Berlin, 16 February 2026 – Neptune, a Berlin-based music education startup supported by us at Silicon Allee at Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute, has raised $1.5 million to support the rollout of its digital music-learning platform, with an initial focus on the United Arab Emirates.
The funding round brings together international angel investors alongside technological collaboration with Fraunhofer HHI, one of Europe’s leading applied research institutes. US-based angels John Engle and Coşay Altuğ were among the significant contributors.
Neptune is a digital platform that helps schools teach music in a structured and scalable way. It provides step-by-step instruction, guided practice, and feedback so students can track their progress over time.
This marks Neptune’s first external funding round and a significant milestone in its development and international expansion.
From Applied Research to Music Learning Platform
Neptune was developed within the innovation ecosystem of Silicon Allee, the venture lab at Fraunhofer HHI, and is part of its startup portfolio.
The company builds on applied research and expertise in digital media and interactive systems to create a structured music-learning platform designed for scalability. Its solution addresses persistent challenges in early music education, including limited access to qualified teachers, inconsistent learning quality across classrooms, high delivery costs, and a lack of digital tools that combine music fundamentals with structured practice and feedback.
“Neptune exemplifies how applied research and advanced technology can be translated into practical tools for education,” said Peter Eisert, Head of the VIT Department at Fraunhofer HHI. “Collaborating with early-stage ventures like Neptune allows us to bring research-driven innovation out of the lab and into real-world educational environments where it can create measurable impact.”
UAE Market Rollout
Neptune will initially focus on the United Arab Emirates, with Dubai serving as its primary launchpad. The company is pursuing a concentrated go-to-market approach, prioritising strong local partnerships and measurable adoption before expanding further.
“Following the UAE rollout, we plan to expand into other education-driven markets across the GCC and the United States,” said Ilkyaz Koca, CEO and Co-Founder of Neptune. “The UAE represents an ideal beachhead thanks to its high concentration of private schools, openness to educational innovation, and substantial public and private investment in edtech infrastructure. By demonstrating measurable impact and establishing flagship reference partnerships locally, we aim to build a repeatable model for wider international expansion.”
Enabling Scalable Music Education
“This funding gives us the runway to build the partnerships needed to make music education more accessible,” said Aleyna Tunca, Co-Founder of Neptune. “Neptune is designed to support structured and scalable music learning, helping schools and education providers address capacity constraints, improve student engagement, and deliver more consistent learning outcomes.”
Neptune’s successful funding round highlights the continued development of startups emerging from Fraunhofer HHI’s innovation ecosystem and their ability to attract international investment while scaling into global markets.
Watch Aleyna's Founder Interview
Learn more about Neptune’s digital music platform on their website.
Learn more about Silicon Allee at Fraunhofer HHI and their offerings to support startups here.
%201.svg)