Music investors capitalizing New York music tech and platforms in 2026

New York's music tech scene raised $420M across 34 deals in 2025. Most capital went to creator tools and distribution platforms, not streaming services trying to compete with Spotify. The city has major labels and publishing companies but investors here learned expensive lessons from failed streaming competitors. You won't get funded building another music streaming app - they want infrastructure serving artists and rights holders.

Quick list

Why New York music investing nearly died

New York raised $420M in music tech during 2025 across 34 deals. That's 70% less than 2015's peak when streaming wars were hot. Average Series A is $8M, focused on creator tools and B2B music infrastructure. The city watched Tidal burn hundreds of millions, SoundCloud nearly collapse, and dozens of streaming competitors shut down.

New York has the major labels - Sony, Warner, Universal all based here. But that's actually a problem for startups. The labels view new music platforms as threats or licensing opportunities, not partners. NYC investors understand music rights complexity but they're traumatized by streaming economics that never worked.

The upside is NYC still funds music infrastructure - distribution tools for independent artists, rights management software, production platforms. The downside is zero appetite for consumer music apps. Spotify won, Apple Music exists, and everything else died. Even TikTok's music integration came from ByteDance, not NYC investors.

Picking the right New York music investor

Local presence helps for label relationships but most music innovation happens outside NYC now. LA has the artists and creators. Nashville has the songwriters. NYC has the business infrastructure but limited creative community compared to 20 years ago.

Portfolio companies should include surviving music companies, not failed streaming services. Check if they backed Splice, Bandsintown, or distribution platforms. If their portfolio is full of dead streaming competitors and failed music social networks, they lost money and won't invest again.

Check sizes in New York range from $1M-$3M for seed and $6-12M for Series A. That's 50% smaller than peak music investment in 2015. Growth capital for music basically doesn't exist - only Spotify and a few others reached scale. Most NYC music funds are small or stopped investing in the sector.

Local network matters if you're selling B2B services to labels or publishers. Investors who can intro you to Sony Music or Warner executives help. But consumer music apps don't benefit from label relationships - the labels extract value, they don't help growth.

Communication with NYC music investors is extremely skeptical. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see which investors actually open your deck versus which ones abandoned music entirely. Many VCs who funded music in 2015 won't touch it in 2026. Don't waste time on funds that left the sector.

Follow-on capacity barely exists. Most NYC music investors can't lead Series B because their previous music bets failed. Only a few funds like Lerer Hippeau or Greycroft might participate in later rounds, but expect to find new lead investors from other sectors or cities. Secure file sharing reassures VCs who worry about data exposure during long fundraising cycles.

How to find and approach New York music investors

Research local deals by checking which NYC funds actually deployed music capital in 2024-2025. Many "music investors" haven't made new music investments since 2018. Half the music-focused funds shut down or pivoted to other entertainment sectors. Check recent press releases, not old portfolio pages.

Leverage local ecosystem through NYU Clive Davis Institute and New Music Seminar for connections to label executives. These aren't startup accelerators but good for understanding industry relationships. Better to attend SXSW Music or Music Biz Conference where investors actually scout deals.

Build relationships first because NYC music investors trust nothing after watching streaming burn billions. You need warm intros from founders who sold companies to labels or reached profitability. Cold emails about your music platform get deleted. Artist traction or label partnerships matter more than investor networking.

Share your pitch deck through Ellty with unique tracking links for each investor. NYC music VCs take 21-30 days to respond if interested. They're researching streaming royalty rates, checking your licensing agreements, and asking industry contacts about your team. If they haven't opened your deck in 14 days, they passed.

Attend local events like New Music Seminar and SXSW Music where remaining active investors scout. Most NYC music investor events died. Better to attend Midem or Music Biz Conference where B2B music tech gets attention. Consumer music apps won't find capital at any events - that market is dead.

Connect with portfolio founders from music companies that survived or exited. Ask them how they navigated label relationships and what concerns investors had about music economics. Splice and Bandsintown founders say NYC VCs interrogated their revenue models and label dependency for months.

Organize due diligence materials extensively because NYC investors assume music businesses are unprofitable. Set up an Ellty data room with your financial model, licensing agreements, artist testimonials, and competitive analysis. They'll want to see how you monetize without getting squeezed by labels and platforms.

