Totally RAD, a Warwickshire company that provides music lessons in over 300 schools, has secured £100,000 in debt finance from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II through its appointed fund manager Frontier Development Capital (FDC). With this funding, the company plans to develop its new online platform further and expand its service to include adult learners at all levels, from beginners to accomplished musicians seeking to hone their skills.
Founded in 2013 by Christopher Rush, a professional drummer who toured with bands and worked as a session artist for Sony, Totally RAD provides face-to-face tuition in schools across the UK through a network of over 200 teachers. The platform covers a range of instruments and vocals, handles all administration at no cost to schools, provides the instruments, and offers free lessons to students from low-income families.
Speaking about the company, Christopher Rush, founder and CEO of Totally RAD, said:
We believe that professional music tuition should be accessible to everyone and that we are leading the way with our work in schools. The online platform will complement the existing service by enabling pupils to continue lessons during the school holidays or allow those in rural areas to access lessons when no local teachers are available. It will also give others the chance to develop their musical skills cost-effectively and support our professional musicians by enabling them to continue their teaching while on tour.
Totally RAD is now the largest private music tuition provider in the UK and is on course to double its income from schools in the current financial year to £1.2 million. Its online platform, launched in August, will support its service to schools by allowing it to expand its audience by offering one-to-one lessons to learners of any age and in any location. The film, which employs eight staff at its headquarters in Leamington, expects to create five new jobs in the year ahead.
David Tindall, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, stated:
The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II has established an excellent track record of supporting growing businesses. It’s great to see that through investment from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, Totally RAD can accelerate its growth and expand its reach to various audiences. This investment demonstrates the impact the Fund is having and represents an important contribution to the region’s economic growth.
Marie Kelly of FDC also commented:
Christopher and the team are passionate about music tuition and have recognised the potential to use remote technology to make it accessible to a broader audience. The funding will enable the company to complete its online platform and transform the music education landscape to meet the needs of students of all ages.
The £400 million Midlands Engine Investment Fund II serves the entire Midlands region, providing debt financing ranging from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million to assist various small and medium-sized businesses in starting up, scaling up, or staying ahead.
