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§ Private Profile · 6230 Wilshire Blvd Ste 118, Los Angeles, California, 90048, United States
Internet radio platform operating live, curated channels with free, ad-free listening, focused on personality-driven audio and underserved genres.
Based in Los Angeles, California, Dash Radio operates a digital internet radio platform that provides live, ad-free audio channels curated by professional DJs and music personalities across various underserved genres. The company generates its primary revenue through strategic distribution partnerships across connected vehicles and smart televisions rather than traditional listener subscriptions, successfully scaling its audience base to reach 10 million monthly listeners. Its programming catalog features original broadcasts hosted by prominent artists such as Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne, alongside branded channels developed with corporate partners like Build-A-Bear Workshop. To support its ongoing expansion and proprietary platform development, the enterprise secured $8.8 million in seed funding through a financing round led by Nimble Ventures, with additional participation from Lazerow Ventures. Dash Radio was officially founded in 2014 by Scott Keeney, Peter Ferraro, and Ron Goldie.
Dash Radio has raised $13.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Dash Radio has raised $13.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Dash Radio has raised $13.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $11.0M Seed in October 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2018 | $11M Seed | — | Adjacent, Amazon Alexa Fund, Bombas, Convoz, Craft Ventures, Dreamers VC, Eniac Ventures, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, Forerunner Ventures, General Catalyst, Gradient Ventures, Great Oaks Venture Capital, Laconia Capital Group, Lazerow Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Long Journey Ventures, Mark Ventures, Montauk Ventures, Offline Ventures, Piva Capital, Ravelin Capital, Slow Ventures, TQ Ventures, Y Combinator, YES VC, BIZ Stone, Brad Lewthwaite, Carl PEI, Jaan Tallinn, Jared Leto, Jeremy YAP, Joao Otavio Oliverio, Justin Timberlake, Kevin Colas, Kevin LIN, Kevin Weil, Marc Benioff, Michael Dell, RON Pragides, Ryan Rzepecki, Scott Belsky, Shaquille O'neal, Steve Chen, Tobias Lutke, William Miller, IAN Schafer, Jason Flom, Michael Zeisser, Orin Snyder, Arab Angel, G Ventures, Lindzon Capital Partners, Muzik, Nimble Ventures | Announced |
| Jun 3, 2015 | $2M Seed | — | — | Announced |
Dash Radio (now rebranded as Litt Live) is a Los Angeles-based digital radio platform offering free, commercial-free streaming with 44-65+ live channels curated by top DJs, celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, and Kylie Jenner, and radio personalities. It serves music fans dissatisfied with traditional FM radio's repetitive playlists and ads, as well as digital alternatives' algorithms and costs, by providing human-curated, ad-free content accessible via apps on iOS, Android, web, smart speakers like Sonos and Amazon Echo, and connected cars.[2][3][4][5] The platform solves discovery limitations in music streaming by focusing on live DJ programming across genres like EDM, hip-hop, indie rock, and Latin, reaching over 10 million monthly listeners at its peak with integrations on Pluto TV (until 2020) and automotive systems from Ford, AT&T, and others; it sustains growth through partnerships and zero subscription fees.[1][2][5]
Dash Radio was founded in 2014 by DJ Skee (Scott Keeney), a veteran radio personality disenchanted with commercial radio's repetitive playlists and heavy advertising, launching at the end of August with 50 channels and $2M in seed funding from investors including Facebook executives, music veterans like Peter Ferraro (ex-East Village Radio), and sports stars.[1][2][3] The idea emerged from Keeney's vision to revive radio's communal listening experience—"the first social network"—with more freedom than FM or satellite, emphasizing human curation over algorithms.[2] Early traction came quickly via iOS/Android apps and web, bolstered by celebrity DJs like Snoop Dogg and tech like Telos Alliance's Omnia A/XE processing and Enco automation for remote voice tracking; pivotal moments included 2015 partnerships with AT&T Connected Car and Sonos.[1][5]
Dash Radio rides the wave of connected car proliferation and smart home audio ecosystems, capitalizing on 96% U.S. radio listenership amid dissatisfaction with FM ads, satellite costs, and streaming algorithms. Timing aligned with 2015-2017 auto integrations (AT&T, Ford Sync) and voice assistants (Alexa, Google Home), positioning it amid rising in-car infotainment demand from automakers like Alpine and Harman.[2][5] Market forces like ad-skipping behaviors and demand for free, live content favor its model, influencing the ecosystem by proving celebrity-curated digital radio can scale to millions without paywalls, inspiring hybrid broadcast-streaming innovations and partnerships like T-Mobile's Music Freedom.[5]
As Litt Live, Dash Radio continues expanding its 44-station lineup amid voice AI and automotive audio growth, potentially deepening car integrations and Discord bots for community engagement. Trends like hyper-personalized live audio (e.g., Clubhouse echoes) and EV infotainment will shape it, evolving influence toward global, interactive radio that blends celebrity curation with emerging AR/VR listening. This reinforces its origins as a rebel against stale programming, poised to lead free digital broadcasting into a multi-device future.[5]
Dash Radio has raised $13.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Dash Radio's investors include Adjacent, Amazon Alexa Fund, Bombas, Convoz, Craft Ventures, Dreamers VC, ENIAC Ventures, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, Forerunner Ventures, General Catalyst, Gradient Ventures.