
LiveOne
Social media company focused on enhancing the way live-streamed content is consumed.
Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
---|---|---|---|
N/A | $250k | Early VC | |
Total Funding | 000k |
LiveOne, Inc. operates as a global digital media company, positioning itself as a creator-first platform for music and entertainment content. Founded in 2015 by Chairman and CEO Robert Ellin, the company was initially known as LiveXLive before rebranding to LiveOne in 2020 to reflect its expanded scope. Ellin, a serial entrepreneur with a background in finance and a history of investing in digital technology and media, developed the concept for the company, secured initial capital, and took it public on the NASDAQ in December 2017.
The company's business model is diversified, generating revenue through multiple streams including subscriptions, advertising, pay-per-view (PPV) events, merchandise sales, and content licensing. It serves a broad audience of music enthusiasts, podcast listeners, and digital consumers through a freemium model. This includes a free, ad-supported tier and premium subscription plans that offer ad-free listening, unlimited skips, and offline access. A significant component of its B2B strategy includes a long-standing partnership with Tesla, where most new vehicles sold in the U.S. come with a paid membership to LiveOne's Slacker Radio service.
LiveOne's core offerings are delivered through its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The platform provides livestreams of concerts and festivals, an extensive library of on-demand music, expertly curated radio stations via Slacker Radio, and a vast collection of podcasts through PodcastOne. Over the years, LiveOne has grown through strategic acquisitions, including Slacker Radio in 2017, the podcasting network PodcastOne in 2020, and merch company Custom Personalization Solutions, among others. This has allowed the company to build a comprehensive ecosystem that includes live and on-demand audio and video, podcasting, vodcasting, ticketing, and merchandise.
The platform's content library is extensive, featuring over 30 million songs, hundreds of curated stations, and a large portfolio of podcasts that generate billions of downloads annually. LiveOne also produces original content, including artist interviews and video series, and offers exclusive pay-per-view events. By establishing partnerships with major music festivals like Rock In Rio and Rolling Loud and artists such as Pitbull, the company continuously expands its live event and content offerings. This strategy aims to create a strong connection between artists, brands, and a global fanbase.
Keywords: music streaming, live entertainment, podcasting, digital media, on-demand audio, live concerts, pay-per-view events, Slacker Radio, PodcastOne, Robert Ellin, artist-first platform, content licensing, subscription service, advertising revenue, streaming media, live events, audio streaming, video streaming, digital entertainment, creator platform, music festivals, vodcasting, entertainment technology, custom merchandise, content partnerships