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Make Music Count
Techstars '20Atlanta, US · Founded 2013 · 3 employees on LinkedIn · 1 known investors
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Make Music Count develops a math curriculum and app that teaches mathematics through piano playing. The company serves students and educational institutions seeking creative, music-based approaches to math instruction.
Also known as MakeMusicCount
Founders & leadership
Make Music Count was founded in 2013 by Marcus Blackwell Jr..
Investors · 1
How we know: the Techstars portfolio · open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
Company profile
researched Sep 2026Make Music Count is an education company that sells a mathematics curriculum, workbooks and a companion app in which students learn math by playing popular songs on the piano. In a lesson, students solve math equations whose answers correspond to musical notes; once all questions are answered the notes are highlighted on a keyboard and the student plays them on a virtual piano while the original recording streams alongside. The material is positioned as a STEAM curriculum for 2nd- through 12th-grade students and requires no prior piano experience.
The curriculum spans fractions, decimals, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, order of operations, substituting variables, solving for x, pre-calculus and calculus. Products include individual workbooks by topic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, algebra) and bundled "kits" that combine app access, a 49-key keyboard and two, four or six workbooks at $49.99, $79.99 and $99.99 respectively. The app is available on iOS and Android and runs on Chromebooks, desktop computers, smartboards, tablets and smartphones. The company states a mission of using creativity so that every student can reach their full educational potential and feel included during instruction.
Founding story
The company was founded by Marcus Blackwell Jr., who holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Morehouse College and has played professional gospel piano since the age of 16. He built the curriculum to connect mathematical concepts creatively and to support traditional classroom teaching methods.
Business model
Direct sale of physical and digital learning products — workbooks, bundled keyboard-and-workbook kits, and an accompanying app — through an online store, alongside curriculum use in classroom and after-school settings.
Product sales via the company's e-commerce storefront, with published kit prices of $49.99, $79.99 and $99.99 depending on the number of workbooks included, plus individual workbook sales.
Traction
The company's site reports 92.4K active users around the world. Testimonials come from students at Charles Drew Charter School and the Boys and Girls Club of America, from Courtney Castle, Superintendent of Saucelito Elementary School District in Terra Bella, California, who describes regular classroom implementation and gains in students' basic math confidence, and from NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal.
Latest developments
New Make Music Count Kits combining workbooks with a physical 49-key keyboard are available in three tiers, and the company is sponsoring GLAEF and the Los Angeles County Office of Education to bring its math resource to students in that area.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Operates in the education and music segments as a small company (1-10 employees) offering a math curriculum differentiated by music-based instruction; reports 92.4K active users worldwide.
Teaches mathematics through music rather than music through mathematics: answers to equations are the notes of popular songs, so students play recognizable music immediately without prior piano training, integrating arts into a STEAM math curriculum.
Technology
A web and mobile application (iOS and Android, also usable on Chromebooks, desktops, smartboards, tablets and smartphones) that presents math equations whose solutions map to musical notes, highlights the resulting notes on a virtual keyboard, and streams the original song while the student plays.
Go-to-market
Online direct-to-consumer storefront combined with institutional adoption through schools and districts, and sponsorship of education organizations such as GLAEF and the Los Angeles County Office of Education to reach district leaders and students.
Teachers and schools serving 2nd- to 12th-grade students, school districts and county education offices, homeschooling families, and out-of-school programs such as Boys and Girls Clubs.
Geography
Headquartered in Atlanta and reporting users worldwide; documented U.S. school engagement includes Charles Drew Charter School, Saucelito Elementary School District in Terra Bella, California, and sponsorship work aimed at Los Angeles County schools.
History
Founded in Atlanta, the company developed a music-based math curriculum and app for 2nd- to 12th-grade students, later expanding into printed workbooks by math topic and, more recently, bundled kits that add a 49-key keyboard to the workbook and app offering.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Related companies · 2
Companies working in the same space as Make Music Count.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsMake Music Count sponsors the Greater Los Angeles Education Foundation (GLAEF) and the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) to place its math-through-music resource with students in Los Angeles County districts.
The company introduced bundled learning kits pairing its math workbooks with a 49-key piano keyboard and app access, sold in 2-, 4- and 6-workbook configurations priced at $49.99 (Math Maestro), $79.99 (Ratio Rockstar) and $99.99 (Piano Prodigy).
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Make Music Countmakemusiccount.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Make Music Count do?
- Make Music Count is an Atlanta-based STEAM company whose curriculum and app teach math by having students play songs on piano.
- Who founded Make Music Count?
- Make Music Count was founded by Marcus Blackwell Jr. in 2013.
- Who are Make Music Count's investors?
- Make Music Count's investors include Techstars.
- Where is Make Music Count headquartered?
- Make Music Count is headquartered in Atlanta, US.