Create Music Group, a rapidly growing music and entertainment company, announced today a $165 million investment led by private equity investment firm Flexpoint Ford. Flexpoint seeks to partner with companies that provide differentiated financial solutions and services to growing industries and has significant experience in the music space.
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The firm’s investment is expected to support Create’s continued momentum and its efforts to further improve and augment the services it offers to its global client-base.Music industry veteran Charles Goldstuck also joined the funding round. The Raine Group acted as financial advisors to Create and Willkie Farr & Gallagher acted as legal counsel in connection with the transaction. Reed Smith acted as legal counsel to Flexpoint in connection with the transaction.
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Founded in 2015 by Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Strauss, Chief Operating Officer, Alexandre Williams and Chief Business Development Officer, Wayne Hampton, Create Music Group is a dynamic, data-driven music company that leverages technology, an owned audience of more than 400 million fans, and a valuable catalog of IP, providing a full range of services to independent artists and labels, including music distribution, music publishing, owned marketing channels, content creation support, advertising and branding, and tailored financial solutions.
Create’s proprietary software platform and full suite of professional services gives a rapidly expanding number of independent artists and labels access to major-label services at every stage of their growth. Create’s rapid growth has largely been self-funded until now and this is the first major investment the company has taken on.
“Our partnership with Flexpoint marks a significant milestone for our company and their expertise will be instrumental as we continue to scale our operations and find new ways to serve our client’s evolving needs,” commented Jonathan Strauss, CEO of Create Music Group. “Flexpoint’s investment will also support our ambitious acquisition strategy which will allow us to expand our market presence and create the scale to continue to provide unparalleled services to our clients and partners.”
“We believe Jonathan and his team have set a new standard for the industry, challenging traditional music companies to rethink their strategies,” said Mike Morris, Managing Director at Flexpoint Ford. “By acting as a media company that offers comprehensive support to artists, including distribution, marketing, financial solutions and audience engagement, Create Music Group has created a blueprint for the future of music.” Stephane Essama, Principal at Flexpoint Ford added, “We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the founders of Create and provide them with the capital that is needed to meet the enormous demand from their clients as the company continues to build a truly differentiated offering for artists and labels in the rapidly evolving music industry.”
About Create Music Group
Create Music Group is a leading music and entertainment company. The company operates as a record label, distribution company, and entertainment network which generates over 15 billion music streams each month on DSP’s. Named #2 on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growth Companies in America in 2020, the company has grown exponentially by leveraging its owned IP with its media and technology platform.
The company works with superstar artists, major and independent record labels, and global media brands. It operates a number of companies including Label Engine, one of the largest independent music distribution platforms in the world, with over 75,000 artists and 5,000 label clients; and Flighthouse, a digital entertainment brand focused on Gen Z, which has more than 300 million followers across social media. Create Music Group is based in Hollywood, CA and has 350 employees worldwide.