Understand local pace because NYC music deals take 8-15 months from first meeting to term sheet. Investors want to see artist retention, revenue growth, and proof labels won't crush you. They won't fund based on user growth or engagement metrics. Expect 15+ meetings and assume many will cancel after researching music economics.

New York music considerations

NYC investors only fund B2B music infrastructure serving artists, labels, or publishers. Creator tools for musicians work. Distribution platforms for independent artists work. Rights management software works. Consumer music social networks, streaming competitors, and music discovery apps all struggle.

Expect extreme skepticism about music economics. NYC VCs watched companies burn hundreds of millions trying to compete with Spotify or negotiate with labels. You need clear explanations of how you make money without label licensing destroying margins. They won't fund "we'll figure out monetization later" approaches.

Lead with artist adoption and revenue metrics. NYC investors want to see musicians paying for your service or labels licensing your technology. They don't care about monthly active users or engagement rates. Show sustainable revenue and customer retention or don't bother pitching music investors.

15 top music investors in New York

1. Lerer Hippeau

NYC consumer fund that backed SoundCloud before acquisition struggles - still back music occasionally but much more cautious than 2015.

• Recent Deals: SoundCloud $170M Series F (2017), Gimlet Media Spotify acquisition (2019), limited music deals 2024+
• LinkedIn: Ben Lerer LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Music creator tools, audio platforms, podcasting infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 125 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
• Website: lererhippeau.com

2. Foundry Group

Boulder-based with NYC presence - backed entertainment platforms with music integrations but not pure music plays.

• Recent Deals: Zynga participation (music game integrations), entertainment platforms (2015-2020)
• LinkedIn: Brad Feld LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Entertainment platforms, gaming with music, creative tools
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: Boulder, CO with NYC investments
• Website: foundrygroup.com

3. Lowercase Capital

Chris Sacca's fund that backed Uber and Twitter - music deals happened through platform integrations, not direct music investment.

• Recent Deals: Uber (music licensing impacts), Twitter (music sharing), indirect music exposure
• LinkedIn: Chris Sacca LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Platform companies with music integrations, creator economy
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C (fund mostly closed)
• Office Location: Fund no longer actively investing
• Website: lowercase.capital

4. Betaworks

NYC startup studio that backed Splice for music creation and collaboration - understand creator tools better than streaming.

• Recent Deals: Splice $57M Series C (2021), music creation tools, audio collaboration platforms
• LinkedIn: John Borthwick LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Music creation tools, audio collaboration, production software
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: 568 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
• Website: betaworks.com

5. Left Lane Capital

Consumer fund that backs creator tools and audio platforms - newer fund with selective music investments.

• Recent Deals: Audio technology companies, creator platforms (2022-2025)
• LinkedIn: Vinny Pujji LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Creator tools, audio technology, music distribution platforms
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Office Location: New York, NY
• Website: leftlanecap.com

6. Greycroft

NYC consumer fund backed Bandsintown and music discovery platforms - understand live music and touring economics.

• Recent Deals: Bandsintown various rounds (2015-2020), music discovery platforms, live music tech
• LinkedIn: Ian Sigalow LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Live music platforms, touring technology, music discovery, ticketing
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: New York, NY
• Website: greycroft.com

7. Female Founders Fund

NYC fund backing women-founded companies including music tech - smaller checks but support diverse founders.

• Recent Deals: Session and women-founded music tech companies (2020-2025)
• LinkedIn: Anu Duggal LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Women-founded music tech, creator tools, audio platforms
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Office Location: New York, NY
• Website: femalefoundersfund.com

8. Brooklyn Bridge Ventures

NYC seed fund that backs local founders including music tech occasionally - very small checks, local focus.

• Recent Deals: NYC music tech startups (various), local audio companies
• LinkedIn: Charlie O'Donnell LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: NYC-based music tech, audio platforms, creator tools
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Office Location: Brooklyn, NY
• Website: brooklynbridge.vc

9. Gaingels

LGBTQ-focused fund backing diverse founders in music tech and entertainment - impact-focused with smaller checks.

• Recent Deals: LGBTQ-founded music tech companies (2021-2025), entertainment platforms
• LinkedIn: Lorenzo Thione LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Diverse-founded music tech, entertainment platforms, creator tools
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: New York, NY
• Website: gaingels.com

10. Array Ventures

SF-based with NYC deals - consumer platforms including music and audio technology, selective investments.

