ADE 2023
In October, The Circuit Group Founders Dean and Jessica Wilson headed to the Netherlands where they were invited to speak at the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE).
ADE has become one of the most important international electronic music events, not only as a festival but as a conference for professionals working in electronic music. Dean and Jess were honored to be invited to speak: Dean at a keynote titled A New Kind of Independence, and Jess as a speaker on a panel titled VC Money and The Gender Gap: Why do Female-led Start-Ups Get Left Out?
During his keynote, Dean discussed changes in the music industry in the last 20 years, the new technologies coming available, and the story of the formation of seven20. This was the perfect platform for Dean to introduce The Circuit Group family on an international stage. He spoke about our ‘artist first’ ethos and the ways we can use technology to protect intellectual property rights. The turnout was amazing; seeing the queues lining up around the block was a sure sign that what we’re doing is really resonating with people.
Dean took the opportunity to present demos on products from The Circuit Group partners, AMPD, DROP and Pixelynx. AMPD, our exciting new community platform for artists to seamlessly connect with their fans through exclusive content and merch. DROP, our new venture that allows artists to release exclusive digital collectibles and monetize their IP. Pixelynx’s latest product, KORUS, an AI music platform that allows users to make music and create collectible assets on a fun interactive interface. All of these products are part of our mission to give fans the best and most exciting musical experiences. Judging from the feedback we received and the atmosphere in the room, people are clearly as excited as we are about these new concepts.
Jess’s panel was a discussion on the importance of mentorship and support networks for female founders. Jess was joined by Claire Wright (Founder of BUDDY) and Lorrain de Silva (Best Nights VC) to share their views and talk through practical solutions for supporting female entrepreneurs. Foregrounding equity in the music industry is a core value of The Circuit Group and productive and insightful conversations like these are important to drive further discussion and bring attention to these issues.
Dean’s keynote was followed by The Circuit Group mixer at the Felix Meritis Concert Hall. Dean and Jess were joined by their fellow Circuit Group founders, David Gray and Harvey Tadman (Brett Fischer was busy at our LA Boulevard Lockdown), and the Founders of our partner company DROP, Jimi Frew, Sean Gardner and Trent Shaw. The Circuit Group signee Camden Cox kept everyone entertained throughout the evening and it was a fantastic opportunity to meet so many people who are engaged with our vision for building a more equitable, fan-connected and transparent eco-system for artists.
For Seven20 and The Circuit Group to be given the stage at ADE was a milestone for our companies and we’d like to thank the festival organizers for their invitation. No event offers the platform to network with incredible people in music and tech from all around the world quite like ADE. The turnout for all our events meant a lot and it was incredibly fulfilling to see that our enthusiasm for our vision was shared by so many. We could really feel the love in every room.
To everyone who showed up to learn, share, and dance with us, we appreciate you all.
See you next year.
