We are thrilled to announce that metaverse platform XONE is the 17th start-up to join our music tech incubation programme, Abbey Road Red!
Music is at the heart of XONE’s roadmap. They are currently developing a set of gaming and social features to create hangouts, avatar integrations, and large-scale music experiences.
The first XONE listening parties have already been tested and we look forward to working together to incorporate spatial and interactive audio elements across its musical features!
left to right: Abbey Road Studios MD Isabel Garvey, XONE Co-Founder and CIO Alica Molito, Abbey Road Red Innovation Manager Karim Fanous, Abbey Road Red Junior Programme Manager David Fong and XONE Co-Founder and CEO James Shannon
Originating from when its Canadian and German founders met while studying in Valencia, XONE has grown into an exciting tech startup operating at the intersection of music and web3, merging social features, mobile first AR technology, and blockchain mechanics.
Its core product, an iOS and Android application, gives users the ability to design and build cutting-edge 3D worlds called XONEs. Recreating the concept of a bedroom wall, each XONE is a haven of cultural identity; a place where users can showcase posters, 2D or 3D NFTs and their digital goods, together with streamed music and explore it all and more in mobile augmented reality.
XONE aims to onboard the next generation of creators, fans, and artists into the metaverse by creating a familiar and accessible social media interface for showcasing and sharing digital identity.
Isabel Garvey, Managing Director Abbey Road Studios, explains the selection of XONE:
"Abbey Road Studios took its first steps into spatial audio and 3D studio experiences five years ago. Our industry value chain has transitioned into digital and online while retaining the best parts of offline. The next online evolution, whether making music, interacting with it in digital realms or enjoying it with friends is the metaverse, which we began exploring before our 'Metaverse and Beyond' Red Talk in 2020. With XONE we're looking forward to taking this development to the next level, sharing what we've learned with them along the way and helping them build a bridge into a new plane of music creation and experience."
Karim Fanous, Innovation Manager, Abbey Road Red says:
"We’re delighted to welcome XONE to the incubation programme. The founders are well balanced between technical chops and design finesse and have ambition. They breathe the world they are building from being music fans to digital culture natives. They already know what it means to succeed with a project in the music business. The premise is sweet, who doesn't like their old bedroom walls, but reimagined for an accessible mobile AR world. For these reasons and more we can't wait for our first exploration of metaverse and blockchain technology with XONE at Red."
James Shannon, founder of XONE explains his ambitions:
"...The original concept for XONE began with this idea that everyone has a place in the world where they can show off who they are. For many of us that was our bedrooms or, later, our web2 social media profiles. But for the next generation of people coming online
that place will be metaversal and deeply integrated into web3. XONE is a place for them, combining the best of web2 social with new technologies like augmented reality and blockchain."
Alica Molito, founder of XONE explains her ambitions:
"......XONE has the potential to revolutionise the way people connect and communicate. When imagining the future of social media, augmented reality tech becomes a true game changer, with the potential to replace the smartphone as the primary communication device. Compared to current social media, users will have the ability to chat in an increasingly natural way - with avatars and holograms immersed in their home environment, enabling more meaningful digital connection and enhanced creative expression."
