Parachute Music

What Parachute Music does

Parachute Music is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Kingsland, Auckland, that supports songwriters, producers, and recording artists building careers in New Zealand's music industry. Its physical asset is a multi-studio community facility comprising one large recording studio (Studio A, configured with a Control Booth, Live Room, and Iso Booth capable of recording 30-piece choirs and full band projects) and eleven producer studios, each equipped with Mac Mini, widescreen display, UAD Apollo audio interface, Shure SM7B microphone, studio monitors, digital piano with USB MIDI, and guitars and bass. Studios are booked in 8-hour day or 4-hour half-day units on weekdays and offered at heavily subsidised rates to community musicians.

The organisation layers three creative-development programmes on top of the studios: the annual five-day Song Week writing camp (running since 2019 and hosting 50-56 Aotearoa musicians annually, with 140+ unique attendees to date); the Writing Nights regular songwriting events (launched 2022, accommodating approximately 20 writers per session across five or six studios); and the Studio Boost initiative (launched 2022, NZ On Air-funded) providing free studio time and mentoring to developing musicians. A long-running Artist Development Programme (10+ years of operation) sits alongside a wellbeing vertical offering free pastoral catchups, $75 professional supervision sessions, and an industry collective of counsellors, psychotherapists, and industry mentors.

Revenue is generated across four streams: donations and grants (over 50% of funding, with partners including NZ On Air, APRA AMCOS, Creative NZ, and Recorded Music NZ plus 2025 additions Concord Music Publishing, Ableton, and Neumann Berlin); subsidised studio rentals; commercial music production for enterprise clients (Mediaworks, NZ Herald, Newshub, Oppo, OneRoof NZ, Ryco, The Masked Singer, Dancing With The Stars, The X Factor, Oceania); and wellbeing sessions. Go-to-market is hybrid: community-led engagement (events, alumni referrals, Instagram, funding-partner visibility) drives individual-musician uptake, while commercial production is sold directly to broadcasters and brands. Operations are concentrated in New Zealand.

Name

Parachute Music

Legal name

Parachute Music

Website

https://parachutemusic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Parachute Music is an Auckland-based non-profit operating a multi-studio music facility (one large recording studio plus eleven producer studios) and offering artist development programmes, wellbeing services, and commercial music production for New Zealand musicians and enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Recording Studios and Artist Development

NAICS

Sound Recording Studios (51224), Sound Recording Studios (512240), Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Production Management & Studio Support Services (Studio Managers, Techs) (MPAIAHAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Producers & Production Teams (MPAIAHAB), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Music Supervision Services (MPAIALAB)

Keywords

• Music recording studios
• Artist development programs
• Commercial music production
• Songwriting camps
• Musician wellbeing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Over half of Parachute Music's funding comes from donations and grants. The organization has charitable status, making donations tax-deductible. Funding partners include NZ On Air, APRA AMCOS, Creative NZ, and others.
2. Studio Rental: Revenue from hiring out Studio A and 11 producer studios. Studios available for day bookings (8 hours) or half-day bookings (4 hours). Heavily subsidized rates offered for musicians in the community.
3. Commercial Music Production: Bespoke music production, soundalikes, TV show scoring, radio jingles, and brand campaign music for clients including broadcasters and advertisers. Projects managed end-to-end with top NZ producers.
4. Professional Supervision Sessions: Formal supervision sessions offered at $75 per session for musician wellbeing support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Parachute Music operates a multi-studio music community in Kingsland, Auckland, providing 11 producer studios and 1 large recording studio (Studio A) for hire at subsidized rates. The organization complements its facility with artist development programs (Song Week writing camps, Writing Nights, Studio Boost, Artist Development Programme), bespoke commercial music production for broadcasters and brands, and holistic wellbeing services including pastoral care and professional supervision for music industry professionals.

Product overview

Parachute Music is a non-profit music space in Auckland offering a multi-studio community with two distinct studio offerings: Studio A (large recording studio with Control Booth, Live Room, and Iso Booth) and 11 Producer Studios (smaller spaces for writing, recording, and production). The organization complements its facilities with creative development programmes including Song Week (annual five-day writing camp), Writing Nights (regular songwriting events), Studio Boost (free studio time for emerging artists), and the Artist Development Programme. Additional services include Commercial Music Production (bespoke tracks, soundalikes, and jingles for brands and TV) and Wellbeing Services (pastoral care, professional supervision, and referrals). The portfolio operates as an integrated ecosystem where studios serve as the physical foundation for all creative programmes and support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Studio A

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Grammy-nominated and Award-winning ProducerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeam includes Grammy-nominated, Aotearoa Music Award and Silver Scroll winning Kiwi producers, composers, and vocalists for commercial music production.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Manuka Studios: Wellington-based recording studio offering commercial recording and mixing. Comparable as a New Zealand studio serving the local music industry, though much smaller than Parachute Music's multi-studio footprint.
• Studios 301: Major Australian recording studio with multiple rooms and a roster of in-house producers and engineers. Comparable in scale, multi-room offering, and commercial music production capability, though it operates across Australia rather than New Zealand.
• Big Music Group: Australian music education and studio facility offering rehearsal rooms, recording studios, and tuition. Comparable as a multi-room studio facility serving musicians, though it includes a commercial education component rather than a non-profit producer-development model.
• Roundhead Studios: Auckland-based full-service recording studio offering recording, mixing, and production with experienced engineers. Comparable to Parachute Music's Studio A as a premium commercial recording facility in the same city, though it is a commercial (not non-profit) operation.
• York Street Studios: Long-established New Zealand recording studio in Auckland. Comparable to Parachute Music for multi-room studio infrastructure and commercial production services, though it operates as a commercial studio rather than a community non-profit.

Others

• Help Musicians UK: UK charity providing wellbeing, financial, and professional support to musicians. Comparable to Parachute Music's Wellbeing Collective as a music-specific non-profit offering mental health and pastoral support services.
• APRA AMCOS: Australasian performing rights organisation that collects and distributes royalties for songwriters and publishers. Comparable as a music industry support organisation that also funds Parachute Music's Song Week, and shares a community-development remit.
• Recorded Music NZ: New Zealand music industry body representing recorded music and supporting local artists. Comparable as a music industry support organisation that funds Parachute Music's Writing Nights and shares a community-development remit.

Emerging players

• Singing For Your Soul (Song Week international analogues): Various international songwriting camp operators (e.g., Red Bull Studios camps, ASCAP songwriting workshops) run week-long collaborative songwriting programmes. Comparable to Parachute Music's Song Week writing camp as a curated collaborative songwriting event, though they typically operate commercially rather than as a non-profit.

Broad incumbents

• Abbey Road Studios: Iconic London recording studio offering recording, mixing, mastering, and commercial production services. Comparable as a multi-room studio with a roster of in-house producers and engineers delivering soundalikes, TV scoring, and brand work, though at a much larger global scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/parachute_music
• Xx.com/parachute_music
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/parachute-music

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Parachute Music