Hook, an AI-powered music remixing and mashup app with video modifying instruments for social sharing, has raised $10 million in Collection A funding led by Khosla Ventures.
Present buyers Point72 Ventures, Imaginary Ventures, and Waverley Capital, co-founded by former Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr., additionally participated within the spherical.
The funding brings Hook’s whole funding to $16 million. Different backers embrace Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew, Three Six Zero, Avex, The Raine Group, and DJ KSHMR.
Based by Gaurav Sharma, Hook permits customers to remix songs utilizing AI-powered instruments and share the outcomes on to social media platforms. The corporate says it really works with rightsholders to make sure artists keep possession and management over their music whereas followers can remix songs and create their unique variations.
Since launching in 2025, Hook has partnered with Common Music Group and different main labels on campaigns which have generated greater than 250 million views throughout social platforms, it stated.
By means of partnerships with Downtown Music/FUGA, Too Misplaced, Main Wave, and Avex, Hook has entry to greater than 20 million licensed songs. The platform’s energetic person base has grown 45-fold over the previous 12 months, the startup stated in a press relesae on Wednesday (February 18).
“We’re constructing the social music platform the place creativity can thrive, and the place possession and monetization stay artist-led from day one.”
Gaurav Sharma, Hook
Moreover, the platform integrates with TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and SoundCloud, permitting customers to distribute their remixes throughout a number of platforms whereas making certain copyright holders take part within the worth created.
Hook plans to make use of the funding to draw new customers and broaden its product choices. The corporate will launch an Android app and develop new group options, creation codecs, and native video and recording capabilities. Hook launched on iOS in September 2024.
The startup additionally plans to deepen integrations throughout the music ecosystem whereas sustaining artist management over their work.
Sharma stated: “Hook was constructed on a easy concept: followers need to specific themselves with the music they love, and artists deserve to remain in command of how their work is used. We’re constructing the social music platform the place creativity can thrive, and the place possession and monetization stay artist-led from day one.”
Samir Kaul, Khosla Ventures’ Founding Accomplice and Managing Director, stated: “Hook is fixing a tough downside on the heart of contemporary music: enabling remixing and social distribution in a approach that works for rights holders at scale.
“The crew has constructed a platform that pairs a consumer-native expertise with licensing, attribution, and reporting infrastructure that the ecosystem can depend on. We’re excited to guide this spherical and assist Hook’s subsequent section of development.”
“Hook is fixing a tough downside on the heart of contemporary music: enabling remixing and social distribution in a approach that works for rights holders at scale.”
Samir Kaul, Khosla Ventures
Following the funding spherical, the corporate can also be increasing its management crew. Simmi Singh, who joined Hook in 2023 as Chief Product Officer, has been promoted to Chief Working Officer & Chief Product Officer. Singh will proceed to supervise product, design, engineering, development, and growth efforts.
She beforehand led Technique & Operations for Podcasts at Spotify and labored alongside Sharma at JioSaavn as Head of Technique & Operations.
The most recent funding comes amid rising adoption of AI instruments within the music trade.
In December, Hook claimed that AI music generator Suno’s “Create Hook” software carefully “mirrors” its model identification and core product providing.
Hook stated on the time that Suno’s ‘Create Hook’ characteristic “mirrors our identification and performance to such a level that it raises critical considerations about potential shopper confusion and the safety of Hook’s established trademark and model”.
Suno is dealing with copyright infringement lawsuits from main report labels. In November, Suno struck a licensing take care of Warner Music, settling litigation between the 2 corporations.
Nevertheless, it continues to face authorized motion from Common Music Group and Sony Music Leisure, in addition to European accumulating societies, together with Denmark’s Koda and Germany’s GEMA.
Music Enterprise Worldwide
