Grass Roots Music Venue Innovation call companies announced
Meet the Grass Roots Music Venue Innovation call companies
CoSTAR National Lab & MusicFutures select four companies and projects supporting technology innovation for Grass Roots Music Venues
CoSTAR National Lab & MusicFutures have announced the selection of four pioneering R&D projects as part of their Grassroots Music Venue Innovation Competition which was launched earlier this year. That call invited UK-based creative and technology companies to explore new ways to connect artists, music venues and audiences in pursuit of a more equitable future for the UK’s live music sector.
The four selected projects will receive a comprehensive support package including access to the CoSTAR National Lab’s and MusicFutures’s cutting-edge technical facilities, research expertise, collaborative networks and cash support to enable live experiences and to cover associated costs for venues and artists. Projects will start studio-based R&D imminently and will progress to live performances in venues across Bristol, Liverpool and London in 2026.
The projects span a wide range of innovation areas, from virtual performance, spatial audio and multi-sensory perception all aimed at advancing the UK’s position at the forefront of creative technology research and supporting some potential solutions to real-world problems across the live music sector.
Professor Will Saunders MBE, Creative Head of the CoSTAR National Lab said:
“We hope that by creating these partnerships between researchers, cutting edge companies, musicians and venue owners and operators we can unlock some exciting new possibilities and make a contribution in supporting one of the UK’s most important cultural assets.”
Prof Richard Koeck, Principle Investigator and Director of MusicFutures, University of Liverpool said:
“It’s genuinely exciting to see what our region’s exceptional talent in creative and musical technology can achieve when given the chance to innovate. MusicFutures and this programme isn’t just about supporting the sector – it’s about transforming how we experience music, reimagining grassroots venues, and setting a bold example for forward-thinking change across the UK.”
Meet the companies taking part
Megaverse is an immersive studio specialising in real-time, interactive performance across film, theatre, gaming and live events. They are currently in the process of building a prototype and securing investment for MegaStage, a performance platform that brings the power of real time, spatial and virtual production technologies to new live experiences and formats. Their CoSTAR project looks at a portable performance system for venues that lets in-room and remote audiences influence what happens, amplifying the feedback loop between artists and audiences.
MASS is an immersive, collaborative art space that empowers creative visual and musical expression through interactive instruments and tools. It exists to counter disconnection by using technology as a catalyst for authentic interaction, dissolving boundaries and fostering collective creativity.
Founded by Pod Bluman and Barney Kass, MASS combines Pod’s production leadership at Bluman Associates, including Dave’s viral BRITs 2020 piano performance, with Barney’s creative direction and music producing with interactive performance, spanning platinum selling records and work shown at Glastonbury and Tate. Together they bring strengths in large scale showcraft, participatory tools, and audience centred design.
MASS addresses the connection paradox of modern life by creating spaces where people feel seen and heard, and by inviting co creation that turns audiences into collaborators.
Sonalux Ltd are designers and manufacturers of cutting-edge electronics that enhance the creativity of musicians, sound artists, performers, galleries, museums, concert rooms and AV technicians. Founded as a startup company in 2019, they focus on innovative projects with AI and digital tools to enhance music performance and production. Their MusicFutures project will make immersive sound possible within smaller venues not yet configured for Spatial Audio.
Studio Tonto Ltd is a creative technology studio formed by co-founders of the Liverpool-based venue Invisible Wind Factory (IWF). Their work includes designing and developing interactive installations that bridge experiential technology innovation with interaction and play. Their CoSTAR project seeks to design and prototype a distributed live event format that enables grassroots venues to be linked and work collaboratively together on shared experiences in real time.
Keep an eye on socials for what the companies get up to over the next few months.