Series A
Hook Raises $10M Series A Led by Khosla Ventures
•February 18, 2026
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Why It Matters
The capital infusion accelerates Hook’s cross‑platform rollout, positioning it to capture the emerging market for licensed, AI‑enhanced music remixing. Success could reshape how rights holders monetize fan‑generated content and influence streaming platforms’ interactive strategies.
Key Takeaways
- •Hook raised $10M Series A led by Khosla Ventures.
- •Catalogue now exceeds 20 million licensed songs for remixing.
- •User base grew over 45× in past year.
- •Android app and new community features slated for release.
- •Partnerships include Universal Music, Downtown, FUGA, Too Lost, Avex.
Pulse Analysis
The resurgence of fan‑driven remix apps is being powered by generative AI models that can manipulate stems while respecting copyright. Labels that once feared uncontrolled sampling are now partnering with platforms that guarantee proper licensing, turning a legal headache into a revenue stream. This shift aligns with streaming giants’ ambitions to make music more interactive, offering listeners tools to personalize tracks without infringing rights.
Hook’s recent $10 million Series A underscores how quickly the market is consolidating around compliant, AI‑enabled remixing. Since its launch 16 months ago, the startup has grown its catalog to over 20 million songs through deals with Universal Music Group, Downtown, FUGA, Too Lost, Primary Wave and Avex. The reported 45‑fold surge in active users, while lacking absolute numbers, signals strong demand for socially shareable, short‑form music content on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. Competitors still grapple with licensing hurdles, giving Hook a strategic advantage as it scales.
Looking ahead, the upcoming Android app and community‑centric features could broaden Hook’s demographic reach beyond iOS‑centric early adopters. By integrating native video recording and richer creation formats, the platform positions itself as a one‑stop shop for creators seeking to blend audio remixing with visual storytelling. If Hook can monetize these interactions—through brand partnerships, premium subscriptions, or revenue sharing with rights holders—it may set a template for the next generation of music services that blend streaming, social media, and AI creativity into a unified experience.
Deal Summary
Social music‑remixing startup Hook announced a $10 million Series A funding round led by Khosla Ventures, with participation from Waverley Capital, Point72 Ventures and Imaginary Ventures. The capital will fund the launch of an Android app, new community‑driven features and expanded video capabilities. Hook has grown its licensed catalog to over 20 million songs and seen a 45× increase in active users.
Article
Source: Music Ally
Social music‑remixing startup Hook raises $10 m funding round
By Stuart Dredge – February 18, 2026
The last couple of decades has seen several cycles of ‘remix apps’ launching as a way for fans to play with hits from their favourite artists. They tended to disappear without making much of an impact.
However, in 2026 the notion of fan remixes is very much back in fashion. It’s one of the uses for Gen AI music models that labels actually like – as long as it’s properly licensed, of course – while Spotify’s execs have also talked about their desire to make music more interactive.
Hook is one of the startups that emerged just ahead of this wave of excitement. We wrote about its launch in September 2024, as well as a pair of $3 m funding rounds in 2023 and 2025.
Today it’s stepping up a notch with the fundraising, announcing a $10 m Series A round led by VC firm Khosla Ventures. Among the other investors are Waverley Capital (co‑founded by former Warner Music Group boss Edgar Bronfman Jr), Point72 Ventures and Imaginary Ventures.
The new funding comes as Hook has expanded the catalogue of music available to remix in its app to more than 20 m songs. Its users can remix those tracks and then share the results to platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and SoundCloud.
Hook said that its plans for the $10 m round include finally launching an Android app – thus far it has been iOS‑only – and developing “new community‑driven features, richer creation formats, and native video and recording capabilities”.
The startup says that in the last year its active users have “increased by more than 45×” although it did not specify a total.
Given that Hook’s app only launched 16 months ago, the multiple‑increase isn’t that meaningful, but the growth of its licensed catalogue – fuelled by partnerships with Universal Music Group, Downtown Music and FUGA, Too Lost, Primary Wave and Avex – at least shows momentum with rightsholders.
Today’s funding announcement was accompanied by news of a promotion, with Hook’s chief product officer Simmi Singh adding chief operating officer to her role. She previously held executive roles in Spotify’s podcasts business and at streaming service JioSaavn – working alongside Hook’s founder and CEO Gaurav Sharma at the latter.
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