Spotify Boss Pours €600M Into AI Army — Europe’s Defence Just Got an Upgrade
Daniel Ek, the billionaire behind Spotify, is backing German defence startup Helsing with a massive investment—fuelling Europe’s leap into autonomous warfare.
You might know Daniel Ek as the brains behind Spotify—the Swedish streaming giant that pretty much ended the age of pirated music by convincing us all to pay for it. But it turns out, Ek isn’t just remixing the music industry. He’s also backing artificial intelligence… of the weaponised kind.
Yes, that’s right. According to the Financial Times, Ek—via his investment company, Prima Materia—has just poured a staggering €600 million into Helsing, a German defence startup that makes AI-powered combat drones. That’s one of the largest single investments in European defence tech to date and boosts Helsing’s valuation to a war-chest-worthy €12 billion.
Music to missiles: Why the Spotify CEO is backing Europe’s AI weapons
Ek has been at the helm of Spotify since co-founding it in 2006 with Martin Lorentzon. Under his leadership, Spotify became a cultural and commercial juggernaut—and in 2023, Billboard named him “the most powerful person in the music industry.”
But apparently, chart-topping power isn’t enough. Ek’s been quietly building his presence in the defence sector for a few years now. His latest €600 million investment is actually a follow-up to a previous €100 million stake in Helsing back in 2021.
So what exactly does Helsing do?
The company started off developing AI software for military use, but it’s since evolved into a full-blown robotic weapons systems manufacturer. Their headline product is the HX-2, an electric combat drone that can hit targets up to 100 kilometres away—and yes, it’s capable of operating autonomously. Even more eye-opening: these drones can work together in so-called “swarms”—with multiple units controlled by just one human operator. These drones are already in active use on the front lines in Ukraine.
War tech with a mission?
Ek has taken some flak for his growing ties to the military-industrial complex—especially from artists who worry that the music mogul’s war investments clash with the creative values of Spotify. But Ek is unrepentant.
“I’m sure people will criticise it, and that’s fine,” he told Financial Times. “I focus on what I believe is right, and I’m fully convinced this is the right thing for Europe.”
In his view, Europe needs its own cutting-edge defence tech, especially in the face of ongoing conflict and rising tensions. That means investing in tools like Helsing’s autonomous drones—which can give European nations a tech-savvy edge without relying entirely on US or Chinese military giants.
Spotify shares for swarm drones
Backing a war-tech startup at this level doesn’t come cheap. Ek has reportedly sold off a significant chunk of his Spotify shares, bringing in over $376 million in 2024 alone. Yet even after cashing in, he’s managed to maintain control of Spotify—thanks to a clever share structure that gives him 30% of the voting rights while owning just 14.3% of the company’s capital.
So, Daniel Ek—once the disruptor of the music biz—is now disrupting Europe’s defence landscape. Is he playing defence or attack? That depends on your perspective.
The reality is, he’s helping stream battle data from swarms of AI drones across European skies.
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