GRAI Raises $9M to Build Social AI Music Apps with Artist Control
GRAI, an AI-driven music startup, has successfully secured $9 million in seed funding, co-led by Khosla Ventures and Inovo VC, aimed at developing social music interaction applications through remixing. Established by Belarusian entrepreneurs who previously sold VOCHI to Pinterest, GRAI is working on Music with Friends for iOS and an Android AI music platform tailored for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. CEO Ilya Liasun highlights the importance of a "creator-first" philosophy in music. The company’s framework grants artists and labels control via an opt-in mechanism for legal remixing. Co-founders include CTO Dima Kamarouski and President Andrei Avsievich, with backing from investors such as Tensor Ventures and a16z Scout Fund. GRAI is currently negotiating with labels ahead of its app launch.
Key facts
- GRAI raised $9 million in seed funding co-led by Khosla Ventures and Inovo vc
- The company focuses on social AI music apps for remixing and style changes, not generative music creation
- Founders are Belarusian entrepreneurs who sold VOCHI to Pinterest
- CEO Ilya Liasun is based in Poland with much of the team
- Apps include Music with Friends for iOS and an AI music playground for Android
- Target users are Gen Z and Gen Alpha who discover music through friends and short-form content like TikTok
- GRAI is building a derivatives pipeline and real-time audio systems to preserve original track identity
- The company is talking to labels first to implement an opt-in system for artists
Entities
Artists
- Ilya Liasun
- Dima Kamarouski
- Andrei Avsievich
- Andrew Zhai
- Greg Tkachenko
- Rob Reid
- Dima Shvets
Institutions
- GRAI
- Suno
- Udio
- Khosla Ventures
- Inovo vc
- Tensor Ventures
- Tiny.VC
- Flyer One Ventures
- a16z Scout Fund
- Genova Labs
- Unreal Labs
- Rhapsody
- MirAI
- Reface
- TikTok
- YouTube
Locations
- Belarus
- Poland