> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.hypebot.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Investing In Individuals: Future Royalties And Future Prospects - URL: https://www.hypebot.com/investing-in-individuals-future-royalties-and-future-prospects/ - Published: 2013-05-15T10:34:35.000Z - Updated: 2013-05-15T10:34:35.000Z - Description: Financial news items periodically remind us that there are a variety of ways to raise funding from any asset or class of investors. David Bowie sold bonds backed by revenue. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2013/05/investing-in-individuals-future-royalties-and-future-prospects.html] - Author: Guest Author - Tags: Music Business, Music Tech, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:43 [![Royalty-exchange](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201910228bece970c-150wi "Royalty-exchange")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201910228bece970c-popup?ref=hypebot.com) Financial news items periodically remind us that there are a variety of ways to raise funding from any asset or class of investors. David Bowie sold bonds backed by revenue from Bowie's recordings in the late 90s, now crowds fund a wide range of music projects for artists without previous access to such funding. A trend towards funding individuals is also emerging though with a focus on such assets as royalties or projects such as new ventures. **I remember being startled at the news of [Bowie Bonds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity%5Fbond?ref=hypebot.com) in 1997.** Since then I've realized that anything can be turned into a security but it was a trailblazing maneuver. The outcome was not as good as hoped for investors but music investments seem like an inherently unstable commodity. **Ben Sisario [at The New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/22/business/royalty-exchange-lets-musicians-sell-royalty-income-to-investors.html?%5Fr=0&ref=hypebot.com) recently wrote about songwriter Preston Glass's use of [The Royalty Exchange](http://www.theroyaltyexchange.com/?ref=hypebot.com) to auction partial royalty income.** It's an interesting look at a financial service for musicians, one that focuses on an actual asset, however volatile. A new service called [Upstart](https://www.upstart.com/?ref=hypebot.com) is designed to connect investors with students and young entrepreneurs in exchange for a limited percentage of their income over a specific period of time. **A number of those seeking funding, some of whom have achieved funding, are focused on music:** [Trevor Collins](https://www.upstart.com/upstarts/trevor-collins?ref=hypebot.com) "Virginia Tech graduate seeking to build his online music \[education\] platform" Cloud Conservatory. [Richard Washington](https://www.upstart.com/upstarts/richard-washington?ref=hypebot.com) "USC Marshall School of Business graduate seeking funds to develop and extend his social mobile application for music." [Kara Drake](https://www.upstart.com/upstarts/kara-dake?ref=hypebot.com) "NYU MBA leaving corporate track to launch Signalfy – a platform for discovering & promoting EDM…events." [Omri Mor](https://www.upstart.com/upstarts/omri-mor?ref=hypebot.com) "Music producer and recent graduate building a music platform for supporting and discovering new artists and bands." [Melanie Plageman](https://www.upstart.com/upstarts/melanie-plageman?ref=hypebot.com) "Duke University graduate looking to build an online music platform in Kenya." [Shefali Kumar Friesen](https://www.upstart.com/upstarts/shefali-kumar-friesen?ref=hypebot.com) "Entrepreneur, producer & singer looking to take patent-pending mobile technology to market, and complete production of solo album." That's quite an array of projects and emphasizes the entrepreneurial focus of Upstart. **Though some on Upstart are seeking to reduce student debt, it seems to have the most potential as a funding and launch platform for new startups.** *Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith ([@fluxresearch](https://twitter.com/fluxresearch?ref=hypebot.com)/[@crowdfundingm](https://twitter.com/crowdfundingm?ref=hypebot.com)) also blogs at [Flux Research](http://www.fluxresearch.com/?ref=hypebot.com) and [Crowdfunding For Musicians](http://www.crowdfundingformusicians.com/?ref=hypebot.com). To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact:* clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com .Related articles [![](http://i.zemanta.com/105679556_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/bandpage-and-soundexchange-partner-to-help-claim-2-million-in-unpaid-royalties/)[SoundExchange And BandPage Partner To Help Claim $2 Million In Unpaid Royalties](https://www.hypebot.com/bandpage-and-soundexchange-partner-to-help-claim-2-million-in-unpaid-royalties/) [![](http://i.zemanta.com/115956634_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/ascap-onstage/)[ASCAP OnStage Launches To Deliver Live Performance Royalties To All Musicians](https://www.hypebot.com/ascap-onstage/) [![](http://i.zemanta.com/163182057_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/why-not-crowdfund-your-music-app/)[Why Not Crowdfund Your Music App?](https://www.hypebot.com/why-not-crowdfund-your-music-app/) [![](http://i.zemanta.com/167196368_80_80.jpg)](http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/5/prweb10713858.htm?ref=hypebot.com)[RoyaltyShare Announces Executive Changes](http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/5/prweb10713858.htm?ref=hypebot.com)