Berlin-based audio hosting website SoundCloud says it’s taking investment from Union Square Ventures and Index Ventures.
Fred Wilson and Mike Volpi, respective partners from the VC firms, are joining the startup’s board. The investment is unquantified.
Started by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, the site last raised a €2.5 million first round, led by Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures, in April 2009.
It lets users record or upload audio to the site. This has mostly been targeted at musicians, and in particular electronic musicians, for composition collaboration. But the new investors say the site could be used for poetry or any audio.
SoundCloud has recently been releasing well-received mobile apps, and it aims to work as an audio hosting platform for all manner of software. It’s a classic freemium model.
“There hasn’t been an obvious platform for hosting and sharing audio,” Wilson says. “The web is still too quiet.”
http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F8852017&Thoughts on SoundCloud by fredwilson. Uploaded with SoundCloud Android
http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F8830498&Mike Volpi Audio Blog on Friday morning by mvolpi. Uploaded with SoundCloud iPhone
SoundCloud: The Tour from SoundCloud on Vimeo.