When Insider Weekly named Hadi H. Heidari the Most Innovative Music-Tech Founder of 2025, they weren't just recognizing a successful startup founder. They were acknowledging someone who bridges two seemingly incompatible worlds: the precision of deep tech and cybersecurity, and the emotional resonance of music and art.
It's an unlikely combination. Yet it's exactly this fusion that's enabling Hadi to build something the music industry desperately needs but hasn't been able to create on its own: an AI-powered label infrastructure that democratizes access for millions of independent musicians worldwide.
This is the story of how one founder's unique background is reshaping an entire industry.
The Heart and the Brain
"I actually grew up surrounded by art — poetry, lyrics, and music have always been part of who I am. My brain was trained in tech and cybersecurity, but my heart has always been with music."
For Hadi, his lived reality defines his entire approach to building Tunepact. While his professional path led him into the world of deep tech and cybersecurity, where precision, security, and systematic thinking are paramount, his foundation was always creative and artistic.
Most people would see these as competing identities. Hadi saw an opportunity.
"Over the years, I've also been DJing and vlogging, which gave me a closer look at both sides of the industry — musicians trying to get heard and listeners searching for something new and real," he explains. Through these experiences, he gained firsthand exposure to the music industry's challenges from multiple perspectives.
Seeing those gaps inspired him to do something different. "I realized we could use technology not just to automate tasks, but to truly level the playing field, empowering independent artists and helping fans discover great music in more meaningful ways."
That realization became the foundation of Tunepact.
A Recognition That Carries Responsibility
When the team at Insider Weekly reached out to Hadi about Tunepact, they saw something that stood out from the crowd of music tech startups flooding the market.
"When Insider Weekly reached out and learned about Tunepact, they saw it as not just another startup but a truly unique and game-changing idea, something that can actually work in the real world for musicians," Hadi recalls.
The recognition was validating. It was also humbling.
"It honestly means a lot to me," he reflects. "I'm incredibly grateful and proud that my second startup is focused on helping millions of independent musicians by using technology and AI in their favor, not against them."
But recognition without responsibility would be meaningless. "This recognition reminds us that we now carry a bigger responsibility: to lead that change for the next generation of creators," Hadi says.
That sense of responsibility isn't abstract. Tunepact's mission is clear: remove the barriers that have held artists back for years and shift the music business toward independence and fairness. When you're recognized as an innovator leading that charge, the stakes become very real.
Building the Team for an Era of Change
Ask Hadi what he's most proud of, and his answer is immediate and revealing.
"If you ask me today what I'm most proud of, I'd say first, my team — the people who believe in this vision — and second, the impact we're going to make on the music industry and the younger generation of musicians coming up behind us."
Building Tunepact required more than just technical expertise. It required assembling a diverse group of engineers, music strategists, creative leads, plus mentors and interns from leading universities, all working toward the same transformational goal.
"To build something like Tunepact, you don't just need a tech team. You need a team that truly belongs to this evolutionary era," Hadi explains. "People who understand what's happening in music and technology, and who bring different ideas, backgrounds, and talents to the table."
This is particularly crucial in the current moment. We're in the AI era. We're witnessing the music industry evolve in real-time. The people building products for this new landscape need to understand both the technology and the transformation happening around it.
"I'll admit, it hasn't been easy to bring together such a diverse and forward-thinking group," Hadi admits. But the result is a team positioned to make what he describes as a significant impact on the music industry. Not incremental improvements to existing systems, but fundamental transformation.
Validation Through Action
Startups love to talk about traction. Tunepact has it in ways that matter beyond typical vanity metrics.
"The momentum around Tunepact has been incredible," Hadi says. "We've built and tested the model side-by-side with our advisors, mentors, and independent artists, making sure every feature we create actually solves a real problem."
The Rising Star program has validated over ten features directly requested by artists. That's not theoretical product-market fit; it's real artists using real tools to solve real problems in their actual careers.
The Tunepact podcast serves a dual purpose. "We started the Tunepact Podcast not as marketing, but as a way to listen to artists' real challenges when putting their music out," Hadi explains. "Every episode gives us new insight into what's missing in the industry."
This is the co-creation model in action: building with musicians, not just for them. And the validation is clear.
"The feedback has been clear: musicians are tired of complicated, fake, or scammy 'solutions.' They want something that truly works, saves them time, and gives them visible results," Hadi notes. "That's exactly what Tunepact is proving: that when you co-create with your community, the ecosystem naturally works."
Beyond the direct user validation, Tunepact graduated from the prestigious Founder Institute of Southern California and has secured partnerships with leading AI companies in the market. The beta version is live and actively gathering user feedback, refining the platform in real-time based on musician input.
The Infrastructure Play
Here's what sets Tunepact apart from the crowded field of music tech tools: it's not another app. It's infrastructure.
"We're not just building another app. We're building an infrastructure where musicians can truly live, grow, and be discovered," Hadi explains. "They can bring their songs, build their audience, and connect directly with fans in one ecosystem."
Infrastructure implies permanence, comprehensiveness, and growth potential. It's not a point solution to a single problem. It's the foundation on which entire careers are built.
This infrastructure is designed to work not just for individual musicians, but for small labels, A&R professionals, music managers, and industry partners. "I also want to invite music companies and industry partners to connect with us! Let's explore how we can create opportunities together," Hadi says, recognizing that transformation requires collaboration across the ecosystem.
And crucially, this infrastructure gives artists control. Unlike traditional label deals that require signing away masters or accepting exploitative revenue splits, Tunepact's model lets musicians maintain ownership while gaining access to professional-level support and tools that were once reserved only for signed artists.
What's Next: The Powerful Features Coming
If you ask Hadi what's coming next, he'll tell you that some of the most exciting developments are still under wraps.
"We have some exciting things coming that I can't reveal fully yet, but I can say we're building a partnership with one of the leading AI companies in the market, and we're working on some powerful and fun features that will make a real difference for every independent musician," he reveals.
The secrecy is intentional. This is the competitive advantage being protected. But the enthusiasm is genuine. This isn't a minor update or a nice-to-have feature. These are foundational capabilities that will define what AI-powered music infrastructure means.
Beyond the product itself, the vision is expanding. Tunepact is actively seeking partnerships with music companies and industry partners, recognizing that democratizing the music industry requires collaboration at every level.
The Ultimate Vision
Ask Hadi about Tunepact's purpose, and he'll give you a simple, powerful statement that cuts through all the tech jargon and startup speak:
"At the end of the day, Tunepact exists to democratize the music industry and shift the power back to the musicians. That's what drives us every single day."
It's not about replacing human creativity. It's not about automating artistry. It's about creating infrastructure—the AI-powered label for the next generation of artists—that removes barriers and creates opportunities.
For a founder whose brain was trained in tech but whose heart has always been in music, this mission represents the perfect fusion of both worlds. The precision and scale of technology, deployed in service of the deeply human act of creative expression.
"Right now, our beta version of Tunepact is live, and musicians can sign up, start using it, and share feedback with us," Hadi says. "This isn't just another platform; it's the infrastructure that will help them get discovered by the world."
Millions of independent musicians are waiting for this infrastructure. Many of them don't even know it exists yet. But as Tunepact continues building, validating, and expanding, that's changing.
The recognition as Most Innovative Music-Tech Founder of 2025 wasn't the destination. It was confirmation that the journey is heading in the right direction.
As for Hadi and his team that believes in this vision, the work is just getting started.
Create your free Tunepact account today and experience AI-powered clarity. [Start Free Today at tunepact.com]
