COLUMBUS, Ohio. & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Breakaway Music Festival, (“Breakaway”), one of North America’s fastest-growing, independent multi-city music festival brands, today announced plans to accelerate expansion across new regions and brand verticals following the close of a recent funding round led by private investment firm RSE Ventures. Other participants in the round include Marshall Sandman's Animal Capital, Human Ventures, George Ruan, Bustle Digital Group (BDG), New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba, Gross Labs, and Steve Martocci.
Launched in 2016, Breakaway is the nation's leading touring music festival—delivering premium experiences and programming to underserved music fans through Top 40 lineups. The company takes an intimate approach to their events, catering to the specific needs of Gen Z and Millennial music fans. Past performers include The Chainsmokers, Halsey, Kygo, Zedd, Migos, Odesza, Post Malone, Future, Illenium, Khalid, 21 Pilots, Jack Harlow, Machine Gun Kelly, Chelsea Cutler, and Juice WRLD, among many others.
In 2023, Breakaway has continued to expand its festival footprint, launching Spring Break(away) with emerging curated events company All Roads Traveled for five weekends of immersive experiences in Mexico this past March. The festival ‘tour’ is making its way to seven cities in America this year: Charlotte, NC (May 5 – 6 and September 29 – 30); Kansas City, MO (July 14 – 15); Grand Rapids, MI (August 18 – 19); Columbus, OH (August 25 – 26); Boston, MA (September 15 – 16); and San Francisco, CA (October 13 – 14).
This new capital will advance Breakaway’s vision to expand its national footprint and support its ultimate mission of powering the voice of today’s generation through music, community, art, technology, and digital content.
"What began in 2016 as a music festival has grown into a multi-faceted entertainment brand that continues to change the way thousands of consumers across the country experience and enjoy music,” said Matt Higgins, cofounder and CEO of RSE Ventures. “Adam and his team have done an incredible job building a brand and company with a clear mission, and we’re excited to partner with these next-generation music leaders as they continue scaling Breakaway’s geographic footprint and range of offerings.”
“This marks an important milestone for Breakaway as we look to the future, opening the door to even more opportunities for innovation as we expand both the breadth and depth of experiences for Millennial and Gen Z consumers,” said Breakaway cofounder Adam Lynn. “When you can actually see your favorite artist on a stage and not just on a jumbo screen, it changes the way you listen to music—it becomes an unforgettable experience. We are building a boutique brand at scale and trying to give every fan that one moment they can remember.”
William Van Orsdel, Breakaway’s head of growth, added, “As one of the last independent groups in live entertainment, we carry the flag of the ‘underdog’ in the music industry. We are so proud of the group of strategic investors we put together to drive Breakaway’s ascent through reimagined real-life experiences, digital opportunities, and more that will help turn the brand into a household name.”
Bryan Goldberg, founder and CEO of BDG added, “As BDG continues to cement our foothold as a leader in experiential and live events, we are proud to support and collaborate with like-minded partners such as Breakaway who share our vision in creating memorable experiences for young consumers.”
About Breakaway Music Festival
Breakaway is the nation's leading touring music festival—an attention platform delivering premium experiences and programming to underserved music fans through Top 40 lineups. The festival began in Columbus, Ohio in 2016 and quickly grew into a two-day, multi-stage event, bringing exceptional names like Chance The Rapper, Halsey, Kygo, and Kendrick Lamar to underserved cities. With several market expansions over the years, the multi-city festival has amassed a loyal following with over 100,000 in attendance in 2022 across Columbus, OH, Charlotte, NC, Kansas City, MO, Grand Rapids, MI, and San Francisco, CA.
