Dirk Ulrich reacquires Plugin Alliance and Brainworx from inMusic

Dirk Ulrich has reacquired Plugin Alliance and Brainworx from inMusic.

Well, it’s that time again; it’s time for another chapter in the Native Instruments story.

With no more obvious moving parts left, I’m fairly confident that this chapter will be the last, but I never thought they’d make eleven Fast & Furious movies, so who knows.

Anyway, this time, we’re talking about Brainworx and Plugin Alliance, two brands that are now back in the hands of their previous owner and founder, Dirk Ulrich.

As I just mentioned, and as many of you will already know, Dirk Ulrich is the original founder and owner of Brainworx and Plugin Alliance.

The audio and tech entrepreneur founded Brainworx over 20 years ago, and Plugin Alliance came a little later, around 2011.

Like many things in music, or life in general, it appears we have come full circle. So, let’s take a look at the journey so far; from the start back to the start, kind of.

After enjoying years at the helm, Dirk Ulrich sold Brainworx and Plugin Alliance to Francisco Partners in April of 2022.

Francisco Partners had acquired Native Instruments just over a year earlier in January of 2021.

Without looking back at the mess that was the Soundwide era in any real detail, it’s fair to say that Francisco Partners went on a bit of a leveraged-buyout rampage that led us to where we are today.

I should say that despite selling Brainworx and Plugin Alliance, Dirk Ulrich actually remained at the helm as CEO for a short time before moving into an advisory position, and eventually stepping down entirely in 2024.

Although it all happened relatively quickly, in the eyes of many, the transition to life under Francisco Partners saw Dirk Ulrich go from a trusted Captain to a passenger on a much larger but sinking ship.

Under the Native Instruments umbrella, along with iZotope, Brainworx and Plugin Alliance were part of the package that entered preliminary insolvency in January of 2026, before being sold to the inMusic Group shortly after, in May.

By early July, Boris FX confirmed the acquisition of iZotope from inMusic, and here we are, later that same month, with confirmation that Dirk Ulrich has bought back Brainworx and Plugin Alliance under the banner of his new holding company, Rockforce Tech Holding Inc (RCKFRC).

That’s the journey so far, and with hindsight and relative information, it’s not entirely surprising that the Francisco Partners juggernaut has been stripped and sold for parts.

I suggested earlier that Dirk Ulrich was a trusted Captain (there will be no more seafaring references) because he was always more than just an owner.

Dirk Ulrich was the face of his brands, and when an owner/founder represents a brand publicly, you can build a strong bond of trust with customers.

The sale and Dirk’s transition from owner to CEO to advisor to nothing created a disconnect between the brands and their loyal customers.

The trust was further eroded by the fact that Brainworx and Plugin Alliance became smaller parts of a larger machine that had to service enormous debts above all else.

I have no idea what Francisco Partners paid for Brainworx and Plugin Alliance, but from a customer’s point of view, the sale was certainly a bad move.

But there are a couple of things that I feel I can safely assume. The first is that you don’t create something from the ground up, spend years running it, and stop caring overnight; I imagine Dirk Ulrich is more than financially invested in rebuilding the relationship with customers and undoing any damage that came with the long period of uncertainty.

The second thing I would assume is that with other things to do, Dirk Ulrich doesn’t need to step up to the plate again. Whether he feels obligated to customers or just wants to see his creations back on the right path, it would seem to confirm that a return to better times is more likely with Dirk Ulrich in charge.

So, even with a long way to go, I’d say there is some cause for celebration.

As I just alluded to, Brainworx and Plugin Alliance aren’t Dirk Ulrich’s only interests.

His RCKFRC company acquired Manley Labs in July of 2025, and Apogee in November of the same year.

I can understand some concerns about Brainworx and Plugin Alliance becoming part of what could be a growing group again.

However, even without the exact details of each transaction (the Manley Labs deal is confirmed by both parties as an all-cash transaction), it seems more likely that RCKFRC is building a smaller portfolio of very specific brands with a shared and manageable vision.

Francisco Partners invested around $5 billion in music industry buyouts and majority-stake deals that share common themes: lots of borrowing, lots of debt, and relatively short lifespans.

Dirk Ulrich and RCKFRC are a far safer bet to provide solid foundations.

Well, it’s early days, but Dirk Ulrich has been saying the right things so far.

In a letter to customers, new and old, Dirk Ulrich said:

“If you’ve been wondering what the future of Brainworx & Plugin Alliance will look like, today I have some answers.

I’m proud to share that on July 15, 2026, I have re-acquired Brainworx and Plugin Alliance under the umbrella of RCKFRC, my new company, which already includes Apogee and Manley. Expect to hear more about these brands soon, as part of the new PA/BX universe.

This marks the beginning of a new chapter – not only for the companies, but also for the millions of producers, engineers, musicians, and creators who have trusted our products over the years.”

Addressing why he came back, he referenced a desire to address customer concerns around licenses and future product development with a renewed focus and greater sense of responsibility.

Regarding the future, he added:

“Our priorities are simple and clear:

We’ll protect what our customers are relying on. Your plugins, your licenses and your projects will remain our highest priority.

We’ll continue to innovate. Brainworx has always been built by engineers solving real-world problems for professional users. That won’t change.

We’ll communicate transparently and directly with you.

We’ll introduce the new team behind the next chapter.

We’ll share our future roadmap. And we’ll keep you informed along the way.”

As concerns mount over the potential for iZotope products to move into pricey subscription models under Boris FX (which is saying something since they are already far from budget-friendly), it seems like a good opportunity for Dirk Ulrich to highlight the importance of perpetual licenses and value for money in this ever-changing industry.

Sometimes you have to take a step back before you can move forward, and this feels like one of those times.