RoEx

Democratising music production

Dr David Ronan

RoEx is using AI to transform the way musicians of all skill levels produce and record new music.

The technology developed by RoEx is designed to widen access to tools which allow more people to achieve professional level sound recordings without the need for expensive studio equipment or complex plugins.

RoEx’s flagship product, Automix, lets musicians produce professional-level mixes in minutes. By removing barriers, this pioneering technology can democratise professional music creation, making it accessible and intuitive for all.

Automix built on insights and breakthroughs delivered by founder David Ronan in the course of completing his PhD in Electronic Engineering and Computer Science from Queen Mary University of London’s Centre for Digital Music (C4DM).

RoEx aims to level the playing field in audio production, striving to achieve for music what Instagram filters did for photography.

Why did you start your spinout?

We realised early on that RoEx has huge potential in the market, even during my PhD research conducted under Prof Josh Reiss, which underpins the technology. With the market opportunity, combined with Josh’s history of cofounding successful QMUL spin-outs, and my own industry experience and successful start-up exit to Apple, we felt now was the right time to spin-out the technology.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurial academics?

Entrepreneurship as an academic is challenging, more so than anticipated initially. I have found it valuable to remember the foundation of the business is a technology with immense potential – one we’ve already seen results from and that gives us a unique advantage. Also, the move from academia to entrepreneurship demands the rapid acquisition of new skills. Again, I have found it transformative to embrace this learning curve. Lastly, I’d like to add that QMUL are invaluable allies. Their support spans all aspects of business, and their vested interest in your success can be a game-changer. Lean on this backing and move forward with conviction.