Marimba

Name

Marimba

Legal name

Soundsgood, Lda.

Website

https://marimba.art

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marimba is a Lisbon-coordinated non-profit digital platform, run by Soundsgood, Lda. and funded by the EU and Camões I.P. via PROCULTURA, that supports cultural production across Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and Timor-Leste.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Heritage Preservation and Cultural Sector Development

NAICS

Music Publishers (51223), Record Production and Distribution (512250), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)

akta.pro primary industry

Long-Term Digital Preservation Services (Format Migration, Integrity Checks) (MPAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Creator Music/SFX Asset Libraries & Licensing Platforms (MPACABAM)

Keywords

• Music heritage preservation
• Artist development programs
• Digital music distribution
• Ethnomusicology research
• Cultural sector training

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU/Camões Funding: Primary funding from European Union and Camões I.P. through PROCULTURA program for promotion of employment and income-generating activities in cultural sectors of PALOP-TL countries.
2. Marimba Sounds Record Sales: Digital music distribution and record sales through Marimba Sounds label and Bandcamp platform, including soundbooks and music collections.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Marimba operates a multi-platform digital ecosystem dedicated to valuing, preserving, and promoting musical production in Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and Timor-Leste (PALOP-TL). The project delivers ethnomusicology research and digitization of historical sound archives, runs a transnational music publishing label (Marimba Sounds) for phonographic editions, provides international artist booking and distribution (Marimba Booking), operates a professional directory (Marimba Guide), offers training and capacity-building programs (Marimba Academy), runs creative competitions for young creators (Marimba Challenges), maintains an event calendar (Marimba Happenings), and publishes news content (Marimba Press) under the PROCULTURA program funded by the European Union and co-managed by Camões I.P.

