unhurd

Unhurd founder and CEO Alex Brees. Photo Credit: Unhurd

AI-powered music promotion platform Unhurd has acquired IndieKnow, a release-focused education and marketing app.

London-headquartered Unhurd (stylized as “un:hurd”) officially revealed its buyout of Bangkok-based IndieKnow today. Founded in 2021 by Music Concierge higher-up Andy Haggerstone, IndieKnow is billed specifically as a service for “helping musicians get from zero to one when releasing music.”

According to the appropriate website, the app features a checklist-equipped “release planner” designed to help artists cover all promotional bases before their works debut. IndieKnow, which costs £7 monthly and £60 annually, also includes access to “a press release writing wizard,” “a database of over 1,000 PR & radio contacts,” and other tools.

Now, Unhurd says it intends to integrate the newly acquired company’s “educational resources and step-by-step learning guides” – thereby taking another step towards bridging “the all-important knowledge gap for artists in getting release ready.”

Though the purchaser opted against disclosing the buyout’s precise financials – each side is “very happy” with the terms, per Unhurd – it did note that the deal extends to seemingly all IndieKnow’s holdings but not personnel.

Existing subscribers will be onboarded to Willard Ahdritz-backed Unhurd, which expects to complete the addition of IndieKnow’s assets early next year.

Unhurd founder and CEO Alex Brees, currently en route to Riyadh to pitch prospective investors, in a statement described the deal as “a natural alignment” and a means of enhancing value for his business’s own subscribers.

“IndieKnow is a cornerstone of knowledge and empowerment for artists,” the former Universal Music exec Brees continued in part, “and un:hurd has always been about helping artists cut through the noise more effectively.

“…When I saw what IndieKnow had built,” the Unhurd head concluded, “I knew this solution would not only solve this specific challenge for artists, but also saw how beautifully the solution would fit into our new workflows which are launching early 2025. This is very exciting for artists on the un:hurd platform!”

Unhurd’s newest expansion initiative follows a seven-figure seed round in Q1 2023 – and, closer to the present, multimillion-dollar raises for several music promotion startups.

This past February, SongTools scored $3 million in funding before rolling out its SongFly “one-click advertising tool” in April. Also in February, Groover finalized an $8 million Series A and eyed a global expansion as well as the launch of fresh features.