marguerat (Lana Del Rey), Ryan Walter (Lewis Capaldi), Ed Millet (Dua Lipa) and others 

• New manufacturing process offers drastically shorter lead times, with the ability to meet commercial demand instantly and offering a world-class D2C web store

• elasticStage eliminates the use of harmful chemicals, uses less energy and no PVC - offering a sustainable solution to creating vinyl

 

On-demand vinyl platform, elasticStage, has announced the latest closing of its seed round which has now raised £3.5m in total for the British tech startup. Yet to launch, elasticStage is the world's first on-demand vinyl manufacturer which creates vinyl using revolutionary techniques new to this industry - via its patent-pending technology. Backed by leading music industry professionals, the latest investment represents industry confidence in the startup, which is set to present all types of artists an innovative way to create vinyl, offering a better commercial opportunity in physical sales. 

After six years of development, elasticStage has created an ingenious way to manufacture and distribute vinyl for the music industry which is both sustainable and ethical. With an on-demand D2C solution, fully packaged vinyl products can be dispatched immediately from the point of creation and in large volumes. This offers the music industry incredibly short lead times, with a minimum order of just one, enabling commercial demand to be met instantaneously. 

elasticStage replaces the current long lead times which can take up to 12 months. Artists can essentially sell vinyl on the same day when making a release available on the elasticStage web-platform, which can not only boost revenues, but potentially bolster crucial chart positions based on physical sales.

A significant shift away from outdated and archaic processes currently in use, the startup has invented a progressive way to produce vinyl and artwork. Put simply, elasticStage does not press vinyl, but rather, each manufactured record is a first-generation recording. By eliminating the old-fashioned way of pressing vinyl and offset printing, the new method equates to a much more sustainable and ethical way of creating records - as heat and energy from pressing is removed. The issue of unsold stock in bargain bins and warehouses also becomes a thing of the past. Importantly, the use of an alternative to PVC, digital printing and the eradication of harmful chemicals sets a new standard in this field. All this is achieved without compromising the quality of the sound or the artwork. 

With investment from leading producers Paul Epworth (Adele, Paul McCartney) and Dan Grech-Marguerat (Lana Del Rey, George Ezra, Tom Grennan), artist managers Ryan Walter (Lewis Capaldi), Tim Parry (co-founder of Big Life Management), Ed Millet (co-founder of TaP Music - Ellie Goulding, Dua Lipa, Lana Del Rey) and many more, elasticStage is being backed from within the music industry and beyond. The closing of the seed round is just the first step for the tech startup in what promises to be the last word in vinyl manufacturing.

The investment from the latest raise will drive the company to achieve its growth plans, continue developing its cutting-edge technology, and to enter into key industry partnerships with labels and DSPs. elasticStage will also launch its first London-based production and fulfilment centre in Q4, which will give a selected number of artists, labels and DSPs the opportunity to join a trial run. It will afford them the ability to create their vinyl within minutes, which can be dispatched to fans worldwide immediately - a true mouse-click-to-delivery service. Pricing for the vinyl will be competitive, with zero up-front cost.

Steve Rhodes, CEO and co-founder of elasticStage, commented: "We have built a revolutionary way to manufacture vinyl that will soon replace the current outdated, traditional method that uses harmful chemicals and a lot of energy, along with long lead times and unnecessary warehousing. We are already in talks with a major DSP for integrating our tech and we can't wait to help the industry in meeting commercial demand for vinyl at speed. At the same time, rightsholders can considerably increase the number of catalogue titles available, which will help boost revenue. We have truly modernised the vinyl manufacturing process and are also perfectly situated for the growing number of creators, estimated to reach 50 million by 2025, that currently have no or little access to vinyl."

Paul Epworth, Oscar and Grammy winning record producer, writer and musician, added: "The sound of the vinyl is a significant upgrade from the established 50-year-old manufacturing process. There is sharper definition in all frequency ranges without losing any of the vinyl character. Largely indistinguishable from the original master in blind tests, on a sonic level it brings the vinyl process into the 21st century, which is why I have invested in elasticStage as it represents an overhaul to the way vinyl will now be created."

Dan Grech-Marguerat, Grammy-winning producer and mixer, commented: "The future of vinyl is here. With a next day turnaround time, gone will be the days of waiting months for vinyl production. The high-end sound quality and incredible definition will shock any avid record lover. With less noise and an excellent stereo image at low frequencies, this is the vinyl manufacturer the world has been waiting for."

With this new frontier of vinyl on-demand, elasticStage is set to become the one-stop solution for artists ranging from emerging to established global stars.

 

For more information, go to elasticstage.com.