WavMaker, a new music licensing platform dedicated to video creators, has launched with $5 million in seed funding led by Vicky Patel, a principal at Nashville record label Wavy Records and co-founder of Monarch Media.
The startup says it seeks to help video creators streamline the process of finding high-quality music for video projects by offering a curated library of songs cleared for commercial use.
Founded by music industry and SaaS veterans Matt Arcaini, Mark Stuart, and Caleb Grimm, WavMaker boasts a combined 50+ years of experience in the field. The founders have multiple Grammy wins and nominations under their belt, along with nearly 20 million social media followers. This background positions them to “understand the unique challenges creators face in licensing music for their content,” according to a press release on Wednesday (March 20).
“As a musician and creator myself, I understand the constant struggle to find affordable, quality music for video content,” said WavMaker CEO Matt Arcaini. “Sifting through a platform to find the right music can be frustrating and limit creativity.”
“As a musician and creator myself, I understand the constant struggle to find affordable, quality music for video content. Sifting through a platform to find the right music can be frustrating and limit creativity.”
Matt Arcaini, WavMaker
“We created WavMaker to offer creators and musicians a mutually beneficial and frustration-free solution. Our platform frees creators from worrying about acquiring high-quality music and allows them to focus on producing incredible content. Musicians have a new outlet for their music. It’s a win-win for all.”
Vicky Patel – the lead investor in WavMaker’s seed round, via Monarch Media – brings 20 years of experience in Silicon Valley and expertise in media and technology. Patel’s investment will be used to further develop WavMaker’s capabilities, expand the team, and increase customer outreach, the startup said.
“Our team has put tremendous care into building an intuitive user interface that makes finding and acquiring high-quality music easier than ever,” said Jack Whitis, CTO of WavMaker.
“Our platform abstracts away the inherent complexity of music licensing and makes finding the right song part of the creative process. We’re constantly trying to put ourselves in the creator’s shoes and anticipate the things that might slow down their workflow.”
Jack Whitis, WavMaker
“Our platform abstracts away the inherent complexity of music licensing and makes finding the right song part of the creative process. We’re constantly trying to put ourselves in the creator’s shoes and anticipate the things that might slow down their workflow. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in a short time and tremendously excited about the potential for the product going forward. I don’t feel like there’s a problem in this space that we aren’t equipped to tackle.”
WavMaker offers both free and paid subscription options. Free accounts allow users to browse the entire music library and download preview audio files for testing purposes. Paid subscriptions provide unlimited access to music downloads for video projects. The platform’s music catalog is constantly updated, ensuring a steady stream of fresh, inspiring music for creators, the company says.
The development marks the latest investment in the music licensing segment after independent music rights administration platform Music Reports acquired Blokur, a music licensing and data platform, last month.
Back in October, Universal Production Music, a division of Universal Music Publishing Group, launched a new subscription music licensing service that provides content creators with claim-free music and sound effects for online videos. The program features over 50,000 “top-quality tracks” and 200,000 sound effects, Universal Production said at the time.
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