Innovation Coaching Programme

09 September 2025

At Hamburg Music, we launched a pilot coaching program to support three music companies in exploring innovation in their businesses. Innovation was defined very broadly: while some companies focused on technological innovation, others concentrated on structural innovation within their teams.

The pilot turned out to be highly insightful. With 11 applications for only 3 spots, demand clearly exceeded expectations and highlighted the need for such a program. For future editions, we plan to adapt the coach–company matching process: instead of assigning coaches, companies will choose themselves, ensuring a stronger fit both professionally and personally.

The program started with a kick-off meeting, where companies and coaches met for the first time, learned more about innovation, and received an overview of the coaching structure. The one-on-one coaching sessions then took place over the summer, scheduled individually by each company and coach. At the final feedback meeting, participants reflected on their goals, strategies, challenges, and learnings – and discussed how to anchor the new approaches sustainably within their companies.

Key takeaways included:

Coaching needs in the music sector are highly diverse.
Companies benefit most from a general framework combined with individual freedom to shape their process.
More time should be allocated in future rounds.

Overall, the pilot demonstrated that tailored coaching can unlock real potential for innovation in music companies – whether in workflows, business models, or team structures. We are already looking forward to the next round!