Saudi initiative Sound Futures aims to bridge divides within the music industry
The MDLBEAST Foundation is set to launch the 2025 edition of Sound Futures, an initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and accelerating the growth of the regional music economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Sound Futures operates much like the popular TV show "Shark Tank," providing a platform where high-potential startups pitch their ideas to investors and industry experts during a live pitch event at the XP Music Futures Conference, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from December 4-6, 2025.
The initiative supports a wide range of participants, from students with innovative concepts to fast-scaling companies. Participants receive comprehensive training through workshops, boot camps, personalized mentoring, and tailored courses on business planning, investor readiness, and emerging music trends. They also gain direct access to investors and regional/international exposure through curated networking opportunities during the conference.
One example of a startup that has benefited from Sound Futures is Maqam Labs, which started with an idea in year one and returned the following year with a working physical synthesizer bringing Middle Eastern scales into the world of electronic music.
The MENA region's music and creative industries are evolving rapidly, but support systems for early-stage startups still lag behind, according to MDLBEAST's Bader Assery. Financial concerns, validating ideas in a market that's still building its infrastructure, access to capital, the right mentors, industry partners, and data are some of the hurdles faced by music startups in the region, as per Assery.
Sound Futures seeks to address these challenges by providing a platform for founders to gain access to mentorship, exposure, and possibly investment and funding. The initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals to boost culture, entertainment, and technology industries as pillars for the post-oil economy.
Applications for Sound Futures are open to startups, entrepreneurs, and students from across the MENA region. The deadline for applications is expected to close by October. The XP Music Futures Conference will not only serve as a platform for startups to pitch their ideas but also as a hub for the music industry, where artists, fans, and industry experts gather to network, collaborate, and shape the future of music creation worldwide.
- The 2025 edition of Sound Futures, an initiative by MDLBEAST Foundation, targets fostering entrepreneurship and growing the regional music economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
- Sound Futures mirrors the popular TV show "Shark Tank," offering a stage for high-potential startups to pitch their ideas to investors and industry experts.
- The XP Music Futures Conference, happening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from December 4-6, 2025, hosts the live pitch event for Sound Futures participants.
- Sound Futures supports a diverse group, including students with innovative concepts and fast-scaling companies, through workshops, mentoring, and tailored courses.
- An example of a startup benefiting from Sound Futures is Maqam Labs, which transformed an idea into a physical synthesizer for electronic music.
- Bader Assery of MDLBEAST claims that the MENA region's music and creative industries are evolving rapidly but lack adequate support systems for early-stage startups.
- Sound Futures aims to tackle these challenges by offering a platform for founders to access mentorship, exposure, investment, and funding.
- Applications for Sound Futures are open to startups, entrepreneurs, and students across the MENA region, with a submission deadline expected in October. The XP Music Futures Conference will function as a networking, collaboration, and innovation hub for the global music industry.
