Edtech Platform Protégé Closes $8.5 Million Seed Round

Chicago – March 25, 2022 – Cooley advised Protégé, a platform giving aspiring artists an opportunity to demonstrate their talent and receive feedback from industry experts, on the completion of its $8.5 million seed funding round. Partner Winston Gu led the Cooley team advising Protégé.

Led by Sequoia Capital, the funding round launched Protégé out of stealth mode alongside an announcement of the platform’s partnerships with icons in the music and entertainment industries.

“Gatekeepers in every industry control access to the elite opportunities especially in music, entertainment, and business,” Jackson Jhin, CEO and co-founder of Protégé said on LinkedIn. “You need the right connections to break into these fields.”

Protégé’s mission is to democratize access to dream careers. The company helps students be heard and get discovered with the belief that every person deserves a shot at proving themselves. According to a recent article in Forbes, Protégé has 30,000 users and charges between $10 and $200 per application, based on the expert’s level of fame. Applicants who submit a 60-second audition video receive feedback and may get a chance to produce with an artist.

About Cooley LLP

Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation, where innovation meets the law. 

Cooley has 1,500 lawyers across 17 offices in the United States, Asia and Europe.