Hawkeye Music Publishing, the company launched last year by music industry veteran Richard Stumpf, has partnered with Tesseract Music to acquire music rights, including artist catalogs and name, image and likeness (NIL) rights.
The partnership aims to bring together Stumpf’s expertise in catalog acquisitions with Tesseract’s expertise in the merchandise licensing business.
In an announcement on Tuesday (October 7), the companies said they have “access” to $50 million in equity capital to execute on their plan, raised from family offices and “high net worth individuals.” They didn’t identify any specific investors.
Additionally, the companies are in talks to supplement their capital with debt financing, and acquisition conversations with music catalog owners have begun.
Stumpf launched Hawkeye Music Publishing in 2024, a company that had thus far focused on assisting music rights funds like Round Hill Music Partners, Domain Capital, Goldstate Music Capital, Harbour View Equity Partners, Elliot Investment Management, CatchPoint Rights Partners, and Pythagoras Music Fund.
Stumpf had previously founded Atlas Music Publishing, which in 2019 was acquired by Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings. Ithaca was in turn acquired by Korean music giant HYBE in 2021. Stumpf also served as President of Imagem Music and SVP at BMG’s Cherry Lane Music.
Over the course of his career, Stumpf’s clients have included the likes of Van Halen, Quincy Jones, John Legend, The Black Eyed Peas, Ludacris, Mark Ronson, Swizz Beatz and The Counting Crows, along with the estates of Elvis Presley, John Denver and Sammy Cahn.
“This compliment to my expertise in maximizing value for songs and creators provides a special offering for those we bring into the family.”
Richard Stumpf, Hawkeye Music Publishing
Stumpf has raised more than $58 million in private investment from both family offices and VC firms and has played key roles in investment exits amounting to over $750 million.
Tesseract Music is an IP management company focused on music and artist NIL rights founded by Richard Seet and Charles Riotto. Seet is a serial entrepreneur who has been backed by investors like United Business Media, Angelo Gordon & Company, and Brookfield. Riotto is a former president of the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA).
“Where Tesseract differentiates themselves and what really excites me is the expertise embodied in Charles [Riotto],” Stumpf said.
“As the former President of LIMA, he knows all the major players in the merchandise licensing business, he helped the industry develop into a $340 billion-plus behemoth, and he knows how to maximize the value of NILs. This compliment to my expertise in maximizing value for songs and creators provides a special offering for those we bring into the family.”
“It is… not a surprise that we have received the investor interest we have.”
Richard Seet, Tesseract Music
For his part, Riotto noted that Stumpf’s “success managing music copyrights and creators has been well proven. Licensees are keen on brands with passionate followers and music artists are often defined by the fervor of their fans. From my discussions with licensees, they are very excited for the potential NIL rights resulting from our partnership.”
“While Rich Stumpf’s expertise in managing catalogs is unquestioned, his success at acquiring catalogs at the right prices and then increasing their enterprise value has been demonstrated in his outsized returns for investors,” Seet added.
“Through our partnership, we believe that we can acquire music catalogs successfully and increase their royalty payouts. With Charles’ expertise in licensing and merchandising, this partnership presents a synergistic pairing of distinct expertises in music publishing acquisition and management and licensing and merchandising – all to the benefit of our artist collaborators. It is thus not a surprise that we have received the investor interest we have.”Music Business Worldwide