Product overview

Marimba is a multi-platform cultural project supporting the music sector in PALOP-TL countries (Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and Timor-Leste). The offering consists of eight interconnected digital platforms and programs: Marimba Sounds (transnational music publishing/record label), Marimba Booking (artist booking and international distribution), Marimba Heritage (ethnomusicology research and sound archives), Marimba Academy (training and capacity building), Marimba Guide (professional musician directory), Marimba Challenges (creative competitions), Marimba Happenings (events calendar), and Marimba Press (communication and news). These platforms work together to promote research, digitization, international promotion, and distribution of musical heritage and emerging artists from Portuguese-speaking African countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marimba Sounds Digital music publishing platform and transnational record label headquartered in Mozambique, responsible for promoting and distributing phonographic editions and recordings from PALOP-TL artists internationally. Distributed via Bandcamp, Spotify, and Altafonte.
• Marimba Booking Artist booking and international music distribution service for PALOP-TL artists, featuring profiles of musicians and performers available for hire, operated by Soundsgood/Marimba Booking platform.
• Marimba Heritage Research, study, and classification program for musical heritage featuring sound inventories and classified archives of historical music recordings from PALOP-TL partner countries, including field recordings, soundbooks, and ethnomusicological collections.
• Marimba Academy Training and technical capacity building program for young musicians from PALOP-TL countries, focused on professionalization in creative sectors and skill development for emerging artists.
• Marimba Guide Free utility directory of contacts for musicians, producers, talent agencies, managers, record labels, recording studios, concert calendars, and festivals across PALOP-TL countries, available at no cost to music industry professionals.
• Marimba Challenges Creative competitions for young creators including emerging bands contests, photography contests, design contests, remix competitions, and startup contests for female entrepreneurship, with 6 emerging bands selected for international management through 2026.
• Marimba Happenings Events calendar and agenda platform showcasing concerts, festivals, conferences, and cultural events featuring PALOP-TL artists worldwide, including Marimba Gathering professional meetings.
• Marimba Press Communication and press/news platform that disseminates information about Marimba project activities, featuring news articles, media coverage, and newsletter subscriptions about PALOP-TL music and artists.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ applications for emerging bands competition from young artists aged 16-30
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• SoundsgoodflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneral coordination of the Marimba project operations, based in Lisbon. Soundsgood has extensive experience in promoting PALOP-TL and Brazil artists in international markets and manages the Marimba Booking operations.
• FME CE-CPLP - Federação das Mulheres Empresárias e Empreendedoras da CPLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-requester organization representing women entrepreneurs across CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) countries, supporting the project's focus on women's economic inclusion.
• Altafonte (Spain)coreTechnology or IntegrationSpanish digital music distribution company responsible for digital distribution of artists, enabling international reach of PALOP-TL music.
• Playing for ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal organization creating music schools for underprivileged children, sharing values around music education and cultural preservation.
• Festival MED - Festival das Músicas do MundominorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld Music Festival in Loulé, Portugal, providing performance platform for PALOP-TL artists.
• Summerstage NYCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSummer festival in Central Park, New York, providing international performance opportunities for artists.
• Rádio Nacional de AngolacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic radio sector partner in Angola, home to historical music archive being digitized under the project with EU-donated equipment.
• Mano a ManocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArtist management company originating from Angola, operating from Amsterdam, focused on international promotion of African talent, tour management, and artist representation.
• VPA 2020, Visão Propósito AcçãominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit association working on literacy promotion and mobile libraries in Luanda's musseques (informal settlements).
• Ministério da Cultura AngolacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAngolan Ministry of Culture providing support for research and field investigations.
• Museu do DundominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum in Dundo, Angola, contributing to collection of traditional music recordings in Lunda Norte province.
• Centro Cultural Netos de BandimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural center in Guinea-Bissau supporting project's cultural activities and events.
• Rádio MoçambiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic radio sector partner in Mozambique, contributing to music digitization and heritage preservation efforts.
• KhuzulacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate talent agency in Mozambique developing digital platform and managing festivals including Azgo. Released 'Marrabenta: Um Património Cultural Moçambicano' book.
• Warethwa AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit association, home of Timbila Muzimba band, dedicated to promoting Chope culture and UNESCO-declared heritage timbila music.
• MMM - Mozambique Music MeetingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMusic market and conference in Mozambique featuring showcases of local talent.
• ECA - Escola do Ensino das Artes (Universidade Eduardo Mondlane)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts school at Eduardo Mondlane University providing training support for the project.
• Centro Audiovisual Max Stahl Timor-LestecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-requester organization in Timor-Leste, audiovisual center contributing to music heritage documentation.
• Festival AfrikaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFestival in Netherlands promoting African culture and providing platform for artists.
• Paradiso (Amsterdam)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIconic concert venue in Amsterdam providing performance opportunities for PALOP-TL artists.
• Playing for Change (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal music education organization operating in USA and worldwide, creating schools for underprivileged children.
• SIM - Semana Internacional da Música São PaulominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSecond largest music market in the Americas, providing platform for PALOP-TL artist exposure in Brazilian market.
• ZONA MUNDIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProject promoting dialogue between music, video and global electronic/digital art trends, popularizing electronic art in Salvador da Bahia through workshops and performances.
• CONNECTING DOTSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgency developing cultural projects stimulating international partnerships, specializing in curation, content production, and strategic cultural consulting.
• Têm Dendê ProduçõesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian independent audiovisual producer with maximum Ancine rating, 24 years experience, producing and commercializing films, series and audiovisual content.
• Fernando Sousa (Casa da Música Foundation)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProgramming coordinator for non-erudite area at Casa da Música Foundation, providing technical and scientific advisory.
• Marilio Wabe (Ethnomusicology Expert)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExpert in ethnomusicology from Mozambique providing technical and scientific advisory for heritage research.
• Odete Macedo and Juca Delgado (Music Studies Experts)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMusic studies experts from Guinea-Bissau providing technical and scientific advisory.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Songtrust: Global music publishing administrator collecting royalties for songwriters and publishers worldwide. Comparable publishing-administration function to what Marimba Sounds requires for its signings.
• Bandcamp: Artist-direct music marketplace used by Marimba Sounds to sell recordings, soundbooks, and collections. Comparable as a primary commercial sales channel for Marimba's catalog.
• Believe Digital: Global digital music company distributing independent and local-repertoire artists across streaming platforms. Comparable as a competing distribution and label-services partner for African and Lusophone artists that Marimba Sounds also serves.

Direct peers

• ARC Music: Independent world-music label producing and distributing traditional and contemporary global music recordings. Comparable as a niche heritage-music label competing for catalog visibility in the same international world-music market.
• Altafonte: Spanish digital music distribution company that is Marimba's Core distribution partner for international reach. Comparable as an established distributor serving Iberian and Latin music markets.
• Smithsonian Folkways Recordings: Non-profit record label and archive dedicated to documenting and preserving cultural music heritage. Closely comparable to Marimba Heritage and Marimba Sounds as an institutional heritage-music publisher.
• Playing for Change: Global organization creating music schools for underprivileged children and producing worldwide recordings. Directly comparable mission and partnership relationship with Marimba around music education and cultural preservation.
• Africa Express: Cultural music initiative connecting African and Western musicians through collaborative projects and tours. Comparable to Marimba as a multi-country African music promotion platform with international festival presence.
• Soundsgood, Lda. Lisbon-based music promotion and booking agency that coordinates the Marimba project and operates Marimba Booking. Directly comparable as the operational backbone managing PALOP-TL artist international distribution.

Others

• WOMEX: World music expo and conference where Marimba Gathering Lisboa was hosted. Comparable as the primary international trade venue connecting world-music artists, labels, and promoters — the audience Marimba Booking targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/marimba_musica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@marimba.musica
• Facebookfacebook.com/marimba.musica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marimbamusica
• Instagraminstagram.com/marimba.musica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Marimba