Martin Lorentzon
Sven Hans Martin Lorentzon | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1, 1969 Åsenhöga, Gnosjö, Småland, Sweden |
| Occupation | Businessperson |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Known for | Co-founder of Tradedoubler and Spotify; board member at Telia Company |
Sven Hans Martin Lorentzon (born 1 April 1969) is a Swedish business figure recognized as a co-founder of both Tradedoubler and Spotify. Between 2013 and 2018, he was a member of the board at Telia Company. Since April 2019, he has contributed as an expert on immigrant integration for the Moderate Party commission known as New Swedish Model.
Early life
Born on 1 April 1969 in Åsenhöga, located within the Gnosjö area of Småland, Sweden, Lorentzon relocated with his family in 1970 to Borås, where he was raised in the Hestra neighborhood. His mother, Brita, worked as a teacher, while his father, Sven, was an economist. He has two elder siblings and completed his higher education at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg.
Career
During his time at Särlaskolan primary school in Borås, Lorentzon dreamed of selling one matchbox to every person in China and becoming a billionaire. He pursued studies at the technical department of Sven Eriksonsgymnasiet, choosing to focus on academics rather than social activities.
In 1990, he enrolled in industrial economics at Chalmers University of Technology, where he earned a Master of Science degree in engineering. He supplemented this with economics courses at the Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law, studied economics at Stockholm School of Economics, and completed classes in rhetoric and argumentation at Stockholm University.
Lorentzon undertook an internship at Telia in 1995 and subsequently worked at AltaVista’s San Francisco office. While in Silicon Valley, he joined investment firm Cell Ventures and met Felix Hagnö. Together, they launched Netstrategy in 1999, which later transformed into Tradedoubler—one of Europe’s foremost marketplaces. The company rapidly achieved profitability and received numerous accolades such as the 2001 Swedish Guldmusen award for "IT-rookie of the Year," the 2002 Swedish Trade Council Achievement Award for UK market success, and the 2004 Export Hermes prize recognizing excellence in Swedish exports. During this time, Lorentzon relocated to Germany; web sales reached their zenith and in 2005 he liquidated his Tradedoubler options for approximately US$70 million.
After spending ten years abroad, Lorentzon returned to Sweden. In March 2006, Tradedoubler acquired Advertigo, an advertising service started by Daniel Ek. This acquisition fostered a strong partnership between Lorentzon and Ek as they shared insights about managing sudden financial success.
From April 2013 until March 2018, Lorentzon was part of Telia’s board of directors and held ownership of 230,000 shares.
Spotify
Ek and Lorentzon co-founded Spotify in April 2006; it was officially registered that June as a music streaming platform generating revenue through online advertisements. Lorentzon contributed an initial investment of one million euros to cover developer salaries, office expenses, and music licensing fees. Although external funding was sought, he maintained the largest ownership stake due to these financial commitments. His options have been valued at over US$4 billion; he controls 43.3% of voting rights and owns 12.7% of shares. Felix Hagnö joined later as well, holding a 6.6% stake worth approximately US$1.5 billion.
Lorentzon acted as CEO from Spotify’s inception until 2013 and served as chairman between 2008 and 2016 before Ek took over these positions. The founders continue to collaborate closely, with Lorentzon managing strategic planning, budgeting processes, compensation structures, and financial reporting responsibilities.
Civic engagement
Beginning in 2013, Lorentzon took part in Prince Daniel's Fellowship Project, which aims to encourage entrepreneurship within Swedish schools. In 2016, he became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, an institution dedicated to enhancing cooperation among industry, academia, and governmental bodies.
Throughout his career, Lorentzon has been recognized with multiple accolades, including being named International Swede of the Year in 2014, receiving the Affärsbragden business award in 2015, and earning an honorary doctorate from Chalmers University of Technology that same year.
Political involvement
Together with Spotify cofounder Ek, Lorentzon has campaigned for reducing Sweden’s elevated tax rates and loosening stringent regulatory frameworks. In 2016, they cautioned the Swedish government that without reforms addressing housing, taxation, and educational legislation, Spotify might consider relocating its operations. They emphasized that heavy taxation on stock options puts startups at a disadvantage when competing for talent against larger corporations and that restrictive permitting processes constrain the availability of affordable housing.
In April 2019, Lorentzon was named an expert on immigrant integration within the Moderate Party’s New Swedish Model commission. This initiative was launched by Ulf Kristersson prior to the 2022 election cycle, which ultimately resulted in Kristersson becoming prime minister.
Personal details
Since 2005, Lorentzon has lived in Vasastan, Stockholm, and also owns real estate in the ski destination of Åre. In 2006, he paid taxes amounting to 1.4 million euros.
Honors
- 2014 - International Swede of the Year (shared with Daniel Ek)
- 2015 - Affärsbragden (Business Achievement Award), Svenska Dagbladet
- 2015 - Honorary doctorate from Chalmers University of Technology
- 2016 - Induction into the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (Department of Education and Research)
- 2020 - Recipient of H. M. The King's Medal (12th size gold, silver-gilt)
- 2021 - Awarded the Gustaf Dalén Medal