Seed round closed. 🚀
Grateful for the support of an incredible group of investors as we build the financial infrastructure of fandom.
Now we build. 🌕
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Nick Holmsten
895 posts
Nick Holmsten
@nickmanic
Music & Tech Visionary | CEO & Co-Founder Belong | Author of Fan-Powered Futures | Former Global Head of Music at Spotify | Speaker
New York, USA Katılım Temmuz 2008
349 Takip Edilen1.4K Takipçiler
Nick Holmsten retweetledi
It's time to build!
andrew chen@andrewchen
ok - dropping big dates/news for a16z speedrun: - starting TODAY, founders can apply for the 2026 program that runs July 27 to Oct 11 in SF here's the link: speedrun007.a16z.com/ac - we will be investing up to $1M and funding 70+ companies over the next few weeks - But there's also $5M in credits/tokens/etc from AWS/GCP/Open AI/Azure/NVIDIA/Deel/Stripe/etc. You'll also work with our amazing operating team (GTM, talent, brand, people, and more), and join our community of elite founders - we offer a Global Founders Program for international founders, to help with visas, banking support, relo recommendations - yes you can be solo (but better if you're further along, and have built a team). No you don't have to have an idea yet. Yes you have to know how to build (even if you're not technical) - Also, in other news: speedun is officially moving full-time to SF. (prev it alternated SF/LA) this is for all the obv reasons - we've continued to have an insane lineup of speakers, including the founders of Carta / DoorDash / Twilio / Figma / Zynga / Airtable / Twitch / and of course, lunch/dinners with Marc/Ben alongside a16z team - and much more - the deadline for applying is May 17!
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Sharing this from @speedrun — they just opened up Speedrun 07 today.
If anyone in your network is a strong fit, happy to make an intro to the team. They take referrals seriously and prioritize them.
andrew chen@andrewchen
ok - dropping big dates/news for a16z speedrun: - starting TODAY, founders can apply for the 2026 program that runs July 27 to Oct 11 in SF here's the link: speedrun007.a16z.com/ac - we will be investing up to $1M and funding 70+ companies over the next few weeks - But there's also $5M in credits/tokens/etc from AWS/GCP/Open AI/Azure/NVIDIA/Deel/Stripe/etc. You'll also work with our amazing operating team (GTM, talent, brand, people, and more), and join our community of elite founders - we offer a Global Founders Program for international founders, to help with visas, banking support, relo recommendations - yes you can be solo (but better if you're further along, and have built a team). No you don't have to have an idea yet. Yes you have to know how to build (even if you're not technical) - Also, in other news: speedun is officially moving full-time to SF. (prev it alternated SF/LA) this is for all the obv reasons - we've continued to have an insane lineup of speakers, including the founders of Carta / DoorDash / Twilio / Figma / Zynga / Airtable / Twitch / and of course, lunch/dinners with Marc/Ben alongside a16z team - and much more - the deadline for applying is May 17!
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Nick Holmsten retweetledi
Excited to kick off our next fundraising as we head into Demo Day in SF on April 14.
New website is live.
Belong is now in the App Store for selected beta users.
Building the financial infrastructure of fandom.
More soon.
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Today, we’re opening @sunapp_ai to the public.
We’ve been building this not so quietly during @a16z @speedrun.
Audio used to be something you search for.
Now, you generate it.
Podcasts. Audiobooks. Courses.
Any topic. Any length.
Ask questions as you listen.
And if you don’t know what to generate, SUN knows what to play.
This is a new era of audio.
Download it and experience the magic!
Link below 👇
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Excited to share that @belongrewards has raised $2.7M in Seed capital 🚀
Grateful to be backed by an incredible group of investors, including a16z Speedrun, Lakestar, Backwards Capital, and Prevail, alongside an outstanding group of angel operators and entrepreneurs.
Belong is building the world’s first FanTech company — with a bold mission:
To recognize fans for their passion, help artists truly own their audience, and turn culture into a new financial system.
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🚀 The Direct-to-Consumer Revolution Has Only Just Begun
The world is shifting to direct-to-consumer (D2C) — across every industry.
What started in retail and media is now reshaping the music industry.
For decades, businesses relied on layers of middlemen — distributors, retailers, broadcasters, labels, payment systems — to reach the end consumer. But technology has changed the rules.
Today, artists and brands can connect directly with fans. They can manage inventory, distribution, sales, and payments with just a few clicks. The result?
Closer relationships between creators and fans.
Lower prices for consumers.
Higher profits for artists and brands.
But this shift isn’t just about efficiency — it’s about belonging.
Humans are wired to be part of tribes and communities. When fans feel connected to a brand or artist, they don’t just buy — they believe, share, and engage.
That’s the foundation of the Engagement Economy — where fandom drives commerce, and both artists and fans win.
The next decade will be defined by this movement.
New technologies will accelerate it.
And those who embrace D2C will define the future.
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How Piracy, Playlists, and Pop Culture Hacked the Music Industry - Nick ... youtu.be/FGP6jFgTxlg?si… via @YouTube
YouTube
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Nick Holmsten retweetledi
.@nickmanic will take the stage at NFT.NYC 2025.
From artist and songwriter to Global Head of Music at @Spotify, Nick helped shape playlist culture and global music discovery. Now co-founder of @TSXent in @TimesSquareNYC, he’s redefining how the world experiences music, tech, and culture.
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Nick Holmstén launches Belong: Former Spotify exec’s new ‘challenger bank’ aims to reward music superfans - Music Business Worldwide musicbusinessworldwide.com/nick-holmsten-…
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Nick Holmsten retweetledi
The Entertainment Track at NFT.NYC 2025 is shaping up to showcase how NFTs are being used across sports, music, film and the performing arts.
View the speaker list 👉nft.nyc/speakers/enter…
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Had a great chat with @NeilCHughes about the Music Industry, Tech and the importance of fans. Hope you enjoy it.
open.spotify.com/episode/35ziDF…
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We’re living in the new Roaring 20s—a time of unprecedented innovation and disruption. The opportunities to build, challenge, and redefine industries have never been greater. Embrace the moment, take bold risks, and push boundaries. I know I will. Who’s with me? #Innovation #Disruption #Roaring20s
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🎧 Had an amazing time on the Music Explored Podcast with Dee and Anthony! We talked about the evolution of playlists, building authentic fan connections, and how tech like AI and blockchain can enhance—not replace—artistry. I also shared insights on my work with TSX Entertainment and the vision behind Fan-Powered Futures.
Check it out here: open.spotify.com/episode/3JKeYX…
#MusicExplored #FanEngagement #MusicInnovation
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“In today’s world, fans aren’t just your audience—they are your marketers, your voice, and your future.” #fanpoweredfutures
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A must read for artists and people in the music industry. Book is still Top3 📗 Music Business on Amazon. Kindle version on holiday sale for $0.99
Get your copy today: a.co/d/awfTPWt
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#1 Amazon Bestseller! Fan Powered Futures – Discover how fans are reshaping brand marketing and driving the biggest success stories in today’s world. Get inspired and transform your approach! Get your copy: bit.ly/3XN5EZo
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If you have Spotify Premium, the audiobook is included in your subscription in the following countries: USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. open.spotify.com/show/4aFRTjnHm…
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