Splash

Splash is a music technology company that develops games and tools to facilitate music creation and performance for a broad user base. Founded in 2017 by Stephen Phillips and originally named PopGun, the Brisbane-based startup aims to make music creation accessible, intuitive, and enjoyable. Phillips, who previously co-founded the music discovery service We Are Hunted which was acquired by Twitter, brought his experience back to Australia to start Splash.

The company's primary offering is an AI-powered game on the Roblox platform, which allows users to create music, perform in virtual venues for live audiences, and gain fame within the game's ecosystem. This immersive experience has attracted a significant user base, averaging millions of plays per month. Beyond the game, Splash provides a suite of composition and production tools, including AI-powered instruments and text-to-song features like singing and rapping. The technology is trained on the company's own proprietary datasets, which are created and owned in-house to ensure ethical AI development.

Splash's business strategy focuses on three main pillars: Splash Games, Splash Tools, and Splash Stars, which involves creating virtual popstars that emerge from the platform. One such virtual star, Kai, has garnered millions of views for her music videos. The company generates revenue by helping musicians create, share, and sell the music they make. In November 2021, Splash secured $20 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Amazon's Alexa Fund and BITKRAFT Ventures, with participation from investors like Khosla Ventures and King River Capital. This capital was aimed at enhancing its AI instruments, expanding virtual venues, and growing its community. In March 2024, Tracy Chan, a music and technology industry veteran with experience at Spotify and YouTube, was appointed as the new CEO, with founder Stephen Phillips moving to the role of Chairman.

Keywords: AI music, music creation, Roblox game, virtual performance, generative music, metaverse entertainment, music technology, text-to-song, creator economy, virtual artists, interactive music, AI instruments, digital stardom, music gaming, online performance, virtual venues, music production tools, AI composition, creator platform, beatmaker