Musical instrument-maker ROLI has raised a Series B funding round of $27m, led by US venture capital firm Foundry Group.
Universal Music also chipped in to the round, as it did for ROLI’s $12.8m Series A round in 2014.
The company is behind the innovative Seaboard RISE keyboard, which has won critical acclaim since its release in September 2015. More recently, ROLI has also launched an iOS app called Noise, which uses Apple’s 3D Touch technology to provide a piano-like experience on the touchscreen.
ROLI says it plans to use the new funding to boost its product, engineering and marketing teams in North America and Europe, as well as expanding into new markets.
“The success of the Seaboard has shown that people want musical devices that are elegant, advanced and open to all — and as easy to use as a smartphone or tablet,” said CEO Roland Lamb in a statement.
Foundry Group partner Ryan McIntyre added that “we believe this is just the first step in a breakthrough roadmap for connected music,” hinting at more products ahead.
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