Daniel Ek's Biography

Daniel Ek is a Swedish entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and CEO of Spotify, the world’s leading music streaming service. Born on February 21, 1983, in Stockholm, Sweden, Ek showed early promise in technology, founding his first company at just 14. After briefly attending the Royal Institute of Technology, he left to pursue a career in tech, quickly making a mark with several startups. In 2008, together with Martin Lorentzon, Ek launched Spotify, a platform that revolutionized how people access and enjoy music globally. Under his leadership, Spotify has grown to over 500 million users and fundamentally shifted the music industry towards streaming. Ek is renowned for his innovative vision, resilience, and commitment to fair access to music. Despite controversies over artist compensation and content moderation, he remains a pivotal figure shaping the digital music landscape. With an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion in 2024, Daniel Ek continues to invest in technology and champion creative entrepreneurship. He is married to Sofia Levander and enjoys playing guitar, reading, and supporting the next generation of tech innovators.