Pursuits

Spotify Won’t Ever Sell to Larger Company, CEO Ek Says

  • Says acquisitions by U.S. tech companies holding back Europe
  • Ek’s advice for Europe’s entrepreneurs: ‘Don’t ever sell’

Daniel Ek.

Photographer: Johann Jeppsson/Bloomberg
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Music streaming service Spotify Ltd. won’t ever sell out to a large U.S. tech company, the startup’s chief executive officer and co-founder Daniel Ek said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at a technology and music conference in Stockholm, Ek said that he sees the fact European entrepreneurs frequently sell their companies to larger U.S. businesses as holding back the region’s technology sector.