A bunch of technologists and musicians have got around to float a crowd funded platform to promote artists. They have nestled themselves nicely in Kochi, a city they think, is the future of artistic and musical talent. Springr.me, the online platform, is the new buzz on the young entrepreneurial scene and its creative and artistic leanings make them stand apart in a sea of promising start-ups.
Springr?s headquarters in Kochi, is very much on Spice Route, very close to the Arabian waters and bang in the middle of Mattancherry. Jew Town isn?t far away from here, and there is some history wafting in as we locate the office and climb up.
?This is a great place to be,? says Springr?s co-founder and CEO, Abhinav Sree dressed in tee and denims, rounded off with a pair of loafers, completing that perfect boot-strapped look. ?This location has given us the perfect space. There is a lot talent in and around this place and exhibitions and events line up to showcase it, through the year.?
The artists residency, which is what Springr?s office is, now includes an art gallery, music studio and a cafe. The idea is to create artistic communities that propel musical and artistic skills with the use of technology and social media, backed by crowd funding.
Says the 26-year old Abhinav, ?All things that we do are intended to help the artist create, exhibit and earn. Our recently launched crowd funding platform is one such initiative. In its first stage, it is a platform where they can pitch their projects to get public funding, who basically comprise art lovers. The second stage introduce channels for artists to sell their work. This is a model that has been successfully tested abroad with sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, but it is still in its infancy in India.?
Dhanya Johnson, Ashwin Nath and Rakesh Haridas are Abhinav?s partners in this project. Later, Sanjeev Thomas, formerly of Chennai?s Rainbow Bridge, came along too. Sanjeev, who is a prominent guitarist having worked with maestro AR Rahman, has taken control of the music studio.
Springr believes that there is an artist in every one. So one could be a drawing artist, musician, film maker, photographer or a product designer. Just about any creative work would qualify. Springr does a background check about the artist concerned to ensure higher success rates in its projects and lets them out on the scene.
Springr has launched an Android app which is basically an easy means for their followers to stay in touch with the latest releases. The users get updates on the latest content?whether it?s music or videos or any upcoming event. ?The next stage will be to include interesting projects that users can follow, contribute or collaborate with,? says Abhinav. ?We are passionate about technology and are looking at other ways by which to use tech to the advantage of the artists.?
Abhinav had earlier co-founded Innoz, a mobile tech firm, along with three of his college mates. The start-up had initially created waves with its product SMSGyan, which provided a service suited for on-demand information via SMS.
But with Springr, Abhinav and his co-founders are trying to create a new business model. Artists, especially at the start of their careers, have always faced the rough end of the stick. Springr?s motive is to liven up the music and art scene, so that events happen on a continuous basis. Kerala always had the musicians, but not the ecosystem to support them. This could well change, with this new spring under its feet.
