Music Collaboration Platform Baton Raises 4.2 Million in Funding

Baton, a music startup founded by musician Gabe Warshaw, has secured $4.2 million in funding to further develop its product, grow its team, and roll out new features.

Table of Contents

Overview of Baton

Baton is a blockchain-based music collaboration protocol that allows artists, producers, managers, A&Rs (artists and repertoire representatives), and catalog administrators to share unreleased music, source new material, collaborate with others, and ensure creators are properly credited and compensated for their work.

Problem Statement

Music has always been a complex industry, and Baton aims to address some of the challenges faced by musicians. Whether it’s a finished song, a single sample, or a pack, Baton shows creators who individually have viewed their material, so they’re never in the dark during the collaborative process. Additionally, the company is building a decentralized infrastructure so creators can upload songs without the risk of their IP being stolen.

Founding Story

Gabe Warshaw, founder and CEO of Baton, has a deep understanding of the music industry. Growing up in NYC’s East Village by two artist parents and starting playing drums at the age of two, Warshaw had a firsthand view of how challenging it can be for even the most talented creatives to support themselves from their work.

Product Features

Baton claims to have helped connect hundreds of artists and protect the IP of thousands of songs. Notable clients include DJ Dahi, a Grammy-winning producer who works with Kendrick Lamar, Drake, J. Cole, Rihanna, and Post Malone, among others; and A&R Sickamore, who has guided the careers of Nicki Minaj and Travis Scott.

Testimonials

"Baton is an awesome place to find up-and-coming talent that I would have never otherwise crossed paths with," said DJ Dahi. "It’s one of the few instances in music and tech where both the vision and execution just hit it on the head. This is the solution aspiring producers, established artists, and everyone in between has been waiting for," added Sickamore.

Investment

The round was led by BITKRAFT Ventures with participation from Techstars, Dorm Room Fund, NYU’s Innovation Venture Fund, the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship, Dark Arts, Franklin Templeton, Harmonic Future, and angels in the music industry. The investment will go toward hiring several engineering, product, and marketing roles, as well as allow Baton to develop a mixed-media collaboration and rights management ecosystem for visual artists, filmmakers, and designers.

Future Plans

Users can get early access to the platform by signing up on Baton’s website. With the new funding, Baton plans to further develop its product and roll out new features that will make it easier for creators to collaborate and manage their IP.

Conclusion

Baton’s innovative approach to music collaboration and IP management has resonated with the industry. With its new funding, the company is poised to make a significant impact on the music industry.