AlphaTheta, owner of Pioneer DJ, acquires Serato – here’s the latest

Serato has been acquired by Pioneer DJ’s parent brand, AlphaTheta. The company has acquired all of Serato’s shares for an undisclosed amount.

READ MORE: Best DJ plugins of 2023: Free software and apps for DJing

The buyout is still subject to approval by the New Zealand Overseas Investment Office, and little is known about what the future now holds for New Zealand brand Serato. However, a press release says that both AlphaTheta and Serato will continue to operate as standalone companies but the partnership will “capitalize on the combined expertise of both companies.

“This includes the continuation of their longstanding partnerships with key players in the DJ hardware and software industry.”

Here’s what else Serato and AlphaTheta have officially said so far:

Yoshinori Kataoka, the president and CEO of AlphaTheta, said in a press statement: “I am delighted to announce the acquisition of Serato. Through extensive discussions within our company and with Serato’s management team, we have been exploring new ways to contribute to the industry. Bringing Serato into the AlphaTheta Group will lead to new synergies and significant technological innovations, adding continued value to the community.”

Young Ly, CEO of Serato, comments “Serato has enjoyed a 25-year history of success that is driven by a single-minded focus on serving DJs, producers and artists. We are incredibly proud of both the strength of our business as well as the community that surrounds our brand. Today, we are excited to deepen our long-standing partnership with AlphaTheta, accelerating how we create value for our users and the industry.”

What is AlphaTheta Corporation?

AlphaTheta Corporation oversees a number of DJ-related brands, including Pioneer DJ, TORAIZ, Pioneer Professional Audio, and Pioneer DJ Radio, as well as platforms KUVO and DJsounds.

Pioneer DJ entered the DJ equipment business as a division of Pioneer Corporation in June 1994. In August 2013, the company expanded its scope by venturing into professional audio equipment. Following a stock split, it became independent from Pioneer Corporation in March 2015, operating as Pioneer DJ Corporation. In January 2020, the company rebranded itself as AlphaTheta Corporation. The latest development before its acquirement of Serato came in September 2022 when AlphaTheta Corporation announced a strategic investment and alliance with DJ Monitor B.V., a global leader in music recognition technology.

In March 2020, Japanese holding company Noritsu Koki signed a Share Purchase Agreement with KKR PDJ Investment L.P. and Pioneer Corporation. The agreement meant that all shares held by each company in AlphaTheta Corporation were transferred to Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd. The company assumed the role of the parent company for AlphaTheta Corporation, effective from April 2020.

What’s the latest with Serato?

In January 2023, Serato launched its “most intuitive DAW,” Serato Studio 2.0, with Stem-Separation Technology.

Later, in February, Numark introduced compatibility with Amazon Music and Serato to the full-featured Mixstream Pro + DJ controller. This allows DJs to play in Standalone Mode with Engine DJ OS, while the Mixstream Pro +’s Computer Mode allows for use as a DJ software controller for Serato.

In March, the brand teamed up with Timbaland and DJ Khalil to host an educational event, The Future of Sampling, centred around the future of sampling.

The acquisition of Serato is huge news for the DJ gear industry. One producer and researcher, Benn Jordan, recently envisioned other seismic shifts in the industry, such as the potential acquirement of Waves including a spate of layoffs for Moog, Apple and Spitfire Audio. In the video, uploaded to YouTube, Jordan also discusses the recent acquisition of Moog by InMusic, Akai’s parent company.

AlphaTheta’s acquisition of Serato is a developing story. Check back here for updates as we receive them.