UK-based music technology designer Roli has secured $12.8m in series A funding from investors including music media company Universal Music.
Roli produces hardware and software products based around the Seaboard Grand, a rubberised reinvention of the piano keyboard that enables continuous touch while playing.
Universal and Balderton Capital, an investor in LoveFilm and Kobalt Music Group, were joined in the round by FirstMark Capital and Index Ventures.
The funding will be used to scale production and expand Roli’s leadership and product engineering teams. Daniel Waterhouse from Balderton and Amish Jani from FirstMark will join the board of directors.
Roli founder and CEO Roland Lamb said: “This capital will enable us to scale production capacity to meet growing demand, build our team, and accelerate our product roadmap.
“Our partners bring a depth of expertise that will be invaluable as we disrupt the music industry and expand our marketplace and presence especially into the US.”