Today IRIS, whose team is revolutionising the way we experience sound, has announced raising €2.7 million to grow its audio tech, which has grabbed the attention of both the wellbeing and audio industries.
Founded by Jacobi Anstruther in 2018, IRIS’s unique technology promotes ‘Active Listening’, a listening experience that simultaneously activates your brain. How does it do this? Firstly through its unique ability to dramatically improve audio quality (even for low quality formats such as MP3) by unlocking the ‘live’ dimension that is lost in digital recordings. This brings back ‘high definition’ to all recorded audio.
Secondly, IRIS enables a unique ‘neurological activation’ for users, whilst they listen to their favourite music, podcast or meditation soundscape. What does this mean? A proprietary algorithm splits out and increases the phase information sent to the brain, requesting the brain to reassemble this vast increase in information and become far more active in the listening process.
So far, the technology has been hailed by publications like the Financial Times, as well as Forbes, who comment that even with regular headphones, the resulting sound feels more ‘present’. This year, IRIS was even brought on as a technical partner for Red Bull.
IRIS plans to use the €2.7 million to further develop its technology and conduct scientific research on the effects of Active Listening on the brain. In addition, IRIS has pivoted to launch exclusive playlists and wellness soundscapes to its audience for free. Furthermore, the team is increasing the track limit on the free iOS app and fast tracking the release of their Android app, mindful that people across the world are potentially facing weeks of isolation in their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
IRIS’s investors include high-profile players from the worlds of music and technology. The first round of investment was raised from names including Mansour Ojjeh, President and CEO of TAG Group, Roger Taylor, the drummer from legendary band Queen, and the world’s largest truly independent music and theatrical rights company, Concord. “We were immediately inspired by the significance of what Jacobi and the IRIS team have accomplished,” said Jim Selby, COO of Concord. “Our diverse catalogue of recordings, new and old, from classical to metal, will be given a new life because of this technology”.
IRIS Founder & CEO, Jacobi Anstruther said: “This new wave of funding for IRIS illustrates that the appetite to support British business and innovative startups is still present despite the current climate.”
via https://www.AiUpNow.com/ by contact@bcurdy.com, Khareem Sudlow
