What MADverse music does

Madverse Music (legally Nesho Entertainment Private Limited) is an India-headquartered music technology platform founded in 2022 that distributes independent artists' music to global digital streaming platforms (DSPs) while retaining 100% ownership for the creator. The company serves a base of 200,000+ independent artists and labels, with cumulative streams exceeding 3 billion across 40,000+ releases on platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Deezer, Jio, and Anghami. Its core platform architecture pairs self-serve web and mobile distribution (app.madverse.co) with a four-tier subscription model (Vibe free, Rise $14.99/year, Star $34.99/year, Label $99.99/year), a 5% take rate on royalties for paid tiers, and a publishing-administration partnership with Kobalt Music Group covering 180+ territories.

The company's product surface extends beyond distribution into AI-powered artist tooling: Auxy (an industry-specific NLP chatbot with multilingual Indian regional language support), AI Cover Art Studio, AI Mastering, and Express Ads (an AI-driven social-advertising automation product used by 60,000+ artists). Auxiliary services include sync licensing, YouTube Content ID, Dolby Atmos distribution, IMPACT (managed marketing), and Madverse Select (an elite artist funding program). GTM motion is product-led growth via the free tier, supplemented by country-specific SEO landing pages across ten markets and PR-driven earned media. The company is privately held, with its first institutional seed round closed in June 2026 led by Ahdritz Capital (Kobalt founder Willard Ahdritz's vehicle), who joined the board alongside co-investors SumoSan Ventures, 10X Global, and Marigold Capital.

Name

MADverse music

Legal name

Nesho Entertainment Private Limited

Website

https://madverse.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MADverse Music is an India-based music technology platform that distributes independent artists' music to 15+ global DSPs while retaining 100% ownership for creators. It serves 200,000+ indie artists and labels through a freemium subscription model, augmented by a Kobalt publishing-administration partnership and AI-powered artist tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Distribution Platform

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230), Software Publishers (51321)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Creator Licensing & Rights Monetization (UGC Licensing, Music/Video Rights) (MPACAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements) (MPAIAKAD), Sync Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (MPAIALAG), Creator/Artist Direct-to-Fan Streaming & Membership (MPAIACAF)

Keywords

• Music distribution platform
• Music publishing administration
• Royalty management software
• Sync licensing services
• Artist marketing automation

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Plans (Distribution): Artists and labels pay annual subscription fees to access distribution services, analytics, promotional tools, and royalty collection. Four tiers: Vibe (free), Rise ($14.99/year), Star ($34.99/year), Label ($99.99/year). Higher tiers offer greater royalty retention (90-95%), more editorial playlist pitches, and exclusive tools.
2. Royalties from DSP Distribution: Madverse distributes music to DSPs (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Deezer, Jio, Anghami, Instagram) and collects streaming royalties on behalf of artists. The company retains a small percentage of royalties (5% on Star/Rise plans) as its primary take rate on the distribution service.
3. Publishing Administration (Kobalt Partnership): Through a partnership with Kobalt Music, Madverse provides global publishing administration to over 150,000 indie artists/labels. Publishing royalties (mechanical, performance, sync) are collected across 180+ territories. Revenue earned as a percentage of publishing royalties collected.
4. Express Ads (Advertising Revenue): AI-powered advertising product where artists pay to run targeted social media campaigns (reach, followers, streams). Budget is controlled by the artist; revenue derived from ad spend allocation within the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MADverse Music distributes independent artists' and labels' music to 15+ global DSPs (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Deezer, Jio, Anghami, Instagram) while artists retain 100% ownership and up to 95% of royalties. The platform bundles AI-powered artist tools (Auxy chatbot, Cover Art Studio, AI Mastering, Express Ads) with global publishing administration via a Kobalt Music Group partnership covering 180+ territories, plus sync licensing opportunities for film, TV, and games.

Product overview

MADverse Music operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture offering music distribution as its core product with multiple subscription tiers (Madverse Vibe free tier, Madverse Rise at USD 14.99/year, Madverse Star at USD 34.99/year, and Madverse Label at USD 99.99/year for labels). The platform is complemented by AI-powered add-on modules including Auxy (AI chatbot for music industry navigation), Express Ads (AI-powered marketing automation), Cover Art Studio (AI-generated album artwork), and Music Publishing Administration (in partnership with Kobalt). Additional services include Sync Licensing, YouTube Content ID, Dolby Atmos Distribution, AI Mastering, IMPACT marketing solutions, and Madverse Select artist funding program. The ecosystem serves independent artists, labels, producers, and content creators seeking global distribution while retaining creative control.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Auxy: AI chatbot designed specifically for the music industry to help independent artists navigate music business concepts, distribution queries, and industry terminology.
• Express Ads
• Madverse Select
• Madverse Impact

