INVESTMENTS
Digital Daruma has reviewed over 500 investment proposals from digital music business start ups and music artists since 2009, and have made a number of investments in promising companies and artists to date. Our primary focus is in enabling musicians and their teams to thrive in the emerging digital music ecosystem. As such, we are generally looking for creative and innovative companies pursuing business opportunities that help musicians, artist managers, labels and other service providers navigate this new digital world. Our investment focus is on high impact emerging companies with strong management, technology and business plans, along with a passion for making great music and musicians all they can be.
Digital Daruma has also made select direct investments in artists, songs and production service companies where our investment enables the artist to create, promote and monetize their art leveraging the new media ecosystem.
Digital Daruma has also made select direct investments in artists, songs and production service companies where our investment enables the artist to create, promote and monetize their art leveraging the new media ecosystem.
Dot Blockchain Music, Inc. (“dotBC”) is a new US public benefit corporation that is developing a new technology architecture and applications to modernize digital music files, the digital music supply chain, rights ownership information, and payment processing. We are committed to developing an architecture that will support a minimum viable dataset for musical compositions and sound recordings, and which is populated, maintained and shared via a decentralized public database, leveraging blockchain technology. We are also committed to promoting the broad adoption of the dotBC platform by focusing on open source coding standards.
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PDX Media Partners is a different model of artist development and strategic investment based on brand equity can lead to higher returns for all involved. Positioning now for the inevitability of streaming and the other opportunities provided in the digital music ecosystem gives competitive advantages through non-traditional (non-stock/real estate) investments.
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Section 101 provides a revolutionary new approach to online branding, content management and marketing for musicians. The web-based self-serve platform puts the artist in control. The platform is specifically designed to be intuitive, easy-to-use and efficient. One, easy-to-use platform with: Content Management and Publishing; Marketing Tools; Commerce Enabled; Community Management; Reporting / Analytics.
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 [Exited]Music Xray puts musicians, song owners, producers, performers and songwriters directly in touch with mass exposure opportunities and with professionals who can help them improve, give advice and career coaching
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[Acquired]Freeform provides the new market standard for media distribution and is founded by digital music veterans Tim Quirk and Bryan Calhoun. Tim Quirk's describes his company as: “an application development platform that lets musicians and other digital media creators generate additional revenues by distributing their work much like free-to-play mobile games. By offering a ‘compelling enough’ version of their content for free, artists amass the largest possible audience for their work; Freeform’s platform then makes it fun and easy for consumers to unlock more and better content.”
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[Acquired]Audiam gets music copyrights holders paid for digital uses of their music that are underrepresented by traditional collection agents and rights organizations. Audiam licenses the rights to the digital music services then collects and administers back the revenue generated from the use of the music. Audiam’s clients are the music copyright holders including publishers, songwriters and labels. Audiam has initially focused on YouTube, Spotify, Google Play, Rhapsody, Beats, Amazon Prime and other digital music services, where clients are legally owed a separate royalty for the composition.
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The Company
Digital Daruma was established in 2010 to invest and advise in music artists, companies and organizations. The Company’s mission is to make the new music economy friendlier for the artist community by focusing on overlapping objectives:
The Company invests in select artists and copyright through its fund management company, PDX Media Partners. The Company also selectively seeks opportunities to invest in digital music startups as a private investor. Lastly, the Company advises companies, academic programs and foundations.
- direct investment in select artists, artist projects and music copyrights.
- founding companies that focus on current and future opportunities to enhance the artists’ work in the digital media world.
- invest in and advise select digital music related start ups with the potential for long-term relevance and success.
- support select charitable programs that promote music education and music artists.
The Company invests in select artists and copyright through its fund management company, PDX Media Partners. The Company also selectively seeks opportunities to invest in digital music startups as a private investor. Lastly, the Company advises companies, academic programs and foundations.
Daruma: 達磨
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The Daruma (達磨) is a hollow, round, Japanese doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. The Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement. Traditionally one eye is filled in when you establish a goal, and the other is filled in when you have achieved that goal. It is a perfect representation of the company's goals, philosophy and the mission of the digital music business overall during this transformation.
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Ken Umezaki President
Ken is an independent investor and business advisor for music startups and artists, through his company Digital Daruma, with a specific focus on artist facing music and media service companies. Digital Daruma has invested in numerous promising music startups over the decade. Digital Daruma has also made select direct investments in music artists and songs. He is the co-founder of Dot Blockchain Media, a company that has introduced a new music file technology architecture to modernize copyright management and the music supply chain fit for the digital music age. Ken currently is the Chief Business Officer of dotBC. Ken has also started PDX Media Partners, an investment management and marketing company focused on providing capital and insight for music creators in the new music economy. His past experience includes 25 years in financial services trading, asset management and senior management positions. He is also an experienced musician, and currently plays bass in the band Fifth of Bourbon. Lastly, he is involved in a number of music foundations and academic organizations, including serving on the board of Little Kids Rock, as well as advisory board position for programs at New York University and Berklee College of Music. |