MUMBAI: The Music Business Association (Music Biz) – in collaboration with partners and sponsors Colorado Innovation Network, Colorado Technology Association, FaderPro, The Underground Music Showcase, University of Colorado Denver, Vinyl Me, Please and WESTAF (IMTour) – will bring its popular Music Startup Academy travelling educational series to Denver for the first time on 8 October, 2015 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the University of Colorado Denver’s Tivoli Student Union.

The event will teach attendees all they need to know about establishing a legal and sustainable music industry startup, kicking off with a keynote presentation from Lloyd Starr of Beatport, who will discuss his experiences launching and growing the service before it was eventually acquired by SFX Entertainment. Attendees will then learn about publishing, label, and technical operations; bootstrapped brand building; business development; and what to do once your startup is launched. Those who attend will also receive a free vinyl record courtesy of Vinyl Me, Please.

The event will end with a Shark Tank session, in which local startups will be able to pitch their products to a panel of music industry experts, who will provide critiques meant to prepare them for a real-life scenario. Startups who wish to participate in the Shark Tank must fill out the form. They must also create a profile, if they have not done so already. The deadline for applications is 25 September, 2015, and those selected to pitch will be notified by 2 October, 2015.

“Denver’s music tech scene is converging in a way that is really interesting, and we think the timing is perfect for our Music Startup Academy to move the needle even further,” said Music Biz director of digital strategy and Community Robby Towns. “We know that the future of the music business lies in the hands of young entrepreneurs with big ideas, and these sessions will show them how to translate those ideas into full-fledged startups that can stand the test of time. We look forward to seeing what Denver’s best and brightest can do.”