• Recent Deals: Consumer audio platforms (2022-2025), creator tools
• LinkedIn: Shruti Gandhi LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Consumer audio, music platforms, creator economy tools
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: San Francisco with NYC deals
• Website: array.vc

11. Spider Capital

Entertainment-focused fund backing music tech infrastructure - smaller fund with specific entertainment thesis.

• Recent Deals: Music tech infrastructure, entertainment platforms (2023-2025)
• LinkedIn: Emmett Shine LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Music tech infrastructure, entertainment platforms, creator tools
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: New York, NY
• Website: spidercapital.com

12. Collaborative Fund

NYC consumer fund that backed Splice early - understand creative tools for musicians and producers.

• Recent Deals: Splice Series A (2015), creative tools, music production platforms
• LinkedIn: Craig Shapiro LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Creative tools, music production, collaborative platforms
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Brooklyn, NY
• Website: collaborativefund.com

13. Union Square Ventures

NYC fund that backed SoundCloud early before streaming economics failed - more cautious on music now.

• Recent Deals: SoundCloud early rounds (2011-2015), various music platforms (mostly historical)
• LinkedIn: Fred Wilson LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Music platforms, creator networks, audio infrastructure (historical)
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: New York, NY
• Website: usv.com

14. RRE Ventures

NYC-based fund with selective music tech investments - mostly infrastructure and B2B music tools.

• Recent Deals: Music infrastructure companies (selective, undisclosed)
• LinkedIn: Stuart Ellman LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Music infrastructure, B2B music tools, rights management
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Office Location: New York, NY
• Website: rre.com

15. Primary Venture Partners

Early-stage fund backing music creation and distribution tools - small fund but active in creator economy.

• Recent Deals: Music creation tools, distribution platforms for independent artists (2023-2025)
• LinkedIn: Ben Sun LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Music creation, distribution platforms, independent artist tools
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: New York, NY
• Website: primaryvc.com

Start tracking your New York music investor outreach

These 15 investors closed NYC music deals in 2025-2026. Before you reach out, understand that most NYC music investors are traumatized by streaming failures and won't touch consumer music apps. Betaworks and Collaborative understand creator tools, while Greycroft knows live music economics, but many funds abandoned the sector entirely.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each NYC investor. You'll see which investors actually open your deck versus which ones stopped investing in music years ago. Many VCs who funded music in 2015 won't respond in 2026. Track opens to avoid wasting months on dead leads.

When NYC music investors ask for financial details after exhaustive meetings, share an Ellty data room with your revenue model, licensing agreements, artist retention data, and competitive positioning. They'll want to see how you monetize without labels destroying your margins and proof artists will pay for your service long-term. Having everything organized with view analytics shows which investors are actually analyzing your economics versus ghosting after initial interest.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in New York to raise from NYC music investors?

No - but NYC has limited music VC capital compared to LA or Nashville where music scenes are more active. NYC investors focus on business infrastructure for music, not creative platforms. If you're building consumer music apps, you won't find capital in NYC regardless of location. LA is better for artist-focused tools.

How does New York compare to LA for music fundraising?

NYC has $420M in music capital versus LA's $600M. LA investors understand artist development and creative platforms. NYC investors understand rights management and business infrastructure. LA wants artist adoption, NYC wants revenue models that work despite label control. Both markets are tiny compared to general tech investing.

What's the average Series A size in New York for music tech?

$6-12M in 2026, down from $15-25M in 2015 when streaming wars were active. NYC music Series A requires clear revenue from artists or labels. That's 50% smaller than peak music investment. Many "Series A" rounds are actually $3-5M seed extensions at flat or down valuations.

Should I raise locally or go to LA/Nashville for music startups?

Go to LA for artist-focused tools, creator platforms, or anything needing entertainment industry connections. Nashville is better for songwriter and country music tools. NYC only works for B2B music infrastructure, rights management, or distribution platforms. Consumer music apps struggle everywhere but especially NYC.

Do New York music investors expect profitability?

Yes, within 18-24 months or they won't invest at all. NYC music VCs watched billions burn on streaming services that never reached profitability. They want subscription revenue from artists or licensing fees from labels. Show clear unit economics and paths to profitability or don't bother with music investors.

What music sectors get funded most in New York?

B2B tools for labels and publishers, distribution platforms for independent artists, music creation and production software, rights management and licensing tools. Live music and touring technology gets some capital. Consumer music streaming, social networks, and discovery apps get zero funding - those markets are dead.