“This is my jam!”
“Go back to the last song!”
“Next song!”
“I’m picking the music!”
When it comes to the tunes playing at a party, emotions can run high. People are passionate about music, and the right songs can make or break the mood of the party. If one person is choosing wrong there may be a mutiny.
OneSound, winner of November’s Hatching and the crowd favorite at Launched, is an app that can keep the peace when it comes to the music at a party. Just create a party in the app, invite your friends to join, and give everyone the chance to choose the songs that will play next. While the songs play through one phone, everyone using the app gets the chance to vote for the song that will play next. Don’t be a music Nazi, let everyone be the DJ, with OneSound.
Founded:
- Adam Schoonmaker
- Phil Prescher
- Ryan Casler
- Tanay Salpekar
The Problem Being Solved:
OneSound wants to help solve the epic battle for control of the music during large parties or get togethers. While most music options allow only one person to pick the music, the OneSound app gives everyone at the party the chance to be the DJ.
Where the Idea Came From:
Born from a team of computer science majors, the co-founders met in a computer programming club. While using a music program on the computer, with properties similar to OneSound, they noticed areas where improvements could be made, particularly in regards to portability. It was something they all enjoyed using but they all agreed it should be available on their phones.
Exciting Opportunities
Adam says, “It’s exciting that there is no one doing exactly what we are.” While there are competitors doing similar things, OneSound could really stand out in the industry and, says Adam, “We have the team to get it done. And it’s fun.”
Target Customer
While they are specifically targeting college students in the U.S., they have a more general toward young adults who are tech savvy.
Biggest Challenge:
Adam and the OneSound team know they have a cool idea, but he says they been challenged by finding a way to monetize that idea.
Surprises:
During a product test on New Year’s Eve, the team noticed that what they expect from the product as developers, and what the public expect are often two very different things. For example, Adam says they never expected users to get so competitive with the app. “They would get other people involved, ask them to ‘thumbs down’ certain songs to get their own played,” says Adam. “It was really interesting and entertaining.”
Funding:
Their major source of funding has been their winnings from the Hatching and they are looking into other options such as StartGarden and other competitions. For now, Adam says they are focusing on getting a viable product and users, “And then we will start looking for investors.”
The Future:
The future for OneSound starts at MSU. In one year they would like to spread throughout campus and from there move on to the Big Ten as a whole. In five years they hope to be on campuses across the country and then they will start targeting young adults.
Advice:
Adam and the team recommend taking advantage of the community you are working in. “We use the Hatch and it keeps us motivated, gets us funding ideas and builds great connections.” By utilizing local resources, they’ve moved much faster than they would have otherwise. “If we were just sitting at home working on this we wouldn’t be where we are now. The community keeps you moving so take advantage of whatever local resources you have.”
Visit their website for more information!
