Larrosa has made a significant splash in the music business over the past couple of years.

In 2023, the Spain-born finance and tech-centric music company raised over €15 million ($16m) to acquire catalogs and deploy advances to artists, focusing on Spanish-speaking markets.

In November, Larrosa formed a strategic alliance with Bell Partners, founded by veteran writer, producer, and executive Hayden Bell, to acquire independent music companies and catalogs.

Bell Partners, founded in 2022, has invested over USD $350 million in music rights to date. According to the announcement at the time, via their partnership, Bell and Larrosa plan to spend a similar amount on music companies and catalogs “in the coming years”.

With an already strong presence in Spain and Latin America, Larrosa has now taken a strategic step toward global expansion by opening a new headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The company tells us that it’s launching in the market with a “strategic roadmap for MENA expansion through innovation and targeted acquisitions”.

Operating under the name Larrosa MusicTech & Capital, Larrosa says that this subsidiary will manage its combined portfolio of music and technology assets valued at over €15 million ($16m).

“We chose to expand into the UAE because the country offers incredible opportunities for companies like ours, particularly those deeply involved in advanced technology and innovative financial structures for the music industry,” explains the company’s founder and CEO, Cristian Larrosa.

“Dubai specifically stands out as a global financial hub, which makes it ideal for scaling technological partnerships with major corporations and government bodies, as well as exploring new business models around music assets, catalogs, and creative projects.”

The new base in Dubai will also serve as Larrosa’s operations and partnership hub for the broader Middle East, North Africa, and Asia markets.

Commenting on the biggest opportunities he sees in these markets, the company’s CEO says that “there’s a vibrant wave of music-related innovation sweeping across the region.”

“We’ve already carried out several operations with Asian catalogs, and we’re particularly intrigued by North Africa’s impressive growth, so we’re looking at it closely,” he explains.

“Still, our primary focus remains the Middle East, driven by economic expansion and its rising global influence.

“The recent establishment of Music Nation in the UAE, supported by BMI and SoundExchange, underscores the region’s evolving landscape, making rights management and royalty collection more structured and efficient than ever.”

As part of its expansion into Dubai, Larrosa says that the company is currently in “advanced negotiations with investment funds” in the UAE that are looking to back “innovative projects” operating at the crossroads of technology and music.

“We’re very enthusiastic about exploring M&A opportunities in the MENA region,” Cristian Larrosa tells us.

“The rapid evolution of the music-tech ecosystem here offers unique possibilities. We’re especially interested in partnering with companies focused on music tech innovations, catalog acquisition platforms, AI-driven tools, and fan-engagement solutions.”

He adds: “With success stories like Anghami and the rising investment interest from regional funds in culturally-rooted and tech-driven IP, we see MENA as crucial for our strategic growth.

“We’ve already started cultivating local partnerships and look forward to expanding our presence through targeted M&A.”

“We’re very enthusiastic about exploring M&A opportunities in the MENA region.”

Cristian Larrosa 

Following the $16 million raise in March 2023, Larrosa also confirms that the company is looking to raise additional capital to fund its M&A activity.

“We are actively engaged in discussions with various investment funds, including several currently in formation across the UAE, Europe, and the United States,” he says.

Separately, via its recently announced alliance with Bell Partners, Larrosa confirms that the company is also “actively progressing in the analysis of various projects, catalogs, and companies.”

He adds: “Our team continues to work diligently on these opportunities with the aim of closing several deals soon.”

Beyond catalog investment opportunities, Larrosa says that the new Dubai HQ will also act “as a bridge to connect with regional and international investors interested in new technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing applied to the sector”.

From its Europe-based “innovation center”, the company’s Larrosa Labs division has been developing tech tools such as ‘Wolfie AI’, described as “an AI-powered suite offering specialized assistance tools for the music industry, including non-generative audio solutions”.

“I genuinely believe AI will profoundly impact the music industry beyond just production and composition,” says Cristian Larrosa.  “It will increasingly become an essential tool in daily operations, from rights management to artist booking and legal frameworks.”

He explains that his “vision” about AI’s future positioning in the business “inspired” the company to create WolfieAI, which he claims is “the first AI platform exclusively designed for the music industry”.

“Wolfie doesn’t just serve as an advanced chatbot,” says Larrosa. “It integrates specialized industry tools, including a robust audio suite and dedicated prompt helpers tailored for every sector.”

“I genuinely believe AI will profoundly impact the music industry beyond just production and composition.”

Cristian Larrosa

The company might be investing in AI tools, but Larrosa is adamant that the “ongoing debates around generative audio concern [him] deeply.”

“We see a pressing need for a transparent, inclusive licensing framework that benefits the entire industry, not just select players,” he says.

“Transparency in AI, such as clear insights into training data and transparency from developers at least where creative works are involved, is crucial.”

He insists that WolfieAI’s final iterations will incorporate ethical technologies addressing “industry-wide concerns”.

Larrosa Labs has also developed ArtSigna, which the company describes as “a pioneering platform for certifying music rights on the Bitcoin blockchain,” and which, it claims, “is soon to be integrated with collective management societies”.

Looking to the future of the company’s positioning in the UAE, Cristian Larrosa believes that the MENA region “is positioned for remarkable growth.”

According to global recorded music body IFPI, the Middle East and North Africa region was the fastest-growing globally in 2024. Recorded music revenues increased by 22.8% YoY there in 2024, while streaming in the MENA region accounted for 99.5% of total revenues.

Larossa argues that further growth in the MENA region will be “driven by rising investments in creative industries, stronger IP regulations, and greater integration of technology into music distribution and rights management”.

He adds: “Countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia are likely to become key global players, pioneering digital innovation, including AI and blockchain solutions, thus creating exciting new monetization opportunities and boosting regional cultural influence internationally.”Music Business Worldwide