Yes, Spotify again. The music service has made a surprise announcement that former Benchmark VC Klaus Hommels has invested in the company and, so, has joined its board of directors.
Spotify tells paidContent:UK Hommels “is an investor from the most recent round” of investment.
That’s believed to be the one reported (but not confirmed) in August, giving Spotify between £20 million and £30 million from 3 backer Li Ka-Shing Foundation, Wellington Partners and record labels. Hommels’ name did not come up at the time. His stake or investment amount aren’t known.
Hommels had been an investor in Stardoll, of which Spotify CEO Daniel Ek had been CTO before quitting to start Spotify. He also invested in Skype, King.com, Xing, QXL and Facebook. Ek, in the release, says Hommels will be “invaluable to helping us grow on a global basis”.
Hommels in the release: “I have a long-term track record of discovering models that change the rules of the game in a certain industry. Through the exceptional team and the world-class product, Spotify is one of the very few companies originating out of Europe that have this potential. Therefore, it is a logical step, as an active investor, for me to join Spotify’s board – to involve myself and put my efforts and experience behind it to help making it the success it deserves.”
Daniel Ek and co-founder Daniel Martin Lorentzon previously put