Capitol Music Group (CMG), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), has launched the Capitol Innovation Center (CIC) to bring together leading thinkers from the music and technology industries, as well as the student community, to help drive the future of innovation in music. Based in the iconic Capitol Tower and the company’s state-of-the-art Studios in Hollywood, the CIC will provide space and conduct event programming designed to foster innovative ideas, bridge the gap between content creators and the tech community, and foster the next generation of leaders in music.
The CIC opens its doors on April 15 with a collaborative workspace and songwriting studio where students, technologists, and content creators will work together under one roof. At the recent SXSW Music Hackathon in Austin, TX, winning teams were chosen to spend a week in June at Capitol Tower, gaining access to the CIC’s workspace, studio, and team of mentors. Other initial participants in the CIC include UMG Accelerator Engagement Network and Abbey Road Red Incubator.
The CIC will host a series of events, including Speaker Workshops and Hackathons. CIC’s first Speaker Workshop: The Future She Built, a conversation on inclusion and change, will be held on April 18 in partnership with Select Management Group. Confirmed speakers include COO of CMG Michelle Jubelirer, Founder/Director of the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Stacy Smith, President of SAG-AFTRA Gabrielle Carteris, and President/COO of the L.A. Sparks Christine Simmons.
The first CIC Hackathon, set for June 2 and 3, will bring together software developers, acclaimed producers, songwriters, and influencers in a challenge to incubate new waves of music-related products, services, and content. For the duration of the Hackathon, participants will have access to the state-of-the-art Capitol Recording Studios, as well as a catalog of UMG audio streaming tracks delivered by partners 7digital (B2B digital music and radio services company) and Cloudinary (cloud-based media management for developers and brand managers).
Winning developer teams will be eligible for an 8-month innovation license to draw from this catalog, while winning content teams will have their finished pieces heard by representatives of Capitol’s A&R team.
The Hackathon will be held in collaboration with Travis Laurendine, the producer behind North America’s top music festival and conference hackathons including SXSW, Outside Lands, and Canadian Music Festival.
On June 9, CIC will host A Women’s Immersive Recording Arts Summit, an all-day series of keynote speakers and production workshops held in partnership with Women’s Audio Mission (WAM). Confirmed speakers for the event include COO of CMG Michelle Jubelirer, recording and mixing engineer Marcella Araica, VP/Studio Manager of Capitol Studios Paula Salvatore, Founder/ Executive Director of WAM Terri Winston, and music producer, songwriter and entrepreneur TRAKGIRL.
Of the upcoming CIC launch, CMG Chairman/CEO Steve Barnett said, “With its diverse offerings of original programming and communal workspace, we believe that the Capitol Innovation Center has the potential to further transform our Tower into a destination where brilliant minds can come together to share ideas, knowledge, and creativity across social and generational barriers, as well as pioneer breakthroughs that will drive the music industry into the future.”
