Schibsted made its first investment in Podme in 2019 and increased its ownership stake to 91 percent two years later. Now, the parties have decided to complete the deal by having Schibsted Media acquire the remaining minority shares in the company.
“We are pleased to have reached this milestone. This would not have been possible without the involvement of the founders, Johan Strömberg and Niklas Julin. They have been instrumental in building an outstanding company that has, over the past few years, grown into a leading player in premium podcasts across Sweden, Norway, and Finland,” says Per Håkon Fasting, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at Schibsted Media and Chairman of the Board at Podme.
Foundation for future expansion
Over the years of shared ownership, during which Johan Strömberg held the role of CEO for many years and Niklas Julin served as Head of Development, all parties have contributed to building a strong company. The collaboration has been characterized by mutual respect and strong trust.
“Together with the founders, we have not only strengthened Podme’s position, but we have also laid the foundation for future expansion. This enables us to take the next step in the transaction, complete it, and buy out the remaining minority shareholders, as planned from the beginning,” says Per Håkon Fasting.
“Seeing Podme grow into a leading player in premium podcasts across the Nordics is something we are incredibly proud of. It has been an amazing journey, and we are deeply grateful for the collaboration with Schibsted Media, all the passionate podcast creators, and our dedicated listeners. Above all, we want to highlight our fantastic colleagues, whose commitment and hard work have been crucial to the success we see today. Now, we look forward to following Podme’s continued development and expansion under Schibsted Media’s leadership,” say Johan Strömberg and Niklas Julin in a joint statement.
With Podme becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Schibsted Media, the integration with Schibsted Media is further strengthened. This opens up several potential collaborations in the future, both in terms of content and within product and technology development. At the same time, Podme will continue to follow its established strategy and growth plan, aiming to further strengthen its market position while achieving profitability.
