Initiatives of theHamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft
Merging music collections, linking viewing and listening experiences, connecting musicians with local fan communities or industry experts: The four teams focus on innovations that connect - and win over the jury and audience.
As part of the Music WorX Pitch, the City of Hamburg and Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft presented three prestigious Music WorX Founder Awards yesterday evening. Two jury awards of 2,000 euros each and an audience award of 500 euros were presented. The event with numerous industry representatives not only offered the participating teams a stage, but also valuable networking opportunities.
The following teams were honoured with the evening's start-up awards:
The Danish team Vault won the Jury Award for the most promising business model. Daniel Bruhn Jensen and Johan Victor Ackerhans impressed the jury with their solution, which enables professional music creators to organise their music collections across different channels and locations. The jury particularly praised the clear and comprehensible presentation of the business model, the realistic sales planning and the choice of a promising niche.
A second jury prize for the best development went to Team Visuell from Hamburg. Arjun Jamil, Aaron Siebert, Joana Naomi Welteke, Timea Anders and Adrian Winter impressed the jury with their idea of an intuitive visual tool for performances, installations and workshops that can be used without any programming knowledge. The jury emphasised that the team had succeeded in transforming an originally complex concept into a product suitable for the masses. It particularly praised the democratic approach in the company structure and the visible progress in the development of the tool.
The Audience Award went to Team Trill from Warsaw. Maja Biskupska, Nela Szadkowska and Natalia Adamczyk impressed the jury with a platform that helps independent music creators to network with industry experts, including mentors, coaches, stylists and bookers. The jury emphasised the team's enthusiasm, convincing presentation and the relevance of the problem Trill wants to solve.
The Freiburg team YMYR also received positive feedback from the jury. Stefan Karl and Peter Brandl developed a solution that connects musicians and bands with a local fan community in order to promote local music culture. The jury praised the project's strong community orientation and creative approach to promoting local music.
International diversity as the key to success
The special thing about Music WorX is the international focus and geographical diversity of the programme: this year's participants came from Denmark, Germany and Poland. This once again made Hamburg an international magnet for creative start-ups.
Through close cooperation with local companies and experts, e.g. from Warner Music, Scholz & Friends or the Music Cities Network, the teams not only benefit from professional support, but also gain access to a valuable network for future business relationships.
One example of the programme's success is Soundvest: the team won two start-up awards in 2023, has since settled in Hamburg and is driving its developments forward from here. Music WorX is thus successfully strengthening Hamburg as a centre of innovation and attracting creative talent to the Hanseatic city.
Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media: "With the Music WorX incubator, we are bringing young creative founders to Hamburg, supporting them in the further development of their innovative business models for the music industry and bringing them together with the industry based here. This is a win-win situation for all sides. The annual Music WorX Pitch is both the highlight and the final. I would like to congratulate all the participating teams on their outstanding performance over the past few months. My special thanks go to Warner Music for making their premises in the Speicherstadt warehouse district available for this special evening of networking for the Music WorX Pitch."
Egbert Rühl, Managing Director of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft: "Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft has been supporting innovations in the music industry with Music WorX for many years. The publicly funded incubator programme has long since established itself beyond the country's borders and is also in high demand internationally - not least because the participating teams do not have to give up any company shares. At the same time, Music WorX attracts exciting and successful players to Hamburg. Hamburg's music industry can only benefit from this."
The Music WorX expert jury in 2024 consisted of
About Music WorX:
With Music WorX, the Ministry of Culture and Media has been specifically promoting the development of innovative business models in the music industry since 2011. Since 2014, it has been organising the Music WorX Incubator together with Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. The programme includes financial support of 9,500 euros each, a three-month workshop and coaching programme, access to a mentor network and presentation opportunities at the Reeperbahn Festival and at public pitches to the industry. Successful companies such as Sofa Concerts, Tinitracks, Ikonphon, Groovecat/Cyanite, NOYS VR and Soundvest have already been supported in the programme.
About Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft
Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft is the city's organisation for the promotion of Hamburg's creative industries. As a direct contact and service centre, it is open to all creative players and companies in the Hanseatic city. More knowledge, space, funding and innovation for Hamburg's creatives - that is the mission to which the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft has dedicated itself since 2010.
Clara Tischer ist Ansprechpartnerin für den Bereich Kommunikation der Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft. Ihren Bachelor in Kultur-, Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaften machte sie an der Universität Bremen. Anschließend zog es sie in den hohen Norden – an der Universität Kopenhagen beschäftige sie sich in dem Masterstudiengang „Applied Cultural Analysis“ mit anthropologischer Forschung und sammelte Erfahrungen in verschiedenen PR- und Werbeagenturen in den Bereichen Strategie und Text.
