This year, Dutch tech startup Volareo had introduced the world’s first ever blockchain smart speakers to resolve the problems related to the music streaming revenue model. The Rotterdam-based startup offered users to tip musicians just with a clap.
Well, now Volareo has launched on crowdfunding site Indiegogo. Starting from $99 for the early bird special, Volareo is the first independent smart speaker supporting open source to integrate with blockchain streaming platforms. Indiegogo is a crowdfunding platform that lets project creators post their ideas with a timeline and set a monetary goal. It has an inclusive community, which allows for many more possibilities for funding. It is also used to raise funds for causes.
Volareo aims to capture the blockchain music market first. It provides an easy platform for artists and users to interact and can be used to intelligently search for and discover music using voice, first in four languages: English, Dutch, Spanish, and French. Later, more languages will be added via OTA updates.
Pays musicians when you clap
The concept of Volareo was introduced at the SXSW (South by Southwest Music Festival) 2018 in Austin earlier this year. Ever since its launch, it has made its way to the tech headlines. Backed by Musicoin’s MUSIC, a new cryptocurrency and music streaming platform, this startup aims to reward musicians in a never seen before way.
This speaker from Volareo lets you listen to free music for a lifetime without any compromise on the musicians’ end. If you like a track you can engage with the artist by just clapping your hands or pressing a button. Doing so, you can leave additional tips. Fear not as it is completely voluntary to leave a tip. Whether you offer tips or not, it is possible to build a relationship with the artists. The app lets you search for songs by title, artist or lyrics and Volareo has joined hands with LyricFind to make this possible.
Each Volareo speaker is preloaded with 500 MUSIC to encourage the tipping process. Also, there is a double authorization system to let you verify the tips before sending them.
“Blockchain music has huge potential to drive much-needed revenue to artists, particularly independent ones, transparently, directly and instantly. The listener gets the chance to connect on a much closer level with the artist, by being able to tip artists or buy merchandise, for example, via voice commerce”, explains Nick Yap, Volareo founder.
Further, Volareo is continuously partnering with new platforms such as Emanate, Choon, Soundeon, Jazz de Ville and many more.
Volareo – All you need to know
Volareo is also building an open software platform which will bring diverse blockchain-related streaming, concert ticketing, and merchandising platforms together, so that users have the freedom to choose from a wider range of services, than just those controlled by big companies in the game. “Together with all users, we want to pave a new way forward to crowdsourced content creation. We want to build a platform that empowers people to connect”, Yap says.
Voice commerce is projected to be $45 billion in 2020*, yet is currently dominated by a handful of companies. The existence of an independent alternative has therefore become urgent, where all e-commerce and every developer is welcome, and where customers are not products, but their privacy is respected in a fair and open platform. “We have brought the best experts in every field together, to create a smart speaker for you and us, the people. Decentralized and direct: an open platform for crypto & blockchain partners, creators, voice commerce & developers. Our privacy and our voices should be ours”, Yap concludes.
First orders of Volareo speakers can be made via the Indiegogo page here, for a price of $99USD for Early Bird adopters. An early-access link to the order page will be open for one month, from August 15th till September 15th. Volareo is set to deliver in Q1 2019.
For those who are not aware, Volareo is a Rotterdam-based startup ran by consumer electronics entrepreneur and former Startup of the Year Founder (Netherlands) Nick Yap. Volareo’s open source smart speaker makes the benefits of blockchain accessible and cryptocurrency easy to use. Born out of a need for an alternative piece of high-quality hardware, it focuses on user privacy and creating direct and meaningful relationships between consumer and content creator.
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