From Research to the Stage: How Great Gig Group Is Transforming Live Music Performances
- May 15
- 4 min read
What started with a few Instagram posts has evolved into one of the most exciting start-up stories within the MAX!mize incubation program. For doctoral researcher and rapper Nikita Kudakov, the journey combined two lifelong passions: scientific research and live music performance.
While sharing insights from his doctoral work at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics alongside clips from his rap performances under the stage name Coodiny, Kudakov caught the attention of an editor at the Max Planck Community Magazine. He was later featured in issue No. 02/2025 in the section “1 out of 24,000” — an early signal that his work resonated far beyond academia.
A Social Start-up Bridging Science, Music, and Technology
Kudakov’s doctoral research analyzes how rappers communicate with their audiences during live performance, focusing on recurring body movements and verbal phrases. Through concert documentation and video analysis, he examines gesture, vocal delivery, and audience response.
Having written his first songs at the age of ten and performed at both Russian- and German-language rap events, music became a way for him to navigate cultural transitions and develop his artistic identity. Combining research with performance naturally led to entrepreneurship — and ultimately to the creation of Great Gig Group.
The Great Gig Group is dedicated to helping singers, rappers, and DJs strengthen their connection with audiences through scientifically informed performance coaching and technology. At the center of the project is an app that analyzes live stage performance and provides artists with actionable feedback to improve audience engagement.
MAX!mize start-up coaches Jillian Mayer and Florian Kirschenhofer recognized the potential of the idea. With her support, the team refined their concept and successfully convinced the MAX!mize jury. In April 2025, Great Gig Group officially entered Phase 1 of the incubation program.
April - Septemer 2025: Phase 1
One of the biggest challenges at the beginning of Phase 1 was transforming a geographically distributed group into a functioning and highly collaborative team. With members based across four different cities, the goal was ambitious: develop a first working prototype as quickly as possible that could help musicians optimize their live performances.
Building an Agile Team Across Four Cities
Through focused workshops, clearly defined workflows, and the right mix of people and expertise, the team rapidly developed a solution that already demonstrated promising results during early tests with rappers.
“MAX!mize went beyond funding — they listened to what we actually needed and organized workshops that helped us level up as a team. Our biggest lesson learned was that our team is our foundation, and staying true to your own interests while matching them with customer needs is where the real product lives.” — Nikita Kudakov
Within just six months, the team successfully built an agile working structure, developed a functioning prototype, and supported three rappers in improving their live performances through data-driven feedback and coaching.
As Kudakov explains:
"Our shared goal now is to bring our product and our advisory services to market readiness and to expand our ‘About The Feeling’* concert series into a festival accompanied by a conference.”
Alongside the technological development, the project also aims to build a broader creative and scientific community around live performance culture.
Oktober 2025 - Starting Phase 2
After successfully completing Phase 1 in September 2025, the start-up team presented their refined core idea along with initial results in front of the MAX!mize jury and subsequently received additional support and funding for the next 18 months in Phase 2 to further develop the project.
Entering Phase 2: Expanding the Vision
The next phase focuses on bringing both the app and the consulting services closer to market readiness while further expanding the project’s cultural impact.
Key goals for Phase 2 include:
Scaling the live performance coaching program
Expanding the “About The Feeling” concert series into a festival with an accompanying conference
Further developing the app prototype
Launching a YouTube channel exploring the intersection of research, art, and technology
Building stronger connections between artists, scientists, and audiences
For Jillian Mayer, the project represents exactly the type of impact-driven innovation MAX!mize aims to support:
“We are very pleased to be working with the dedicated team of Great Gig Group. This entrepreneurship project exemplifies how societal impact and scientific excellence go hand in hand.”
Looking for Artists to Collaborate
The team is currently searching for artists interested in receiving guidance for their live performances. Singers, rappers, and DJs who want to further develop their stage presence through scientific expertise and technological innovation are invited to get in touch with the GreatGig Group directly. In addition the team is looking for researchers who are engaged with the topic of live performance and would like to contribute to the poster session at the ‘About The Feeling’ event.
*‘About The Feeling’ is a one-day event taking place on October 15, 2026, in Frankfurt am Main. During the day, it will feature a conference for researchers, artists, and music industry professionals at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics—and in the evening, it will transition into a festival with live performances at the Mousonturm.
Roadmap @ MAX!mize
Batch: #5
Bootcamp: February 2025
Profile
Institute: Max-Planck-Insitute for Empirical Aesthetics
Section: Human Sciences
Founders: Nikita Kudakov, Alex Emmer, Alexander Gretschann, Pavel Metelitsyn, Prof. Dr. Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann
Great Gig Group demonstrates how scientific insight can move beyond research institutions and create real-world cultural impact. By combining empirical aesthetics, music performance, and entrepreneurial thinking, the team is building new ways for artists and audiences to connect.
And their journey is only just beginning.
Ready to unlock your sciencepreneurial skills and become part of our next batch?
