Fortnite maker Epic Games and Warner Music join $7m funding round for music licensing platform Lickd

Paul Sampson, Lickd

UK-born Lickd, a service for video creators to access claims-free commercial music, has secured £5.1m (approximately $7m) in new funding.

Led by the Nick Mason Group, the round also includes strategic investment from both Warner Music Group (WMG) and Epic Games, creator of Fortnite.

Lickd’s deal with WMG specifically will see it make its full catalog of millions of songs available to content creators, further expanding Lickd’s library of tracks.

The news of the investment comes 12 months after Lickd entered into a partnership with Warner Music Group (WMG) to enable millions of tracks to be made legally available to YouTubers.

In addition to its agreement with WMG, over the last 18 months Lickd has also signed a partnership with Universal Music Group and with EMPIRE.

Lickd says this new funding will allow the company to build its technology offering, its international footprint and its customer base.

“We are thrilled to have closed this round at what is a pivotal time for Lickd.”

Paul Sampson, Lickd

Paul Sampson, CEO of Lickd said: “We are thrilled to have closed this round at what is a pivotal time for Lickd.

“As the content creator space continues to expand, there is a huge opportunity for all types of business to invest in new areas and to work hand-in-hand with companies such as ours to positively transform the music industry.

“The ongoing support of the Nick Mason Group, combined with Epic and Warner coming on board, delivers a win-win for all – for Lickd as we continue to expand, for the creators who want commercial music to better monetize their content, for the artists who want to be paid fairly for their work and for the broader ecosystem as we create new ways to grow.”

“We invest in companies that combine transformational technology with strong industry knowledge, which Lickd has proven it has from the outset.”

Nick Mason

Nick Mason added: “We invest in companies that combine transformational technology with strong industry knowledge, which Lickd has proven it has from the outset.

“Having these strategic partnerships in place from leading brands in the entertainment space is testament to both Lickd’s proposition and to its clout in the music and creator space. We are excited to be able to continue to support Paul and team and to remain a part of the company’s future”.Music Business Worldwide