Berlin’s SIRIUS Secures $4 Million for Online Music School Initiative

Berlin-based music school startup SIRIUS has successfully secured $4 million in seed funding, a significant milestone that underscores its commitment to revolutionizing music education. Founded in 2020, SIRIUS addresses critical challenges within the music teaching sector, particularly the job insecurity faced by the vast majority—91%—of self-employed music teachers. In addition, the platform seeks to alleviate the long wait times students often encounter in urban areas when seeking lessons.

Traditional online music instruction has been hampered by poor sound quality, as conventional video conferencing tools tend to misinterpret musical tones, often classifying them as background noise. SIRIUS aims to change this by providing a cutting-edge solution that ensures high-fidelity sound during lessons, thereby enhancing the learning experience for both students and teachers.

The platform is designed to connect students of all ages and skill levels with qualified music instructors for personalized one-on-one online lessons, covering instruments such as piano, guitar, and voice. By matching students with suitable teachers and offering a suite of features—including scheduling tools, a virtual piano, sheet music access, and a metronome—SIRIUS aims to create a seamless learning environment.

Co-founded by data scientist and passionate pianist Sebastian Riegelbauer, SIRIUS was initially developed in collaboration with the Karajan Academy, the esteemed talent school of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In early 2022, cellist Charlotte von Dryander joined the team as co-founder and co-Managing Director. She is responsible for the company’s commercial operations and has forged partnerships with industry giants like Yamaha and Thomann, further establishing SIRIUS as a significant player in the digital music education landscape.

Riegelbauer highlighted the urgent need for digital transformation in music education, noting, "COVID has shown how urgently music teaching needs to be digitised. SIRIUS aims to offer students and teachers an alternative to traditional analogue teaching and make music education accessible worldwide." He expressed enthusiasm over the support from investors who share this vision.

The funding round was led by Market One Capital and included participation from a range of distinguished investors, such as Severin Zugmayer, Angel Invest, Lopo Champalimaud, Nicole Büttner, and Marius Luther and Marius Jeuck. Their backing reinforces the potential impact of SIRIUS in the music education sector.

The capital raised will be strategically allocated to fuel growth, enhance product development, and expand SIRIUS's engineering and marketing teams. The startup has ambitious plans to integrate artificial intelligence into its platform, aiming to reduce the administrative burden on music teachers. This AI integration will enable educators to craft tailored lesson plans, analyze student progress, and provide interactive feedback during practice sessions. By automating these tasks, SIRIUS empowers teachers to focus on what truly matters—the essential human interaction that fosters meaningful learning experiences.

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, SIRIUS stands out by not only enhancing the quality of online music education but also fostering a more supportive environment for both educators and students. As the startup continues to develop its innovative platform, it holds the potential to redefine how music is taught and learned in the digital age, ultimately making high-quality music education accessible to a broader audience.