Stu Watts chats with Josh Simons, who is the CEO of Australia’s only ASX-listed music company, Vinyl Group (ASX:VNL), and Founder of Vampr. Described as a visionary entrepreneur, Simons has raised $35M historically for his technology startups from various sources including venture capital, institutional, HNW, family office and angel groups. These ventures have seen him reside in Los Angeles, London, Sydney and Melbourne.Formerly known as Jaxsta, Vinyl Group launched in 2023 as a parent company encompassing its foundational brands—Jaxsta, Vampr, and Vinyl.com. Under his leadership, the company has acquired The Brag Media—publisher of Rolling Stone Australia and Variety Australia—as well as Mediaweek and Concrete Playground, combining them to form Vinyl Media, now one of the most influential youth publishing and cultural networks in the southern hemisphere. He has also led the acquisitions of Funkified Entertainment and Serenade.Simons is also the co-founder of Vampr, the world’s largest social-professional network for musicians and creatives, often dubbed the “LinkedIn for creatives.”Before transitioning to tech, Simons ran a record label, publishing arm, and film production company, and was the lead singer of indie rock band Buchanan. As a songwriter and producer, he has shared credits with Travis Scott, Troye Sivan, and Kanye West, and as a performer, has toured with Coldplay, Keith Urban, and Carrie Underwood.In recognition of his contributions to music and innovation, Simons was named to The Music Network’s 30 Under 30 in 2020, winning Reader’s Choice, and in 2024, received Young Entrepreneur of the Year honours from Business News Australia.
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