MusicFutures Music Entrepreneur Fund

MusicFutures is launching the Music Entrepreneur Fund to support and elevate bold, future-facing ideas for new products, services, processes and experiences in the music sector.

This fund is designed to help music innovators in the Liverpool City Region (LCR), especially those historically excluded on the grounds of gender, race and socio-economic status.

Successful applicants can receive:
– Up to £5,000 in direct financial support, and additional business support.

The fund will help you develop, prototype, test, or launch an idea for scalable products, services, processes or experiences.

Who Can Apply

This fund is aimed at:
– Sole traders, freelancers, and micro-businesses (fewer than 5 employees) working on new products, services, processes and experiences for the music industry.

Applicants must:
– Be based in the Liverpool City Region.
– Be working in music, music technology, music culture or content/product/service innovation in music.
– Have a project that can be delivered by April 2027.

Not eligible:
– Public bodies, charities, universities, schools, or large companies (although they may collaborate with an eligible individual or micro-business).

Lead Applicant Requirements

Lead applicants can be:
– An individual creative, artist, band, entrepreneur, collective, community organisation or CiC, sole trader OR a micro-business (under 5 employees).
– Must be based in or significantly benefiting the Liverpool City Region.
– Within Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) limits (see Appendix 1).
– Applicants may lead only one project, but can collaborate on other projects.

What We Can Fund
We support entrepreneurial projects across the full spectrum of music from production to live, distribution to publishing which contribute to furthering the aim of a more innovative, inclusive and sustainable innovative music sector.

Examples include (but are not limited to):

Creative and Artistic Innovation
– Developing audio and/or audio visual innovations.
– Experimenting with new ways of working: innovative production, composition and performances methods, new formats and approaches to production.
– Creating prototypes or pilots for new music products, services and experiences.

Entrepreneurial and Business Ideas
– Building or testing an early-stage concept for a music business.
– New approaches to audience-building, direct to fan or community engagement.
– Projects that support new revenue or business models for artists.
– Small-scale ventures that support the wider music ecosystem.

Technology & Innovation
– Inclusive approaches to music technology.
– Early prototypes of tools, plugins, or interactive products or experiences.
– Development of technology-assisted creative tools, workflows and approaches
– Apps, creative tech concepts, or digital artist services.
– Convergent opportunities across gaming, film, TV and immersive experiences.

Live, Studio & Experience Innovation
– New performance formats, interactive shows, or hybrid experiences.
– Small-scale immersive or experiential pilots.
– Accessibility-focused innovation for audiences or creators.

Community, Wellbeing, Environmental & Social Impact
– Innovative approaches for improving access, inclusion, or participation in music
– Innovation projects supporting and benefitting under-represented groups
– Innovation in environmental sustainability for the music sector
– Innovations that improve health and wellbeing with music

If it helps advance the music industry through creativity, entrepreneurship, experimentation, or innovation in the Liverpool City Region, it is in scope.

What We Can’t Fund

– Business-as-usual delivery with no clear R&D/innovation or enterprise element (e.g., standard recording, rehearsals, gigs, releases, live production, touring).
– Marketing and promotion as the primary activity (PR, ads, social media campaigns, playlist/radio plugging).
–  Travel/touring costs where travel is the main purpose of the spend. However, you are allowed travel as part of the demonstration of your R&D/Innovation activity.
– Equipment purchases (kit) as the main purpose of the budget (instruments, computers, studio hardware). Note Equipment/Capital Expenditure is capped at 20% of total project costs.
– Core operational costs/overheads not directly tied to the R&D activity (rent, utilities, routine admin, staff costs not directly tied to the R&D activity).
– Retrospective costs or work that has already been completed before the project start date.
– Music Education/Support/Skills/Community programmes, however we are encouraging applications that are education centred i.e. leading to new products and services

– 20th April 2026 – Call Opens

– 7th May 2026, 1pm – Funding Call Q&A Webinar

– 1st June 2026 – Deadline

– June/July 2026 – Assessment Period

– September 2026 – Decisions announced

– October 1st – 31st March 2027 – Project delivery window

Project Criteria

Projects must be:
– Fully defined and ready to deliver.
– Achievable within the funding limit and timeframe (by 31st March 2027).

Projects should also:
– Align with MusicFutures’ goals of innovation, experimentation, creativity, inclusion, sustainability and ecosystem growth.
– Demonstrate potential for entrepreneurial, industry and community impact.
– Show how the funding helps you progress your project/business/idea to the next level.

Collaboration
Collaboration is welcome, and you can work with others, but not required.

IP Arrangements
Applicants will own all new IP created through their project. MusicFutures will retain the right to use your project for monitoring, publicity/marketing, teaching and research purposes.

Monitoring
Applicants must participate in regular meetings, monitoring and reporting, aligned with UKRI guidelines. Keeping financial and project records for a retention period of up to 6 years.

All applicants must submit their proposal through the MusicFutures online application form, downloadable on the right hand side.

Applications sent in any other format will not be accepted or assessed.

Applicants submit:
– An online application form
– Optional supporting materials: demos, sketches/images, video, pitch decks

Application Submission Portal

Information sessions and applicant briefings will be published on MusicFutures social channels.

Assessment Process
– Eligibility check
– Review by MusicFutures assessors and partners
– Follow up clarification (if needed)
– Funding award

Important: Applications that are incomplete or do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be assessed.

Support for Applicants
We are committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) across all MusicFutures programmes.

Reasonable adjustments may include:
– Alternative submission formats.
– Video or audio applications.
– Access support during briefings and workshops.

Individual adjustments will be provided wherever possible.

Links to all resources and the submission portal can be found on the MusicFutures website under the Key Information Tab.