Ritesh Patel is the co-founder and co-CEO of Ticket Fairy, an advanced AI-native vertical SaaS platform built specifically for the live entertainment industry. Ticket Fairy combines ticketing, fintech, AI (artificial intelligence), marketing automation, and real-time analytics to help event and festival producers across music, gaming/esports, and food & beverage increase revenue, reduce operational costs, and lower financial risk — all while tackling some of the industry’s toughest consumer challenges, including ticket scalping and resale fraud.

Since launch, Ticket Fairy has powered tens of thousands of events around the world, generating more than $300 million in ticket sales. The platform’s technology gives organizers a competitive edge by enabling precision marketing, expanding audience reach, and providing data-driven insights that improve decision-making and profitability.

The company has earned the backing of some of the most respected investors in technology and entertainment. This includes Y Combinator, early backers and founders of YouTube, Twitch, and Reddit, and leaders in blockchain innovation such as Brock Pierce (Chairman, Bitcoin Foundation), Craig Sellars (co-creator of the stablecoin), and the team behind the Polygon blockchain. These relationships reflect Ticket Fairy’s position at the intersection of live entertainment, fintech, and cutting-edge technology.

Before co-founding Ticket Fairy, Ritesh built a global reputation as an event producer. He created LOCUS, a drum & bass events brand that has been active since 2000, with shows in Bristol, UK, and Sydney, Australia. In 2022, he launched the first LOCUS multi-day destination festival in Tulum, Mexico — an event that attracted attendees from around the globe — and in 2024, expanded the concept to Bali.

Ritesh’s contributions to live music culture extend beyond event production. In the early 2000s, he was instrumental in building online communities that helped shape the global electronic music scene, including a music discussion forum called Dogs on Acid, which became the busiest dance music forum in the world at the time, and Hijack, a hub for the thriving Bristol music scene.

Today, Ritesh brings together decades of industry experience and a deep understanding of technology to push the boundaries of what’s possible in live events. He speaks frequently about the future of ticketing, the role of AI in live entertainment, and how data-driven tools can transform the economics of event production — making him a sought-after voice on both conference stages and podcasts worldwide.

During this episode, we discuss:

• How Ritesh started his company with his brother with an idea that spanned 10 years
• His own experience producing a series of events that revealed what the gaps were in the industry
• How event companies don’t have access to raw capital like tech companies do
• The use of gamification and leaderboards to get ticket sales
• How founders know if they should do launch something now or wait
• What Ritesh wishes he did differently with Ticket Fairy
• His advice to new founders
• What it’s like having a brother as a co-founder

And more. Tune into this episode as we dive into all things tech for live entertainment!