Soundreef

What Soundreef does

Soundreef S.p.A. is an Italian-headquartered independent music rights management group that operates as an Entità di Gestione Indipendente under Italian D.Lgs. 35/2017, providing a digital platform that connects creators (songwriters, composers, publishers) with music users (venues, broadcasters, event organizers). The technology stack centers on a members portal (members.soundreef.com) where creators register songs in roughly four minutes, generate blockchain certificates of ownership, manage ISRC codes, monitor radio/TV airplay in real time, and track royalties via a dynamic counter; and a licensing e-commerce store (licence.soundreef.com) where businesses purchase usage rights across categories including background music, live events, dance events, radio/TV broadcasting, and private functions. The platform processes 1.4 billion paid streams every 90 days and monitors multiple radio and TV channels.

The group is structured across four principal operating entities — Soundreef SpA (Italian holding), Soundreef Ltd (UK), Soundreef International Ltd (Ireland), and Soundreef OGI S.L.U (Spain) — plus Soundreef Media Service for retail sound delivery, covering Italy, the UK, Ireland, Spain, San Marino, and Vatican City. Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time license fees (events, single venue use), recurring annual subscriptions (background music for hospitality, broadcaster licenses), royalty collection and distribution commissions, and discounted convention rates delivered through 16+ industry association partnerships (Federalberghi, Assomusica, Confindustria Radio Televisioni, SILB, IJazz, and others). As of January 1, 2025, following total liberalization of the Italian copyright market, Soundreef directly manages its own repertoire and acts as sole interlocutor for all music users, eliminating prior intermediation. Approximately $21 million has been raised across nine funding rounds from 2015 through 2021, with backers including VAM Investments, LVenture Group, Immobiliare.it, and Rancilio Cube Sicaf.

Name

Soundreef

Legal name

Soundreef SpA

Website

https://soundreef.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Soundreef is an Italy-based independent music rights management group operating a digital platform that lets songwriters and publishers register works, monitor airplay, and collect royalties, while licensing music usage to venues, broadcasters, and event organizers across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Rights Management

NAICS

Music Publishers (51223), Sound Recording Industries (5122), Other Sound Recording Industries (512290)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio) (MPAIADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creator Music/SFX Asset Libraries & Licensing Platforms (MPACABAM), Music & Audio Streaming Platforms (BPAMAJAC)

Keywords

• Music rights management
• Music licensing platform
• Royalty collection services
• Background music licensing
• Independent music publisher

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Music Licensing Fees: Revenue from licensing music usage to businesses and individuals. Licensing covers multiple categories: Live events (concerts, dance events), Background music (bars, restaurants, hotels, retail), Radio/TV broadcasting, and Private events. Fees are calculated based on venue size, attendance, duration, and location.
2. Subscription Licenses: Annual or seasonal subscription licenses for ongoing music usage, particularly for background music in commercial establishments. Auto-renewal with 30-day cancellation notice.
3. Royalty Collection and Distribution: Collecting and distributing royalties from various sources including streaming platforms (paid streams every 90 days), radio/TV airplay, live performances, and mechanical rights. The company acts as an intermediary between rights holders and music users.
4. Convention Partnership Fees: Special discounted licensing rates for members of partnered industry associations, with the association facilitating access to their member base.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Soundreef S.p.A. develops the technology and content management platform used by its group entities to audit, collect and maximize royalties for songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The company also licenses its managed music repertoire to music users through a digital storefront covering live events, background music, radio/TV broadcasting, and private events, supported by real-time monitoring and blockchain certification.