Products and services

• Madverse Distribution Core music distribution platform that releases independent artists' and labels' music to major DSPs (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Deezer, Jio, Anghami, Instagram) globally while keeping 100% ownership. Includes royalty collection, royalty splits, analytics, and catalog management for individual creators.
• Auxy AI chatbot designed specifically for the music industry to help independent artists navigate distribution, royalty splits, DSP requirements, and music business queries. Supports multiple languages including Hindi, Tamil, and Bengali. Currently in Beta.
• Express Ads AI-powered music marketing tool that automates social advertising campaigns for independent artists, enabling targeted reach, follower growth, and stream increases. Includes built-in CRM for audience tracking and automated campaign optimization. Used by 60,000+ artists.
• Music Publishing Administration Publishing administration service operated in partnership with Kobalt Music Group, handling global registrations, licensing, royalty collection, and payouts for songwriters across 180+ territories. Maximizes songwriter earnings through mechanical, performance, and sync royalty capture.
• Sync Licensing Sync licensing service that places independent artists' music into TV shows, movies, commercials, and video games to generate additional exposure and revenue streams. Includes a dedicated sync-for-supervisors offering for music supervisors.
• IMPACT In-house marketing service offering targeted campaigns and deep industry connections to help artists amplify their music and build a lasting legacy. Provides marketing solutions and promotional support beyond self-serve Express Ads.
• Madverse Select Elite artist program providing access to funding, exclusive opportunities, and personalized support for career elevation. Targets top-tier independent artists with resources to scale their careers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ independent artists and labels registered
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kobalt Music GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Kobalt Music Group — the world's largest independent music publisher — entered a publishing partnership with Madverse Music on January 16, 2026. Under the agreement, Kobalt provides global publishing administration for over 150,000 indie artists and labels across India and South Asia, covering more than 180 territories. The partnership improves royalty collection, metadata accuracy, and sync opportunities while artists retain full ownership and creative control.
• GrooverminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMadverse partnered with Groover (music promotion platform) to offer Madverse Label plan users a 15% discount on their first marketing campaign. Groover drives referral traffic to Madverse from its audience of independent artists seeking promotional tools.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AWAL (Sony-owned): AWAL provides distribution plus label services (marketing, playlist pitching, sync) to indie artists on a revenue-share model. Overlaps with Madverse on distribution, sync, and editorial pitching, and is now backed by Sony Music, giving it significantly more capital and DSP relationships.
• CD Baby: CD Baby is one of the oldest indie distributors, offering distribution, publishing administration, and sync licensing. Overlaps with Madverse's full-stack offering (distribution + publishing admin + sync), and is a direct competitor especially in legacy and long-tail artist segments.
• DistroKid: DistroKid is the largest independent music distributor globally, offering unlimited releases to major DSPs with a flat annual fee. It is Madverse's most direct head-to-head competitor in the indie distribution category, differentiated by mature scale and brand.
• TuneCore: TuneCore distributes music to 150+ stores and DSPs with a per-release pricing model. Direct competitor to Madverse in the indie artist distribution space, with established global footprint and stronger pricing power on catalog.
• UnitedMasters: UnitedMasters distributes indie music to DSPs and offers brand partnership opportunities for hip-hop and pop artists. Direct competitor with similar value proposition of distribution + monetization, and substantially larger funding (raised from Alphabet, Apple).
• Symphonic Distribution: Symphonic Distribution offers distribution, label services, and publishing administration to indie artists and labels. Overlaps with Madverse across distribution and publishing admin, particularly for the label segment that Madverse targets with its $99.99/yr Label tier.

Emerging players

• LANDR: LANDR provides AI-powered music mastering plus distribution and sample marketplace services. Comparable to Madverse on the AI Mastering product dimension and on the indie creator tooling value proposition.
• Amuse: Amuse offers free and paid indie music distribution with AI-powered release analytics. Comparable to Madverse on the freemium distribution model and the use of AI for marketing/release optimization, and competes in the same indie artist segment.
• SoundOn (TikTok / ByteDance): SoundOn is TikTok/ByteDance's owned music distribution platform, offering free distribution in exchange for promotional rights to drive TikTok engagement. Comparable to Madverse on indie distribution with a different monetization model (promotional rights rather than subscription fees).

Others

• Kobalt Music Group: Kobalt is the world's largest independent music publisher and Madverse's strategic publishing administration partner (and lead investor via Ahdritz Capital). It is a partner rather than a competitor, but its publishing platform overlaps with the publishing admin layer Madverse offers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/madversemusic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/madverse-music
• Instagraminstagram.com/madversemusic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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 MADverse music