ABOUT US
Welcome to Staccato. Made by Musicians, For Musicians
FOUNDING STORY
The idea for Staccato began in 2019 when I was tasked with writing a 25-minute string quartet during my PhD, and I hit a creative wall.
I couldn’t afford to hire collaborators, but honestly, I still wanted to be the one shaping the music anyway. What I needed was a creative partner who worked in my style, didn’t judge me, and helped me explore musical directions without getting in the way.
So, I built one.
That’s how Staccato started: not as a business, but as a solution to a real creative block. I wanted an AI that listens to what I’m creating and offers musical ideas that feel human: something that supports the creative process, not something that takes over.
I know what it’s like to chase inspiration under pressure. Staccato is for music producers and composers who want to stay in a flow state, pushing their creative potential forward while still feeling connected to their work.
If you’re looking for something that understands you creatively and practically, then I know Staccato will feel just right for you.
Looking forward to hearing what you create,
JEFF LUPKER
Co-founder & CEO
Meet the team
Jeff Lupker
Co-founder & CEO
Jeff is a music producer, researcher, and creative technologist who started using AI to write music before it was cool. While completing his PhD in music and artificial intelligence, he taught large language models how to co-write string quartets. He also plays guitar in the band for America's Got Talent finalist Stacey Kay. Jeff's background as a professional musician shapes everything we build. He knows what it means to be stuck in a creative rut, and he's spent years designing tools that help producers break through it.
Jeff's the reason our AI sounds musical, not mechanical.
Jason Kowalczyk
Co-founder & CFO/COO
Jason's background is in forensic accounting, where he used to fly around the world investigating financial crimes. Now he puts those skills to work building the business side of Staccato. He finds funding, forms partnerships, and keeps our operations moving forward. He also goes to over 50 concerts a year and never misses a Pearl Jam, Roosevelt, or LCD Soundsystem show.
Jason helps drive the company forward from behind the scenes, focusing on strategy and growth.
Eric Hynes
Community Manager
Eric studies Anthropology and researches how tech and data impact public health. He's also been producing chiptune, lo-fi and EDM-style music for the past eight years. His knowledge of sound design, science and niche online cultures gives him a unique perspective on the producers we serve. Outside of work, you'll find him collecting minerals, cooking with friends or composing video game music.
Eric helps us stay curious and deeply connected to the producer community.
Dima Kyryliv
Marketing and Operations Intern
Dima is studying Music Technology at the University of Toronto and is always immersed in music and crossmedia arts. From orchestral works to video game soundtracks, he’s constantly creating and exploring new projects. With a foundation in classical training and plenty of hands-on experience, Dima has developed a sharp sense of what producers need—and why human creativity matters more than ever. When he’s not working on music, you’ll probably find him on the tennis court, binging a good documentary or series, or gaming with friends.
Dima turns rich AI music insight into better features and clearer storytelling.
Scottie
Chief Dog Officer (In Loving Memory)
Scottie was one of our original team members. Her hobbies included stretching out in the snow, requiring midday pets and providing office "protection". She left us too soon, but her spirit still greets us at the door.
We miss her every day.
Our Core Values
We listened to hundreds of producers and composers in one-on-one conversations to develop our EARS framework, which guides every decision we make around AI
Ethical Training: Unlike many other AI music platforms, we train our models responsibly using only data that respects artists and their copyrights.
Artistic References: Producers often rely on reference tracks to shape their sound. Staccato mirrors this creative process by learning underlying principles of artists' styles without directly copying. This allows it to collaborate like a real co-writer, adapting to your vision while staying original.
Responsible Guardrails: The system includes built-in safeguards to prevent the direct replication of copyrighted works. We support creative freedom while protecting the rights of all artists
Sustainable by Design: We avoid the energy-intensive demands of audio-based AI by using MIDI, enabling powerful creativity with a fraction of the compute. This approach drastically reduces environmental impact while keeping the AI Instrument fast and accessible
Community Involvement
The Staccato team planting trees to give back and keep our footprint light