Product overview

Soundreef is a music copyright management and licensing platform operated by a group of international entities (Soundreef SpA, Soundreef Ltd, Soundreef International Ltd, Soundreef OGI S.L.U., and Soundreef Media Service/Soundreef Retail). The platform consists of a Members portal for songwriters and publishers to register works, monitor usage, and receive royalties; a Licence Store for businesses to purchase music usage licenses across categories such as live events, background music, radio/TV, and private events; a public Repertoire catalog; and a Help Center. Key features include Blockchain certification for song ownership, Radio & TV monitoring in real time, ISRC code management, and dynamic royalty tracking with 90-day payment cycles. As of January 1, 2025, Soundreef directly manages its own rights following copyright market liberalization in Italy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Soundreef Members Portal Self-service portal for songwriters, composers, and music publishers to register songs, monitor radio/TV airplay, track online streams, and receive royalty payments. Includes song deposit functionality, blockchain certification, and live event creation features.
• Soundreef Licence Store E-commerce platform for purchasing music usage licenses across categories including live events, background music, radio/TV broadcasting, and private events. Operated by Soundreef International with category-specific products and configurable pricing.
• Soundreef Repertoire Catalog Publicly searchable catalog of music works administered by Soundreef, displaying rights holders and repertoire information for licensing inquiries.
• Soundreef Mobile App Dedicated mobile application allowing authors and publishers to access their Soundreef accounts, monitor royalties, and manage repertoire on mobile devices.
• Background Music License (Musica d'Ambiente) Annual subscription license for background music across diverse venues including hotels, restaurants, fitness centers, airports, retail stores, hospitals, and more. Tiered pricing by venue size.
• Public Establishments Background Music License (Pubblici Esercizi) Background music subscription license specifically for bars, restaurants, and other public venues, with pricing based on venue size.
• Concert and Theatre License (Concerti e Teatro) License for concerts and theatrical performances, including flat-rate jazz music licenses and light music concerts. Pricing based on venue seating capacity.
• Small Gigs License (Concertini) License for small live music events and gigs, enabling simplified licensing for smaller performances.
• Dance Events License (Eventi con Ballo) License for dance entertainment events with live or pre-recorded music, available in flat or daily formats based on venue capacity.
• Radio and TV Broadcast License Annual subscription license for radio and TV broadcasters, including local radio (FM, AM, DAB, web simulcast) and TV stations (analog, digital, satellite, web catch-up), with association convention rates available.
• Private Events License (Eventi Privati) Per-event license for private events including weddings, birthdays, corporate events, and other celebrations with live or recorded music. Pricing based on event type and attendance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.4 billion paid streams processed every 90 days
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AssoconcerticoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry association for concert promoters providing convention licensing rates for Soundreef music repertoire. Members receive discounted licensing rates for live music events.
• AssointrattenimentocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntertainment industry association offering convention rates on music licensing for members engaged in entertainment activities.
• AssomusicacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic industry association representing musicians and music businesses. Provides convention licensing rates for association members.
• KeepOn LivecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLive music industry association offering convention rates for members on Soundreef music licensing.
• SILBminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntertainment industry association for dance and live music venues providing convention licensing access.
• UNPLIminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPro Loco associations national union providing music licensing conventions for members organizing local events.
• ANATminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational tourism animation association offering convention licensing rates for members.
• Confindustria Radio TelevisionicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBroadcasting industry association representing radio and TV stations. Provides convention licensing rates for local broadcasters.
• Aeranti-CorallocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal radio and TV association (part of Confindustria) offering convention licensing for Aeranti-Corallo members.
• FederalberghicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian hoteliers association offering convention music licensing for accommodation facilities. Covers TV in rooms and background music.
• ANCESCAOminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational association of social and cultural centers providing music licensing conventions for members.
• ANBIminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBasin authorities association providing music licensing conventions for member organizations.
• IJazzminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian jazz associations network offering convention licensing for jazz event organizers and venues.
• AssofarmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPharmacy owners association providing music licensing conventions for pharmacy background music.
• AIGRIMminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic industry association offering convention licensing rates for members.
• ARBAGAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntertainment and recreation businesses association providing music licensing conventions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• BMAT: Music identification and rights technology company providing audio fingerprinting, broadcasting monitoring, and metadata services. Comparable to Soundreef's real-time radio/TV monitoring capability and serves rights holders and collecting societies—though BMAT is more infrastructure/technology provider than direct rights manager.
• Soundtrack Your Brand: Background music streaming service for commercial venues, licensed by Spotify. Competes with Soundreef's background music licensing business for hotels, restaurants, and retail venues—representing a digital-first, lower-cost alternative to traditional licensing.
• Songtrust: Global music publishing administrator owned by Downtown Music. Provides royalty collection, rights administration, and global publishing services for independent songwriters and publishers. Comparable to Soundreef's creator-facing rights management platform with international reach.
• Kobalt Music Group: Independent music publisher and rights management technology company offering transparent royalty tracking, real-time data, and direct creator services. Shares Soundreef's technology-forward, creator-friendly positioning against traditional publishers, though Kobalt operates at significantly larger scale globally.
• Audiam: US-based independent music publisher focused on collecting mechanical and performance royalties for songwriters and publishers. Comparable as a tech-enabled alternative to traditional collecting societies in the mechanical/performance rights space, particularly in driving transparent royalty distribution.

Direct peers

• ICE (International Copyright Enterprise): Joint venture of PRS, SACEM, and GEMA providing pan-European music licensing infrastructure. Closely comparable to Soundreef's pan-European licensing model and represents the incumbent answer to cross-border rights management in Europe.

Broad incumbents

• SIAE (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori): Italy's dominant collecting society, managing rights for hundreds of thousands of Italian and international authors/publishers. SIAE is Soundreef's primary direct competitor in the Italian market, with decades of repertoire depth and quasi-statutory collection rights that Soundreef's independent model directly challenges.
• PRS for Music: UK-based collecting society and music rights management organization representing over 150,000 songwriters, composers, and publishers. Directly comparable to Soundreef as a music rights manager in the UK market, though much larger and established with reciprocal agreements globally.
• SACEM: France's leading music rights management organization with millions of members worldwide. Competes with Soundreef in the rights collection space and represents the established European collecting society model that Soundreef's independent approach challenges.
• GEMA: Germany's largest collecting society representing over 70,000 members. Comparable to Soundreef as a music rights administration entity operating under the traditional collecting society model in a major European market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/soundreef
• Facebookfacebook.com/soundreef
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soundreef

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Soundreef