Sound Hub Denmark has become the go-to place for talented start-ups in the sound domain 

More than 50% of the applicants for the fourth round of the SoundTech Accelerator Program have reached out directly. This is a steady increase in our organic reach, where 150 applied in total this year and 32 international start-ups were selected. Three cohorts have successfully completed the program at Sound Hub Denmark – and round 4 just kick-started.  

This is quite impressive for a program that started only one year ago in a partnership with Accelerace, one of the world’s top 10 seed accelerators. We seem to have gained a solid foothold in the world of sound and acoustics, a conclusion based on the positive feedback from previous participants. This time we selected start–ups from Australia, the US, Switzerland, Poland, Germany and Belgium. 

 Their product concepts range from action-packed storytelling for children, glasses with loudspeakers and voice response, to high-end analogue audio equalizers and signal processing. 

They have a common denominator; offering the customer and user an immersive sound experience. Their consumer-centric focus will be really interesting to work with

states, Rie Kold Pripsø, CCO at Sound Hub Denmark.

We adapt the program to the participants

The SoundTech Accelerator Program allows variety and is tailored to the specific needs, challenges and use case the given start–up needs to work with to scale its business. We customize the program based on our knowledge from other start–ups and tailor the support from the Sound Hub Denmark facilities, network, mentors and advice from the Accelerace coaches to the specific pain points of the individual start–up.  

A steep learning curve

Rie Pripsø explains: 

We set the scene and provide help to get the pace they are looking for. We listen to their needs, we find the right people to meet, and then take it from there. We have almost everything in the vicinity of Struer. During the first days in the program, we have matched some of them with relevant people from our partners, which include Aalborg University, Bang & Olufsen, Harman, GN Audio (Jabra) or others in the competence cluster of innovative companies that collaborate with Sound Hub Denmark.

The participants of round 4

Addicted to Music  (Poland)  is behind the brand Bettermaker. Bettermaker is a series of high-end audio analogue equalizers and signal processors with digital recall and plugin support. The analogue processor as EQ or Compressor is connected via USB to the DAW, where after you can open a plugin in your host that will recall and automate the analogue processor. 

Big Special Pty  (Australia)  has created an action-based audio app called Audioplay. Audioplay is an entirely new entertainment platform that offers an engaging screen-free alternative to kids’ play. Audioplay is designed for smartphones and offers multiplayer experiences. To play, kids put on their headphones, step into the story and become the characters, physically playing out the action. 

Custom Art  (Poland)  has developed FIBAE™. FIBAE™ stands for Flat Impedance Balanced Armature Earphone. FIBAE™ delivers flat impedance and phase via a series of specially designed balanced armatures to negate the problem of output impedance dependency. Each earpiece (left or right) can be customized in terms of shell, nozzle and faceplate. You can also put your artwork and text onto your creation. 

IDORU  (Germany)  offers a reliable, yet compact and straightforward multi-channel audio and midi backing track player that removes the need for live musicians to use a laptop. The self-contained backing track player lets you avoid cable spaghetti and takes the stress out of gigs, making the tour life worry-free. 

KubeSound  (United States)  wants you to hear music the way it was intended. That is why the start–up has created KUBE – a portable, wireless and high-quality speaker that delivers 360 degrees of incredible sound, even in large spaces. KUBE also includes built-in storage space, large enough for several bottles of wine or any gear you want to protect from sun, rain, sa nd, or snow. 

TYXIT  (Switzerland)  has developed a radio technology that enables 12 audio streams from different sources up to 30 meters apart. Moreover, they have created an audio codec with high quality and ultra-low latency. With this, they offer a portable all-in-one personal mixer, wireless transceiver, recorder and effects processor perfect for musicians looking for affordable, easy-to-use, wireless equipment. 

Vigo Technologies  (United States) has developed Vue – the world’s first pair of smart glasses that are designed for everyday use. Vue functions as regular glasses, meaning you will able to order the lenses you depend on, whether they are prescription, non-corrective (Plano), or sunglasses. The technology is integrated into the frame and offers features like making calls, listening to audio, activity tracking, voice assistants, touch control, and “find my glasses” with a phone. 

Loop  (Belgium)  has launched high fidelity earplugs designed to reduce volume without sacrificing sound clarity. By combining an acoustic channel and filter for natural sound, Loop lets wearers avoid hearing loss by protecting their ears while allowing them to enjoy clear music and speech. Loop earplugs have a unique shape that looks both elegant and awesome, and they come in five hot colours.