Niklas Zennström

Niklas Zennström ( pronunciation: [ ˌ nik ː ː read sɛn stɹœm ], born February 16, 1966 in Järfälla, Sweden) is a Swedish software developer and co-developer of Internet Kazaa and the Internet telephony network Skype. In 2006 he founded the investment company Atomico, the enagagiert primarily in the technology sector. The company, which Zennström since then directs the chief executive officer, focuses on innovations that have the potential to reshape markets. He invested this far in more than 40 companies on three continents and is considered one of the most important entrepreneurs in Europe.

Zennström studied at Uppsala University and at the University of Michigan in the United States, management sciences and computer science. He then worked for the company Tele2 and Get2Net and was CEO of the portal everyday.com. In March 2001, he and Janus Friis, the Kazaa and 2003, the company Joltid.

Zennström was sued in 2001 in the United States by the music industry for aiding and abetting copyright infringement. However, the action could not be around a year note, as Zennström to " phantom " moving through Europe. After the sentencing could be averted. Zennström argued that someone who does not live in the U.S. or do business there, could not be convicted by a U.S. court.

After that Zennström and Friis devoted to the development of the Internet telephony network Skype, which was acquired in September 2005 for 3.1 billion U.S. dollars from eBay. Zennström has resigned from the post of CEO of Skype. He has since no longer a voting member of the Board of Directors of Skype. Then Zennström worked at a broadcasting platform called Joost.

Together with Friis developed Zennström in 2010 the commercial-free music subscription and audio-on -demand service Rdio.

Niklas Zennström is married.