24
de Febrer
de
2017
Act.
24
de Febrer
de
2017
"The computer is not the right device for live music, interaction with a computer and mouse and screen are not the ideal tools for making music," says Sergi Jordà. With this premise and in search of an alternative, this physicist and doctor in computer science and his research group developed Reactable, an interactive musical table already being used by artists, such as Björk, Coldplay, Nortec Collective, Guy Boratto and Oliver Huntemann.
Machinery and programming to make music
Reactable is a startup that appeared in 2009 as a company from the musical technology research group of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Out of this research group came an "interactive table to make music," says Jordà, the company CEO, recalls that the device quickly became so popular that "Björk began using a prototype in 2007 on a world tour."
The project goes back to 2003, when the research group was set up. Two years later the first prototype saw the light and in 2006 a YouTube video of Reactable went viral with millions of visits. A year later the Icelandic artist incorporated the device into her performances. On the back of this success, the researchers had to set up a company in 2009. Since then, the company located in Barcelona Activa's Technology Park has based its business model on manufacturing and selling the interactive tables, as well as developing mobile apps for creating music.
Reactable offers two versions of the interactive musical table, which can be used with the hands or objects, such as cubes, that interact with the device and perform different functions. On the one hand, there is the Experience model for permanent facilities, such as museum, exhibitions or educational centres "with a leisure or educational aim" for an approximate price of 13,000 euros. On the other, there is the Live model, which is portable and aimed at a professional public, such as musicians and DJs, with a price of around 6,000 euros. These prices can vary slightly depending on the client, because there are small details that can be personalised. Between the two models, the company sold 30 units last year and together with downloads of the apps, the firm has reached a turnover of 400,000 euros.
The version for applications is nothing less than a "simplified" version of the table and is available for Android and iOS. The researchers became pioneers in launching an application for the iPad, just a few months after the first Apple tablet appeared. In 2010 they launched the first version "and it was first in all the app stores in the music category that year," recalls Jordà.
Virtual reality for creating
Jordà has been CEO of the company for a year and he believes that the future of the company has to rest on two pillars. On the one hand, production and sales of the table, while the other is programming. Aware that innovating in the field of machinery is difficult, the firm is putting it efforts into the software side of the company. Thus, the startup has developed a new app for iPad called Rotor and, along with the table, it allows for the use of objects that interact with the table's surface. At the same time, Reactable's team of eight professionals is working on another project that includes music creation through virtual reality.
"Until now the applications were aimed at professionals or enthusiasts, with a certain level of knowledge, but with virtual reality we want to make creating music much more accessible," says the entrepreneur. Even though virtual reality has existed for 40 years "a lot of people still ask what can be done with it," says Jordà, who believes that "there are a lot of possibilities to exploit, which is why we want to create accessible and democratic creation tools."
To boost this side of the business and the company in general, Reactable is looking for a partner-investor to give them a hand. "Even though it is working, I want to change the pace of the company," says Jordà, and that is why they need an external boost that the company is looking for through the Barcelona Activa stand at the 4YFN.
Machinery and programming to make music
Reactable is a startup that appeared in 2009 as a company from the musical technology research group of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Out of this research group came an "interactive table to make music," says Jordà, the company CEO, recalls that the device quickly became so popular that "Björk began using a prototype in 2007 on a world tour."
The project goes back to 2003, when the research group was set up. Two years later the first prototype saw the light and in 2006 a YouTube video of Reactable went viral with millions of visits. A year later the Icelandic artist incorporated the device into her performances. On the back of this success, the researchers had to set up a company in 2009. Since then, the company located in Barcelona Activa's Technology Park has based its business model on manufacturing and selling the interactive tables, as well as developing mobile apps for creating music.
Reactable offers two versions of the interactive musical table, which can be used with the hands or objects, such as cubes, that interact with the device and perform different functions. On the one hand, there is the Experience model for permanent facilities, such as museum, exhibitions or educational centres "with a leisure or educational aim" for an approximate price of 13,000 euros. On the other, there is the Live model, which is portable and aimed at a professional public, such as musicians and DJs, with a price of around 6,000 euros. These prices can vary slightly depending on the client, because there are small details that can be personalised. Between the two models, the company sold 30 units last year and together with downloads of the apps, the firm has reached a turnover of 400,000 euros.
The version for applications is nothing less than a "simplified" version of the table and is available for Android and iOS. The researchers became pioneers in launching an application for the iPad, just a few months after the first Apple tablet appeared. In 2010 they launched the first version "and it was first in all the app stores in the music category that year," recalls Jordà.
Virtual reality for creating
Jordà has been CEO of the company for a year and he believes that the future of the company has to rest on two pillars. On the one hand, production and sales of the table, while the other is programming. Aware that innovating in the field of machinery is difficult, the firm is putting it efforts into the software side of the company. Thus, the startup has developed a new app for iPad called Rotor and, along with the table, it allows for the use of objects that interact with the table's surface. At the same time, Reactable's team of eight professionals is working on another project that includes music creation through virtual reality.
"Until now the applications were aimed at professionals or enthusiasts, with a certain level of knowledge, but with virtual reality we want to make creating music much more accessible," says the entrepreneur. Even though virtual reality has existed for 40 years "a lot of people still ask what can be done with it," says Jordà, who believes that "there are a lot of possibilities to exploit, which is why we want to create accessible and democratic creation tools."
To boost this side of the business and the company in general, Reactable is looking for a partner-investor to give them a hand. "Even though it is working, I want to change the pace of the company," says Jordà, and that is why they need an external boost that the company is looking for through the Barcelona Activa stand at the 4YFN.