Record label Motown Records recently announced that it is partnering with Wisconsin-based startup accelerator gener8tor, Hollywood-based music label Capitol Music Group, and Detroit-based Motown Museum to set up some music incubator programs.
Specifically, gener8tor is setting up two music accelerators in Detroit with the Motown Museum, Capitol Music Group, and TechTown Detroit. One of the accelerators will work on advancing individual artists and the other will be for incubating music technology startups.
gBETA Musictech Accelerator Program
There will be five Detroit-based startups focused on music technology selected to participate in the gBETA Musictech program. This program will operate out of TechTown. Participants do not have to pay a fee or give a percentage of the equity to participate in the seven-week gBeta musictech program. gBeta Detroit director Stella Safari is going to oversee this program.
Motown Musicians Accelerator program
Startups that participate in the Motown Musicians Accelerator program will receive coaching, introductions to people in the industry, and a $20,000 grant. The Motown Musician Accelerator program will be launching this summer and it will also provide artists and groups access to a free 12-week program operated by gener8tor. And it will include workshops where industry professionals will discuss topics like distribution, booking, and songwriting. These sessions will take place at TechTown Detroit and the Motown Museum in Detroit along with Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California.
Grants for the accelerator is being funded by the Esther Gordy Edwards Family Foundation, Microsoft, and Hassan Bazzi — who is the Director of Regional Opportunities at ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services) in Dearborn, Michigan. These grants can be used for studio sessions, travel, and other needs to help advance the music careers of entrepreneurs.
Additional Information
“Detroit has always been a creative hub for new talent and development. (With the program), we have an opportunity to come back to Detroit and highlight the incredible talent that has always existed in their community,” said Motown Records President Ethiopia Habtemariam.
Gener8tor managing director Abby Taubner told Xconomy the fact that Motown is celebrating its sixtieth year in 2019 makes this decision “that much sweeter.”
Another notable individual involved in this program is Paul Riser, M.B.A. Riser is the director of Detroit Urban Solutions at TechTown and he is the son of trombonist and Motown Records musical arranger Paul Riser Sr. And Riser Sr. is known as one of the “Funk Brothers.”
“Due to my dad’s work in the industry for over 50 years, I’ve had the great fortune of conversing with some true musical titans with deep Detroit ties and roots,” explained Riser via Xconomy. “Now, there’s a new opportunity to uniquely connect their wisdom with the power of today’s innovation and technology. It’s my hope and goal for the Motown Musicians and Musictech programs to unite our community in a way that only music can—as a magnetic force of inspiration and creativity that has no boundaries.”
If you are interested, then you can apply to be accepted until July 5th at MotownMusicianAccelerator.com. And the program is set to begin on August 19. And applications for the gBETA Musictech program in Detroit will begin on August 29 with applications due August 9.
Featured photo credit: Motown Museum
