Aria Protocol Labs Inc. and Aria Foundation have raised $15 million in Seed funding, according to a corporate statement. The blockchain-focused company aims to bring IP onchain, and it has started with songs.
Investors in the funding round include Polychain, Neoclassic, Story Foundation, and other partners said to be in the crypto, IP, and entertainment sectors.
Aria states that the funding follows its first IP token $APL, which is anchored by royalties from entertainers like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and others. Aria says these rights were acquired using $10.95 million raised in February 2025 through Stakestone’s LiquidityPad.
David Kostiner, co-founder and Chief IP Officer of Aria Protocol Labs, explains that Aria provides capital formation rails that can turn IP into tokens.
“This $15 million funding enables Aria to continue building programmable IP infrastructure and scaling a new IP economy.”
S.Y. Lee, CEO of Story, says that Aria is taking illiquid IP and building the future of IP finance and creative capital.
The company anticipates providing a similar service across other creative verticals, like music, art and film/TV.