Open call: Music Frontiers Summit opportunity in Berlin

The winner will be offered a fully-funded opportunity to present at the Music Frontiers Summit in Berlin, Germany this September.

The initiative seeks to identify and support emerging talent from the continent. The winner will be announced at the Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC), taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa from 22 to 23 May 2025.

The selected start-up will travel to Berlin to participate in Music Frontiers, a global summit that brings together industry leaders, innovators, and investors. Held on 4 and 5 September 2025, the summit focuses on future-facing topics including content tech, artificial intelligence, music rights technology, creative tools for creators, and entertainment data applications.

The call for applications is now open to African start-ups working in or adjacent to the music-tech sector. Whether in early development or already in market, applicants must be developing solutions that connect music and technology.

Application process:

• Secure a VIP or general admission ticket to ARMC here.
• Submit a motivation statement via the official application form.
• Five finalists will be selected for in-person interviews with the selection committee at ARMC.

Following these interviews, one final winner will be chosen and awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to Berlin to represent African innovation on the global stage at Music Frontiers 2025.

“We’re excited to deepen our connections with music technology pioneers across Africa, supporting cutting-edge ideas and intelligent solutions that will shape the global future of music,” MusicTech Germany founder and president Matthias Strobel said. “We can’t wait to welcome top talent from ARMC to Music Frontiers this September in Berlin.”

Paradise Worldwide CEO Ralph Boege said: “Since day one, we’ve worked toward building an independent African creator ecosystem with global connections. This initiative in collaboration with ARMC, MusicTech Germany, and Fraunhofer IDMT is a significant step forward, creativity plus knowledge equals power.”

Fraunhofer IDMT head of business development Steffen Holly said: “With our expertise, we aim to support as many ideas as possible from African music tech pioneers, enabling them to compete on equal footing in the global music economy.”